A 16-year-old Tacoma boy was sentenced Friday in Pierce County adult court to 10 years in prison, followed by 36 months of community custody, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the Valentine’s Day killing of 18-year-old Kadony Robbins. Prosecutors had moved the case out of juvenile court, arguing the shooting qualified as a serious violent offense under state law, and the judge agreed to handle it in the adult system.
According to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the punishment matched an agreed recommendation that the judge accepted, as reported by The News Tribune. Court records show that before sentencing, family members and acquaintances of the teen submitted letters of support on his behalf.
How investigators say the killing unfolded
Charging documents and the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office state that Robbins was found in the doorway of an apartment in the 1300 block of South G Street with a gunshot wound to the chest and later died at a hospital, according to Pierce County. Local television coverage reported that Robbins had been at a gathering at his girlfriend’s mother’s home and stepped in to try to calm an argument before he was shot, KIRO 7 News reported.
Alleged shooter, messages and custody
Prosecutors say 17-year-old Jason Dale Lenahan Jr. fired the shot that killed Robbins and have charged him with first-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty, is being held on $1,000,000 bail, and has a hearing scheduled for Feb. 9. Investigators also reported finding text messages in which the 16-year-old who pleaded guilty told Lenahan to get rid of the gun, and Lenahan replied that he had. The co-defendant was arrested after he showed up at a hospital following the shooting, according to The News Tribune.
Why the case moved to adult court
Under Washington law, a juvenile decline hearing can transfer a case to adult court if the defendant was at least 15 at the time of a serious violent offense. The court is required to weigh whether keeping the case in juvenile court or sending it to adult court better serves the interests of the young person or the public. The process is outlined in RCW 13.40.110, which governs when and how juvenile cases can be moved.
What’s next
Lenahan remains in custody and is set to face trial in Pierce County Superior Court as an adult, with pretrial dates to be scheduled as the case moves ahead. Robbins’ family and friends have continued sharing memories of him with local media and are still grieving as both cases work their way through the legal system.
