In the early morning hours of a summer day in Milwaukee, the life of Cordell Robinson, a 22-year-old African-American male, was tragically cut short. On July 17, 2011, just after 2:15 a.m., Robinson was walking near 18th and Kerney Place after leaving a party. It was during this walk that he was approached by two unknown individuals. In a sudden act of violence, one of the subjects shot and killed him.
The two suspects then fled the scene on foot, disappearing into the quiet streets.
The last conversation his mother, Tina Brooms, had with her son was filled with affection, not knowing it would be their final exchange. He had repeatedly told her 'I love you' over the phone while she was at work, a memory that now carries a heavy weight. His mother remembers him as a very smart and generous person, someone who would give you the shirt off his back. She was unaware of the vast number of people whose lives he had touched until after his death.
In the years that have followed, Cordell Robinson's murder has become a cold case, leaving his family with unanswered questions and a longing for justice. The Milwaukee Police Department's investigation revealed that Robinson was navigating a difficult period in his life. According to detectives, a struggle with drug addiction may have led him into dangerous circumstances. A potential motive for the killing is believed to be a large sum of money he owed to a drug dealer. It was suggested that Robinson had been stealing and scamming to repay this debt, creating a number of enemies in the process.
Despite the passage of time, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified. The investigation has been hampered by a lack of strong leads. Police have a short and grainy surveillance video from a nearby store that captured the suspects running away from the scene, but it has not been enough to identify the individuals responsible for his death. His mother continues to hope that someone will come forward with information, holding onto the possibility that the person or persons involved will turn themselves in and finally bring closure to a decade-old wound.
