Michael Robinson Jr.

In the summer of 2020, the promising life of Michael Robinson Jr., a 23-year-old Black man from Monroe, Louisiana, was tragically cut short. Robinson was a graduating senior at Grambling State University with aspirations of becoming a state trooper. His family described him as a lively and positive person who loved to talk to people. He was excited about his future, with plans to submit his trooper application, move to an apartment in Dallas, and start his new life.

On July 29, 2020, Robinson's family grew concerned when they were unable to reach him, which was highly uncharacteristic. That same day, he was killed during an armed robbery on Brown Street in Richwood. He had been shot multiple times. His body was then placed in the trunk of his own car, a black Chevrolet Camaro.

Later that afternoon, a Louisiana State Trooper on patrol near Winnsboro pulled over Robinson's Camaro for speeding on Louisiana Highway 17. The driver was 18-year-old Michael Dewayne Mitchell Jr. The trooper noticed bullet holes in the side of the vehicle and smelled marijuana. Mitchell gave the trooper consent to search the car, which led to the grim discovery of Michael Robinson Jr.’s body in the trunk.

During questioning, Mitchell admitted his role in the robbery but initially implicated another man, 19-year-old Cameron Powe, claiming Powe had planned the robbery and fired the fatal shots. Based on this statement, both Mitchell and Powe were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Mitchell later confessed that he had lied about Powe’s involvement due to a personal dispute between them. As a result, all charges against Cameron Powe were dropped.

In November 2020, a grand jury indicted Michael Mitchell for second-degree murder. As the case proceeded, Robinson’s friends and family gathered for a balloon release at Carol High School to honor the young man they had lost. The case concluded when Michael Mitchell was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of Michael Robinson Jr. The sentence was confirmed in July 2023.