A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 26 years behind bars after pleading guilty to murder and assault relating to a deadly shooting outside an East Austin Waffle House, authorities said. Kelvin Jaquan Robinson admitted to killing Mario Robinson, 23, during a November 2020 robbery gone violent, according to the Travis County District Attorney's Office.
Robinson, alongside accomplice Jalen Highsmith, confronted a group of people waiting on food orders, leading to the fatal altercation. As reported by CBS Austin, the tragedy occurred when the assailants attempted to rob the victims, shooting into Mario's vehicle as they tried to flee, ultimately taking his life.
The incarceration saga extended beyond the murder charge for Robinson. While detained, Robinson assaulted a public servant, adding to his rap sheet and resulting in an indictment for the offense in February 2023, KXAN reported. He was given a separate four-year sentence for this charge, to be served at the same time as the murder sentence.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza expressed gratitude for the conviction. "Our office is grateful to our dedicated staff, and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold the defendant accountable and seek justice for the victim’s family," Garza said, as reported by KXAN. "We hope this outcome brings closure and peace to the victim’s family," he added, indicating an end to a chapter of grief for those left behind.
