Octavis Sentex Geter, a 23-year-old African American male, was found shot and left to die on the side of the road in Hickory, North Carolina, on June 6, 2015. The incident occurred in the 800 block of 2nd Street Southeast, where a large crowd of people had gathered around him. Despite being taken to the hospital, Geter succumbed to his injuries. The Hickory Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide, seeking the community's help to bring the responsible individual to
justice.
Three days after the incident, on June 9, 2015, Jamar Franklin Robinson turned himself in at the Hickory Police Department. Robinson was charged with first-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of Octavis Sentex Geter. He was held without bond and faced trial for the crime. The case was tried by the Attorney General's Office due to a conflict of interest with the local District Attorney's Office.
The trial concluded on December 16, 2021, when a Catawba County jury found Jamar Franklin Robinson not guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Octavis Sentex Geter. The verdict was reached after a lengthy legal process, during which Robinson had been free on bond until being rearrested on February 9, 2021. The shooting was reported to have occurred during a party after a fight broke out, leading to the tragic death of Geter. Despite the not guilty verdict, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Geter's death continued to be a significant event in the Hickory community.
