Alonzo Robinson

Case record: Alonzo Robinson

Background

Alonzo Robinson was born to poverty in Cleveland, Mississippi. In 1918, Robinson was arrested by hometown authorities on charges of mailing obscene letters to local women. Robinson later escaped from custody en route to jail and made his getaway despite a bullet in the shoulder.

In later years, decapitated women’s bodies started turning up around Michigan City, and police suspected Robinson alias "James Coyner" of multiple murder. Four severed heads were found at a house he once occupied, in Ferndale, Michigan, but Robinson had moved on by that time.

Robinson was convicted and sentenced to prison for grave-robbing in Indiana. While he was in jail, Michigan authorities interrogated him, and Robinson played dumb; the existing evidence proved insufficient to support a murder charge.

Robinson was paroled in July 1934.

After his parole, Robinson—under the alias "Coyner"—returned to Cleveland, Mississippi, and picked up his old hobby of writing obscene letters. One letter was mailed to an Indianapolis woman using an incorrect address identical to a recent misprint in an Indianapolis newspaper. Postal inspectors were still scouring the paper’s subscription list when Robinson claimed two more victims, close to home.

The offence

On December 8, 1934, Aurelius Turner and his wife were shot to death in Cleveland. The woman’s body was mutilated with chunks of flesh sliced off and carried away by the killer.

A month later, federal authorities traced poison-pen artist "James Coyner" to a post office box in Shaw, Mississippi.

On January 12, 1935, officers were waiting when Robinson came to get his mail at the post office box. Robinson went for his .38, but the deputies were faster, and he surrendered in the face of superior firepower.

A search of his pockets and lodgings revealed more obscene letters, a packet of human hair in Turner's color, and strips of human flesh salted and cured like beef jerky.

In custody, Robinson confessed to the murders. He also admitted ownership of the heads found in Michigan, claiming they were trophies secured during various grave-robbing expeditions.

Robinson offered no motive for his actions.

The local newspaper proclaimed that Robinson "admitted that he was a sex pervert, which is considered to be the underlying cause for the crime."

Investigation

Authorities linked multiple murder suspicions to Robinson alias "James Coyner" as decapitated women’s bodies started turning up around Michigan City. Four severed heads were found at a house he once occupied in Ferndale, Michigan, after which Robinson had moved on.

Federal authorities later traced "James Coyner" to a post office box in Shaw, Mississippi.

Postal inspectors had been scouring the subscription list after an Indianapolis newspaper misprint matched the incorrect address in one of Robinson’s letters.

When officers were waiting at the Shaw, Mississippi post office box on January 12, 1935, deputies confronted Robinson as he came to retrieve his mail.

Arrest

On January 12, 1935, Robinson surrendered after deputies moved faster when he went for his .38.

During the arrest and subsequent search, officers found obscene letters, a packet of human hair in Turner's color, and strips of human flesh salted and cured like beef jerky.

Trial

Robinson’s confessions were made while he was in custody. Earlier, Michigan authorities interrogated Robinson in jail, but the existing evidence proved insufficient to support a murder charge.

No specific trial proceedings were provided, and the case disposition was limited to the stated sentencing information.

Sentencing

Robinson had previously been convicted and sentenced to prison for grave-robbing in Indiana.

Sentence unreported followed the later disposition connected to the murders described.

Appeals

No appeals were provided.

Outcome

Robinson confessed in custody to the murders. He admitted ownership of the heads found in Michigan and claimed they were trophies from grave-robbing expeditions.

Aftermath

Robinson returned to Cleveland, Mississippi after parole and continued writing obscene letters. Postal inspectors had been scouring an Indianapolis newspaper’s subscription list when he claimed additional victims.

Other details

Robinson was described in an encyclopedia entry as:

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers - Hunting Humans SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: N MOTIVE: Sex. Necrophile mutilation-slayer of one man and five women; kept heads and other body parts as souvenirs . DISPOSITION: Confessed in Miss., 1934; sentence unreported.