A teenager from Detroit has been convicted of murder for the shooting of two gay men and one transgender woman.
According to Detroit News, the murder happened last year. The three victims, a 20-year-old transgender woman named Paris Cameron, a 21-year-old gay man named Alunte Davis, and a 20-year-old gay man named Timothy Blancher, met their killer Devon Akeem Robinson at a gas station. At first, the group seemed to hit it off as Robinson was invited to a party on May 25, 2019. Robinson allegedly walked to an east-side home in the 3700 block of Devonshire after that encounter.
Clifton Keys, a survivor from the 15-member party, spoke during November’s preliminary examination about the night. According to Keys, Robinson entered the house and “sprayed the living room of the residence with gunfire.” Keys remembered being in the dining room with some friends when they heard footsteps and then gunshots, though they thought the sound was fireworks at the time. Keys also remembered seeing Cameron and Davis running to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Blancher and another man, Armon Matthews, ran to the basement. Unfortunately, Cameron, Davis, and Blancher all died that night. Two others were also shot and wounded.
Despite Keys’ witness testimony, Robinson’s attorney, Evan Callanan Jr., argued that there was no evidence against Robinson. Instead, Callanan Jr called the prosecution’s arguments “a fanciful theory.”
In the end, Robinson was convicted this Tuesday by a Wayne County jury of first-degree premeditated murder, as it’s believed the group was murdered because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. According to Mrt, Robinson was also convicted of assault with intent to murder and felony firearm.
Robinson is set to be sentenced on April 13 for the May 2019 shooting. He could be facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Sources: Mrt, Detroit News
