Robert Dewey Powell, a 31-year-old man from Eagle Springs, North Carolina, was tragically shot to death on July 21, 2016. The incident occurred at 290 Sand Pit Park Drive off Eagle Springs Road around 5:30 a.m. when Powell answered his door and was fatally shot. Witnesses reported that Powell fell back on the floor, and despite efforts to keep him alive, the severity of his injuries made it impossible.
The suspect, Antonio Deshawn Robinson, a 27-year-old man, was arrested after a
six-hour search. Robinson had a history of causing disturbances and had previously been involved with Tatiana Parker, who was Powell's girlfriend at the time of the shooting. Parker and Robinson had two young sons together, ages 1 and 4, who were inside the home during the incident but did not witness the shooting.
Robinson was charged with Powell's murder and was apprehended without incident at a relative's home. Authorities conducted a thorough investigation, including searching for the murder weapon, which Robinson claimed to have discarded after the shooting. The case was one of three murders in Moore County within a span of four days, an unusual occurrence for the area.
The motive behind the shooting was linked to Robinson's jealousy and previous relationship with Parker. Witnesses, including Parker's mother, Arivette Little, recounted past incidents where Robinson had caused disturbances, leading to law enforcement intervention. The shooting was described as a traumatic event for the family, especially for the children who were present in the home.
In addition to Powell's case, Moore County authorities were also investigating other unrelated murders that occurred around the same time. These included the shooting death of 76-year-old Dallis L. Kellis in Aberdeen and the drug overdose death of 22-year-old Meghan Burum in Cameron. Despite the proximity of these incidents, authorities did not believe they were connected.
