In the summer of 2020, the life of a promising young man, 23-year-old Michael Robinson Jr., was tragically cut short. On July 29, 2020, his body was discovered in the trunk of his own car near Winnsboro, Louisiana. He had been shot multiple times. Robinson was a resident of Monroe and was on the verge of graduating from Grambling State University with aspirations of becoming a state trooper. His family grew concerned when they couldn't reach him, which was uncharacteristic of the sociable young man who loved to talk to people.
The grim discovery was made during a routine traffic stop. A Louisiana State Trooper pulled over a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro for a traffic violation on Louisiana Highway 17. The trooper noticed bullet holes in the side of the vehicle. The driver, 18-year-old Michael Mitchell Jr., gave the trooper consent to search the car, which led to the finding of Robinson's body in the trunk.
Initially, Mitchell implicated another individual, 19-year-old Cameron Powe of Monroe, in the robbery and murder. Both Mitchell and Powe were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Mitchell claimed that Powe had shot Robinson during a robbery and that he was merely disposing of the vehicle and the body. However, in a later interview, Mitchell confessed that he had lied about Powe's involvement due to a personal dispute between them. He admitted to his role in the robbery that resulted in Robinson's death. Subsequently, the charges against Cameron Powe were dropped.
The community mourned the loss of Michael Robinson Jr., holding a balloon release in his honor at Carol High School. Family and friends remembered him as a person who loved people and was excited about his future, which included plans to move to Dallas and begin his life.
