Robert Louis Cromwell

Case identification

Robert Louis Cromwell (inmate) was convicted in Maricopa County CR-2001-095438.

STATUS and sentence

Robert Louis Cromwell was sentenced to DEATH by Lethal Injection for Count 1, First Degree Murder (of Stephanie Short). On March 6, 2003, he was sentenced for the following: Maricopa County CR-2001-095438, Count 1, First Degree Murder (of Stephanie Short), committed on October 8, 2001, sentenced to DEATH by Lethal Injection. He was also convicted on additional counts with separate sentences.

The status record stated “Sentenced to death on March 7, 2003 ADC# 174456.”

People and relationships

Ella “Michelle” Speaks was the victim of Aggravated Assault (Counts 3) and was Stephanie Short’s mother. Ella “Michelle” Speaks reported that her daughter was taken by a man who had beaten her.

Kim Jensen was struck with a pool stick and was the victim of Aggravated Assault (Counts 4).

Stephanie Short was Ella “Michelle” Speaks’ 11-year-old daughter and was the victim of First Degree Murder (Count 1) and Sexual Assault and Dangerous Crime Against Children (Count 2).

Amanda and Heather were Stephanie Short’s younger siblings.

Timeline

• October 8, 2001 — Phoenix Police Department received a 911 call from Ella “Michelle” Speaks reporting that she was trying to locate her daughter taken by a man who had beaten her.
• October 8, 2001 — A second 911 call was received from a Hispanic male reporting yelling for help and that there was a dead baby at 3208 E. Flower Street, Apartment #205.
• October 8, 2001 — Robert Cromwell was contacted at his residence, interviewed, taken to the Phoenix Police Department, and subsequently arrested.
• February 2003 — Robert Cromwell was convicted.
• March 6, 2003 — Robert Cromwell was sentenced to DEATH by Lethal Injection for Count 1, First Degree Murder (of Stephanie Short), committed on October 8, 2001; sentencing included additional sentences for Counts 2 through 4.
• March 7, 2003 — Sentenced to death on March 7, 2003 ADC# 174456.
• During his appeal — Robert Cromwell claimed the trial judge erred when refusing to allow him to fire his court appointed attorney; the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence.
• Last week — The Arizona Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence, rejecting his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and judicial abuse of discretion.

Background / prior relationship

A one time meeting took place before October 8, 2001. Ella “Michelle” Speaks left Robert Cromwell at her residence with her 3 daughters while she left for a few minutes to pick up another friend, Kim Jensen.

The offence

First Degree Murder and sexual assault of Stephanie Short (Count 1 and Count 2)

After Ella “Michelle” Speaks left Robert Cromwell at the residence, on the return to 3208 E. Flower Street Ella and Kim were greeted at the door by Robert Cromwell.

Robert Cromwell struck Kim Jensen with a pool stick as she stepped into the apartment doorway. Michelle Speaks attempted to stop Robert Cromwell but when Kim was stuck in the head and fell to the floor Robert Cromwell turned on Michelle Speaks and began hitting her until the pool stick broke. Robert Cromwell ran from the residence.

Ell a “Michelle” Speaks believed Robert Cromwell had taken her daughter, Stephanie Short. Ella drove after Robert Cromwell and called 911.

Police searching 3208 E. Flower Street found the body of Ella “Michelle” Speaks’ 11-year-old daughter, Stephanie Short, in the master bedroom. Stephanie Short was found unclothed and severely injured.

Stephanie Short had 13 stab wounds to her back, a fractured skull, a broken jaw, and appeared to have been sexually assaulted. She was transported to the Good Samaritan Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force and stabbing injuries.

The medical examiner performed an autopsy and determined that Stephanie received a minimum of five blows to the head and thirteen stab wounds to the back.

Assaults on Ella “Michelle” Speaks and Kim Jensen (Counts 3 and 4)

Robert Cromwell assaulted Ella “Michelle” Speaks by hitting her until the pool stick broke after turning on her when Kim Jensen fell after being struck in the head. Counts 3 reflected Aggravated Assault (Ella “Michelle” Speaks).

Kim Jensen was struck in the head with a pool stick and fell to the floor. Counts 4 reflected Aggravated Assault (Kim Jensen).

Additional narrative details included in the case summary (household events)

While Ella was away for more than an hour, 9-year-old Amanda woke when she heard Stephanie make a noise “as if ‘she was really hurt,’” the girl testified later.

Amanda saw Stephanie standing in the bathtub, unclothed, while Cromwell, with socks on both of his hands, washed her with soap. Cromwell “angrily” told her to get back to bed each time.

Amanda saw Cromwell take her sister into her mother’s bedroom, and watched him emerge several times. During one trip, Amanda heard a noise like “’silverware shatter,’” and while Cromwell and Stephanie were in the bedroom she heard noises that made her think Stephanie was hurt. Amanda heard a “big bang” that sounded like a television dropping to the floor.

Around 2 a.m., Ella and a female friend returned to the apartment where Cromwell attacked them both. Cromwell ran from the apartment being chased by Ella.

