A federal jury has convicted two men for the murder of 17-year-old high school student I.S., a verdict that culminates a case enveloped in tragedy and charges of deep injustice. The two-week trial saw Lenard White and Sheldon Robinson found guilty of various charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and premeditated first-degree murder. Their heinous act was carried out to prevent I.S. from testifying in court after she reported being sexually assaulted by White. Evidence showed that White, who had orchestrated the murder from afar to create an alibi, enlisted his cousin Robinson to execute the killing.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, on February 7, 2023, Robinson approached the home of the victim and her mother, L.P., and opened fire. As reported, the series of gunshots led to I.S. losing her life, a bullet hitting her back as she attempted to flee. Her mother, while surviving, bore witness to the harrowing death of her daughter. The act was a desperate attempt to silence I.S., who had bravely stepped forward to report White's assault just a day before the murder.
Further reports from the trial revealed that the murder plot, with White offering Robinson $6,000 for the murder, unfolded meticulously and brutally. The sobering details included the fact that White had left the state prior to the murder, a maneuver designed to distance himself from the crime. However, a rigorous joint investigation by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) brought the dark truth to light, uncovering how Robinson too had recruited individuals to help carry out the killing.
Six months after the grim incident, law enforcement unearthed the firearm used in the murder, buried behind Robinson's residence. The investigation, having dealt with over 70 search warrants, faced continued obstruction as White and Robinson endeavored to impede justice by disposing of evidence and tampering with witnesses. It was also discovered that the duo had discussed plans to eliminate another witness in similar fashion to I.S.', showing a cold disposition towards human life.
Keshawn Woods, a third defendant, has already entered a guilty plea for his involvement in I.S.'s murder and is awaiting sentencing. The case was a combined effort involving the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office – Fifth Judicial Circuit, alongside the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF. Assistant United States Attorneys Diego F. Novaes and Samantha Newman prosecuted the case. White and Robinson are expected to be sentenced on January 30, 2026, facing the likelihood of multiple mandatory life sentences.
