Justin Robinson

Background

Justin Robinson was a 15-year-old from Clayton when he killed 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale. He later turned 16 while the case proceeded. The sentencing hearing took place before Judge Walter Marshall. The girl’s relatives did not see the plea as they wanted the judge to issue a tougher sentence than the one agreed in the plea agreement. The case involved a plea to aggravated manslaughter rather than murder because prosecutors faced challenges, including a lack of physical evidence to determine whether he or his brother Dante Robinson killed Autumn.

Autumn was described by her family as a loving tomboy who wore mismatched socks and loved to ride her BMX bike. Her family reported that her disappearance and death touched the town located 25 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Her old soccer team, once known as the Clayton Comets, was renamed Autumn’s Angels; her jersey number, 14, was retired from the Clayton Middle School sports teams; and a bike path and a park were named for her. Her siblings and young cousins were described as being in therapy and dealing with nightmares about her death.

The offence

Justin Robinson pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors to aggravated manslaughter. He admitted choking Autumn to death in the basement of his home. Prosecutors said Autumn was lured to Justin Robinson’s home after she received an offer to trade bicycle parts. When she did not return home that night, her family and the entire community set off in a search.

Autumn was reported missing the night of Oct. 20, 2012, after she left her father’s house on her white BMX bike. She had been expected home by 8 p.m.; after she did not return, her family alerted authorities at about 9:30 p.m. A search involved 200 officers from 20 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and numerous residents. Her body was found two days later in a recycling bin behind the home next to the Robinsons’ house. The body was found in a recycling container on East Clayton Avenue in Clayton, with the Prosecutor’s Office stating it was preliminary determined to be that of 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale.

An autopsy concluded she died from “blunt force trauma, consistent with strangulation,” and that she was also beaten. Authorities said there was no evidence of sexual assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Investigation

A break in the case came when Justin Robinson’s mother, Anita Saunders, called police after seeing something troubling in a Facebook post from one of her sons. During sentencing, Saunders told the judge that media accounts were incorrect and said: “Nobody knows exactly what happened the day of the accident.”

Authorities said the case relied on circumstantial evidence. Prosecutors said the evidence strongly pointed to the fact that Autumn was killed in the Robinson home, but it would have been difficult to prove Justin Robinson’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt without his admission in court. They also said there was no evidence besides his confession that made it clear that it was he and not his brother who killed the girl.

Authorities obtained a warrant to search the teens’ home and found some of Autumn’s belongings, including the white BMX bike she was last seen riding when she left her West High Street home. Police said the mother and stepfather were not home at the time Autumn was killed.

The case investigation included extensive search activity and interviews. Police conducted more than 75 interviews with friends, family, and anyone who saw Autumn on Saturday before her disappearance. Authorities targeted the search to areas Autumn was last seen, specifically Scotland Run Park and a bike trail from Clayton to Williamstown. Police pulled surveillance video from surrounding businesses in Clayton and canvassed registered sex offenders in Clayton, Franklin, Monroe and Glassboro.

A search also deployed horses and police dogs, and used a state police helicopter. By late Monday night, more than 11,000 people joined the Facebook group Find Autumn Pasquale. Volunteers and Clayton Crime Watch members divvied out highlighted maps and led groups on a grid search through streets in Clayton and surrounding towns. Civilian searchers were instructed not to disturb private property, not to ask for entry into homes or sheds, and to stay out of the woods. Authorities said uncoordinated searches near Scotland Run Park and the Glassboro/Clayton Fish and Wildlife Management Area could interfere with police and K-9 unit ground sweeps for Autumn’s scent.

A law enforcement-related claim described a privately-owned hound getting a hit on the girl’s scent at a Sunset Avenue small bungalow in Franklin Township behind Gleason’s Place, a bar on Williamstown-Clayton Road. The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office would not confirm if there were any other K-9 hits in the woods near Scotland Run Park. Paul Craig worked with police to comb the woods on four-wheelers after police asked ATV-riding friends to help.

Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton led the search with assistance of nearly 20 other law enforcement agencies. The search included hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement officials and was described as exhausting and massive.

