Charlene Rene Atkinson, a 25-year-old Black woman, was found dead on April 26, 1986. Her death is believed to have been the result of strangulation. Atkinson's case has been linked to a series of killings that occurred in Florida during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Though initially unsolved, her death later became part of a broader investigation into multiple homicides involving young women.
The primary suspect in the death of Charlene Rene Atkinson is Alfred Lee Robinson, a Black male born in 1962. Robinson was later identified as a serial killer responsible for the deaths of at least five to six individuals between 1986 and 1991. His known method of killing was strangulation, and he was eventually convicted of multiple counts of first- and second-degree murder, as well as manslaughter. He is currently serving a life sentence at the Apalachee Correctional Institution in Sneads, Florida.
Although Atkinson's name appears among Robinson’s suspected victims, her case was not initially confirmed as part of his conviction. However, the timeline and method of her death closely align with Robinson’s known pattern. The inclusion of her name in investigative records suggests that authorities strongly suspect his involvement, even if formal charges specific to her case were not pursued or publicly documented at the time of his sentencing.
Robinson’s arrest in 1991 marked the end of a chilling series of crimes that had haunted communities across Florida. His apprehension brought some measure of closure to the families of several victims, though questions remain about the full extent of his crimes and whether all of his victims have been officially identified. The death of Charlene Rene Atkinson, a 25-year-old Black woman, remains a tragic chapter in this broader narrative of violence and delayed justice.