A key eyewitness told a Cook County jury on Monday that he watched the man accused of killing visiting University of Maryland doctoral student Anat Kimchi stab her on a Loop sidewalk, then later brandish a knife at him in a tent along Lower Wacker Drive. The account came as Tony Robinson went on trial on charges that he fatally stabbed Kimchi during her June 19, 2021 visit to Chicago. Jurors heard testimony that places Robinson at the scene of the attack and at a nearby encampment in the days that followed the killing.
Witness Says He Tried To Help
Tavon Jones, who ran to Kimchi’s aid, told jurors he saw Robinson stab her twice in the back of the neck outside 401 S. Wacker Drive. Jones said he yelled “no,” grabbed Kimchi’s phone to call 911 and stayed with her until medics arrived. He testified that later, after going to a tent where he believed Robinson was living, a man emerged holding “a very specific blade” and asked, “What are you doing down here, big bro?,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Charges And Arraignment
Prosecutors say Robinson, 45, is charged with first-degree murder and related counts and was ordered held without bond, as reported by CBS Chicago. The victim, 31-year-old Kimchi, was in Chicago visiting a friend when she was fatally stabbed on June 19, 2021, according to reporting by the AP.
Family Remembers Kimchi In Court
Kimchi’s mother, Chava Kimchi-Sarfaty, told jurors her daughter was a bright scholar who called home every day and that the family is still grieving. The family has said Kimchi, who earned advanced degrees at the University of Maryland, was posthumously awarded her doctorate two weeks after the killing, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Police Point To Video And Earlier Attacks
Court and police records introduced in prior hearings state that surveillance footage and witness accounts led investigators to a man living in a tent on Lower Wacker, and officers recovered knives and other items near the encampment. Authorities also allege Robinson struck other women in the Loop in the days before Kimchi’s death and say video shows him discarding a shirt and making a throwing motion near the Chicago River, according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune.
What Comes Next
The jury trial is ongoing at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse, and jurors are expected to hear additional testimony in the days ahead, per local reporting. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are set to continue calling witnesses as the case proceeds through Cook County court.