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Prosecutor Sean Dalton announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to Autumn—$5,000 from the family and a matching amount from the prosecutor’s office. It was not immediately clear how authorities found the body or if the reward helped.

Arrest

Justin Robinson and his brother Dante Robinson were arrested and charged with her murder hours later on Oct. 20, 2012, after authorities found evidence leading to their arrest and after they turned themselves in. When turned in, they were accompanied by their attorney. Dante Robinson was 17 when he was arrested last October, and he remained charged in family court.

Trial

Justin Robinson pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.

At a news conference, Camden County Prosecutor Warren Faulk said Justin Robinson took “sole responsibility” for Autumn’s death. Faulk said the plea came after Robinson was voluntarily waived from juvenile to adult court by a Gloucester County judge.

During the sentencing proceeding, Justin Robinson looked mostly straight ahead during the two-hour sentencing hearing. He told Judge Walter Marshall: “I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen,” and: “This was all a big mistake.”

Justin Robinson did not offer a motive. His lawyer, Jean Faulkner, told the judge Justin had post-traumatic stress disorder from being physically abused as a young boy and seeing his father strangle his mother more than once. Faulkner said: “This is a learned behavior,”

Sentencing

Justin Robinson was sentenced to 17 years in state prison on September 11, 2013. He had to serve more than 14 years before he was eligible for parole. A report said 85 percent of his 17-year sentence must be served before he was eligible for parole.

Judge Walter Marshall was named as the sentencing judge. Justin Robinson told the judge his actions were “a big mistake.”

Prosecutors agreed to allow Robinson to plea to aggravated manslaughter rather than murder because of challenges with the case. Because of his age and a developmental disability, it was not a sure thing he would be moved to adult court. It was also said that if he had been convicted of murder in juvenile court, he could have had a chance of parole in less than seven years. Prosecutors said the nature of the crime demanded he be sentenced as an adult facing adult penalties.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Justin Robinson pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced to 17 years in state prison on September 11, 2013.

Dante Robinson remained charged with murder in family court. Authorities had not said when they may drop those charges.

Aftermath

The Pasquale family was described as in therapy and dealing with nightmares about her death, and the community was described as shaken by the killing. Relatives of the girl did not see the sentence as sufficient and some wanted a tougher sentence than the plea agreement.

The town of Clayton was described as being about 8,000 residents and as having participated in the massive two-day search. Clayton Mayor Thomas Bianco walked to the scene, cried, hugged a police officer and gave a brief statement to reporters: “You hear about it in other places but never think it would happen in our little town,” and Howard Kowgill, 60, described the discovery as changing the nature of the town.

Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton addressed the crowd and said: “This is a very sad day for the Pasquale family. Our hearts go out to the family and to all the residents of Clayton who stood together in support of this young girl.” Dalton also said: “Today we mourn the loss of a young girl named Autumn Pasquale whose life was tragically cut short before it really began,” and: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to her parents and her family.” Dalton said: “I know a lot of you are angry about what happened and you have a right to be angry about what happened,” and: “It’s my hope the arrest today provides a measure of closure (for the family) that the individuals responsible for their daughter’s death will be held accountable,”.

Autumn’s maternal grandmother, Mary Pasquale, said: “When I see the blue recycling bins out, I cry to think Autumn’s innocent life was so easily discarded like a piece of trash,” and she had taught Justin Robinson in school.

A dispute over control of a $100,000 memorial fund set up in Autumn’s name was described. In February, Cornwell filed suit against Anthony Pasquale in a dispute over control of the fund, alleging Pasquale removed her name from the bank account controlling the fund without telling her and excluded her from decisions about the daughter’s tombstone. The families settled in March. Divorce between Autumn’s parents Anthony Pasquale and Jennifer Cornwell was described as existing.

A quote attributed to Camden County Prosecutor Warren Faulk included: “Autumn's death was senseless, and it shook the community to its core,” and: “There will never be punishment commensurate with her brutal killing. The best we can do is achieve some measure of justice.”