When Amanda saw her mother chase Cromwell from the apartment and the friend, lying on the floor with massive head trauma, Amanda and her younger sister went to look for Stephanie. They found Stephanie in her mother’s bedroom. A blanket covered Stephanie’s unclothed body from the waist down, and a television set was resting on her head. The two girls removed the set then ran to get help from the landlord downstairs. When police arrived, they found Stephanie’s bloody and bruised body with “visible wounds on her face and blood coming out of her nose and lips and out of her mouth.” The bedding was also blood-stained.

A responding officer checked whether Stephanie was breathing and whether she had a pulse, feeling a weak pulse in her neck, and felt her chest rising, indicating that she was breathing. Visible evidence of severe vaginal trauma indicated that Stephanie also had been sexually abused. She stopped breathing by the time paramedics arrived.

The EMTs saw that she had suffered a massive head wound and at least 11 stab wounds to her back. Stephanie was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix.

Investigation and police response

Phoenix Police Department received 911 calls. The first call was from Ella “Michelle” Speaks, described as a hysterical female, who said she was trying to locate her daughter who was taken by a man who had beaten her. She told the dispatcher she was beaten with a stick by a man at her home located at 3208 E. Flower Street and that she believed this man ran off with her daughter.

A second 911 call came from a Hispanic male who said he heard someone yelling for help and that they thought there was a dead baby at 3208 E. Flower Street, Apartment #205.

Police returned with Ella to her residence and searched it, finding Stephanie Short’s body.

Robert Cromwell was later contacted at his residence 3329 E. Osborn Road, Apartment #9 in Phoenix on October 8, 2001. He was interviewed, taken to the Phoenix Police Department and subsequently arrested.

Arrest

Robert Cromwell was contacted at 3329 E. Osborn Road, Apartment #9 in Phoenix on October 8, 2001, was interviewed, taken to the Phoenix Police Department, and subsequently arrested.

Charges and convictions

Robert Cromwell was convicted in Maricopa County CR-2001-095438.

• Count 1 — First Degree Murder (of Stephanie Short), committed on October 8, 2001.
• Count 2 — Sexual Assault and Dangerous Crime Against Children (of Stephanie Short), committed on 10/8/01.
• Counts 3 — Aggravated Assault (Ella “Michelle” Speaks), committed on 10/8/01.
• Counts 4 — Aggravated Assault (Kim Jensen), committed on 10/8/01.

Sentencing

On March 6, 2003, Robert Cromwell was sentenced for Maricopa County CR-2001-095438.

• For Count 1 (First Degree Murder of Stephanie Short), committed on October 8, 2001, Robert Cromwell was sentenced to DEATH by Lethal Injection.
• For Count 2 (Sexual Assault and Dangerous Crime Against Children of Stephanie Short), committed on 10/8/01, Robert Cromwell received a lifetime sentence without the possibility of parole until 35 years have been served.
• For Counts 3 (Aggravated Assault of Ella “Michelle” Speaks), committed on 10/8/01, Robert Cromwell received a sentence of 10 years.
• For Counts 4 (Aggravated Assault of Kim Jensen), committed on 10/8/01, Robert Cromwell received a sentence of 10 years.

Trial

The summary stated that Robert Cromwell was convicted in February 2003 and sentenced to death.

Appeals

During his appeal, Robert Cromwell claimed that the trial judge erred when he refused to allow Cromwell to fire his court appointed attorney. The attorney “has no intention of defending me zealously,” Cromwell said. “He has much said in court and on the record that there would be a guilt phase during the trial and he quickly corrected himself in front of you last time I was here, but (he) said no uncertain terms that not only would I be found guilty, but I will die. Those were his exact words to me.”

The court found that the attorney was fulfilling his responsibilities and refused to replace him, and that decision was upheld on appeal.

The Arizona Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence, rejecting his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and judicial abuse of discretion.

Other details

Ella “Michelle” Speaks described how Cromwell approached her while she was walking from her house in a rough section of Phoenix. He was sitting on a bench and called out to her: “Hey, are you a prostitute or a police officer?” Ella replied: “I’m neither one. I’m a mother and I’m having a bad day. Leave me alone.”

After Cromwell chased after her and apologized, Ella forgave him and they struck up a conversation. Ella “almost relieved” that Cromwell was going to walk with her to the store.

Cromwell walked Ella home and helped her put transmission fluid in her car. Ella invited him to get fast food with her and her daughters. On the way to the restaurant, Cromwell entertained the children by singing songs with them, as Ella testified at his trial.

The group ate hamburgers, then Cromwell and Ella set out for the bars. While they were drinking in the bar, Cromwell tried to kiss Ella on the lips, but she turned her head and he pecked her on the cheek. Ella said Cromwell reportedly told her: “I can tell you didn’t like it, but I will do it again,” and Ella replied: “I don’t think you will,” and she noticed that Cromwell smiled as if he understood, and he apologized.

After shooting some pool and filling out a couple of job applications, Ella and Cromwell went back to her place. It was about 1 a.m. Ella received a phone call a few minutes to come to the aid of two friends who were having an argument. She left Cromwell alone with her three children, 11-year-old Stephanie Shortt and Stephanie’s younger siblings, Amanda and Heather. Cromwell told Ella he would just stay in her room while she was gone; she was out of the house for more than an hour.

The summary included that the responding officer found Stephanie’s visible evidence of severe vaginal trauma indicating sexual abuse, and that she stopped breathing by the time paramedics arrived.

The summary also stated: “Last week, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence, rejecting his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and judicial abuse of discretion.”