Devon Robinson is the Detroit man convicted of fatally shooting three people and wounding two others at a house party on the city’s east side in the early hours of May 25, 2019. All three people killed were members of Detroit’s LGBTQ community. Robinson, who was 18 at the time, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree premeditated murder and seven related charges, originally sentenced to life without parole, and later resentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison on each murder count after a Michigan appellate court ruled that mandatory life without parole for 18-year-olds violates the state constitution.
What Happened at the Devonshire Street House
About 15 people had gathered for a party at a home on Devonshire Street on the night of May 24, 2019. Around 2:30 a.m., a group that included Alunte Davis, Timothy Blancher, Paris Cameron, Clifton Keys, and Armon Matthews walked to a nearby BP gas station. There they met Robinson, and Cameron invited him back to the party.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401
At the house, Robinson engaged in sexual activity with several guests, including the three people who would soon be killed. Guests joked afterward about the encounter and about Robinson’s sexuality. He left, reportedly telling the group they would “see [him] again.” A witness later described his expression as “blank.”2The Detroit News. Witness: Gunman in Triple LGBTQ Slaying Had Blank Look
About an hour later, prosecutors said, Robinson came back to the house in a ski mask and carrying a handgun. Video shown at trial captured him pacing outside beforehand, apparently deciding whether to go in.3The New York Times. Devon Robinson Gay Transgender Murders He walked into the living room and opened fire without a word. Keys testified he heard more than 20 gunshots. Davis, Blancher, and Cameron died. Matthews fled to the basement with Blancher, who had been shot in the chest. Keys ran to a bathroom, then called 911 and tried to help Cameron, who was visibly shaking.2The Detroit News. Witness: Gunman in Triple LGBTQ Slaying Had Blank Look
Investigators could not find Robinson at his last known address on Buckingham Avenue. He was arrested on June 5, 2019, on Clairmount Avenue after an anonymous tip, and held without bail.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401
Who the Victims Were
Alunte Davis, 21, and Timothy Blancher, 20, were gay Black men. Paris Cameron, 20, was a Black transgender woman.4National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP). NCAVP Mourns the Death of Alunte Davis Davis’s sister, Dasha Robinson, described him as “silly,” “full of life,” and “helpful.” A community home-going celebration for the three was held on June 11, 2019, at the Woodward Bar and Grill in Detroit, raising money for funeral costs.5Fox 2 Detroit. 3 in Detroit’s LGBTQ Community Killed; Life Celebration to Be Held
Why Prosecutors Said He Did It
The prosecution’s theory at trial was that Robinson killed the three victims because he feared being “outed” as gay to his family and neighbors after what had happened at the party.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy called the killings “disturbing on so many levels” and noted that they happened during Pride month. The case was handled by Jaimie Powell Horowitz of the Fair Michigan Justice Project, a unit created in 2016 to prosecute violent crimes against LGBTQ people in Michigan.6CNN. Detroit LGBTQ Killings Arrest
The Trial and Conviction
Robinson’s trial began March 9, 2020, in Wayne County Circuit Court before Judge Regina Thomas.7The Detroit News. Detroit Man Guilty of Killing 2 Gay Men, Transgender Woman He faced 10 counts in total: three of first-degree premeditated murder, two of assault with intent to murder, and five of felony-firearm possession.
Identity was the central issue. The gunman had worn a ski mask, and the weapon was never recovered.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401 The defense argued the evidence did not prove Robinson was the shooter. Prosecutors tied him to the scene through several strands of evidence:
- Clifton Keys testified that the shooter’s complexion and light brown eyes matched Robinson’s despite the mask.
- Robinson’s DNA was found on Timothy Blancher’s right hand.
- BP gas station footage placed Robinson with the victims before the party, and additional video came from homes near the crime scene and near Robinson’s residence.
- Cell phone data linked to Robinson was used to place him at the scene.
The jury convicted him on all 10 counts.7The Detroit News. Detroit Man Guilty of Killing 2 Gay Men, Transgender Woman
From Life Without Parole to 35–60 Years
On June 30, 2020, Robinson was sentenced to three concurrent life-without-parole terms for the murders, plus 10 to 20 years on each assault count and two consecutive years on each felony-firearm count.8NBC News. Detroit Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing Two Gay Men and Transgender Woman
He appealed. On October 27, 2022, the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed his convictions but vacated the life sentences. The court agreed that one of the prosecutor’s closing remarks had been improper, but found the error did not change the outcome given what it called “overwhelming” evidence of guilt; the related ineffective-assistance claim failed for the same reason.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401
The sentence was a different matter. Citing the Michigan Supreme Court’s July 2022 ruling in People v. Parks, the appellate court held that mandatory life without parole for a defendant who was 18 at the time of the offense violates the Michigan Constitution’s bar on cruel or unusual punishment. Parks relied on neuroscience showing that 18-year-old brains remain similar in development to juvenile brains and retain capacity for maturation.9Brennan Center for Justice – State Court Report. People v. Parks The case went back to Wayne County Circuit Court for individualized sentencing that weighs youth as a mitigating factor.1Michigan Court of Appeals. People v. Robinson, No. 356401
Robinson was resentenced in July 2024, at age 23. His defense submitted a memorandum pointing to extreme poverty, sexual assault, and being shot at age 17 while defending his mother. Robinson told the court he was “remorseful” and asked the victims’ families for forgiveness. The judge was not persuaded that the killings were impulsive, noting that Robinson had left the house, changed clothes, and come back before opening fire. The court imposed 35 to 60 years for each of the three murder convictions.10Justia. People v. Robinson, No. 372753
Robinson appealed again, arguing the trial court had not adequately considered his youth. On November 17, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the resentencing in a per curiam opinion, finding that the trial court’s explanation, though brief, met the requirements of Parks and related precedent. The 35- to 60-year sentence stands, and parole eligibility is decades away.10Justia. People v. Robinson, No. 372753
Why It Wasn’t Charged as a Hate Crime
Although prosecutors and police publicly described the killings as targeting the victims because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, Robinson was not charged with a hate crime. Michigan’s ethnic intimidation statute at the time covered only race, religion, gender, and national origin. Sexual orientation and gender identity were not included.11Washtenaw County. Legal Guidance Regarding LGBTQ Hate Crimes
That gap has since closed. In January 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Michigan Hate Crime Act, which expanded the statute to cover sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sex, age, and disability. It took effect April 2, 2025.12Michigan Public. Michigan Hate Crime Act Signed Into Law Expanding Definition of Hate Crimes The updated law carries penalties of up to five years in prison for hate-motivated violence and up to 10 years for aggravated offenses.13Michigan Legislature. MCL 750.147b It does not apply retroactively to the Robinson case.