Anthony Pasquale’s father, Anthony Pasquale, said: “I believe the defendant deserves more than 17 years,” and also: “I believe his fate should be nothing but death.” Prosecutor or attorney Doug Long was described as saying: “Mr. Pasquale has mixed emotions about today. Obviously there was some satisfaction in having the defendant take responsibility for this tragic event, for murdering his daughter,”.

Cornwell’s attorney, Jaime Kaigh, said: “Every case is unique. Certain problems in this case made this resolution palatable to my client.”

Other community details included the cancellation of Spirit Week due to the sorrow, and a friend, DeAnna Edwards-McMillen, 11, said Autumn was at her house on Friday night and exchanged text messages on Saturday. DeAnna said she received the last one at 1.22pm and did not believe it was intended for her, and that it read: “don’t be like that”. DeAnna said: “She didn't hate people and people didn't hate her.” DeAnna’s mother, Debi McMillen, said Autumn was often at their house and always went home before her 8 p.m. curfew. The last known communication was in a text message sent at around 2.30 p.m., and Dalton would not say who received the message or what it contained while adding: “there was nothing alarming or unusual about it.”

Paul Spadafora, a family spokesman described as Autumn’s uncle and godfather, said it wasn’t until about 9:30 p.m. that she was reported missing, stating: “90 minutes past her 8 p.m. curfew.” In a different description of the story, Paul Spadafora said: “It was typical for her to check in.”

Some early search details included people seeing the Robinson brothers at a vigil held on Monday night while allegedly knowing exactly where she was, and Joyce Fisher described: “We all thought that he was some creep luring children.” Philip Wames said: “It's almost like a relief that it's not some creepo,” and: he was conflicted. A Clayton resident Lisa Mills told a woman: “If you see anything weird, let the police station know,” and: “If it is (something) or isn’t, every little bit helps.” Clayton Crime Watch leader Walt Seitz said: “They don’t want us getting in trouble or having more search parties for lost [volunteers],” and: uncoordinated searches could interfere with K-9 ground sweeps. Paul Reina said: “In two days, who knows how far she could get,” and Clayton Mayor Tom Bianco said: “I can only imagine what her parents and the rest of the family are thinking right now,” and: “I have kids. I can’t even tell you what I feel now. We’ll get through and find her.”

A $10,000 reward was announced, and police barricaded the block where the body was found.

Other details

Justin Robinson was identified as a Clayton High School student and as a student who was 15 at the time of the killing. Dante Robinson was identified as a student at Bankbridge Regional School in Gloucester County, a school for students with behavioral and developmental disabilities.

A civil litigation issue was mentioned involving Autumn’s godfather Paul Spadafora filing civil litigation against the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office in February. Spadafora suggested Prosecutor Sean Dalton botched the search, suggesting she might still be alive if it had been handled differently. Spadafora could not be reached. Dalton’s office was said to have stated Autumn likely was dead before she was reported missing. Court proceedings remained in Gloucester County.

A Gloucest County judge’s action was described as voluntarily waiving Robinson from juvenile to adult court.

Justin’s lawyer Jean Faulkner described his history of being physically abused as a young boy and seeing his father strangle his mother more than once.

Prosecutors agreed to allow Robinson to plea to aggravated manslaughter instead of murder, and said it was not a sure thing he would be moved to adult court because of his age and developmental disability. It was also said that without the guilty plea it would have been difficult to move his case to adult court.

People named included:

• Judge Walter Marshall
• Justin Robinson
• Dante Robinson
• Autumn Pasquale
• Anthony Pasquale
• Jennifer Cornwell
• Anita Saunders
• Jean Faulkner
• Warren Faulk
• Sean Dalton
• Doug Long
• Jaime Kaigh
• Mary Pasquale
• Paul Spadafora
• Paul Reina
• Clayton Mayor Thomas Bianco (also referred to as Tom Bianco)
• Howard Kowgill
• Joyce Fisher
• Philip Wames
• Lisa Mills
• Walt Seitz
• Matthew Michael
• DeAnna Edwards-McMillen
• Debi McMillen
• Paul Craig
• Anthony Pasquale’s attorney Doug Long
• Cornwell’s attorney Jaime Kaigh
• family spokesman Paul Spadofora