Federal prosecutors have confirmed that the evidence presented in the death of Shanquella Robinson was not enough to suffice to prosecute a suspect in her death while vacationing in Mexico last October, the US Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina said.
The 25-year-old native was staying at a luxury residence in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur when she was pronounced dead while with friends. No suspects were arrested or charged.
“Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson’s family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution,” the attorney’s offices said in a news release Wednesday.
At a news conference, Robinson’s family’s attorney, Sue-Ann Robinson said that her family was “deeply disappointed” with the decision, but are “not deterred” and will continue to take legal action in pursuit to find her killer.
“Black and brown people always have to carve their own path to justice,” the attorney, who has no relation to the victim, said.
According to the North Carolina native’s death certificate, she died as a result of a “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation.” The document, obtained by WBTV, further stated that she was found unconscious in the living room of the property on October 29.
Following a Mar. 8 Shine My Crown report detailing the family of Robinson’s frustrations with US and Mexican authorities’ inability to find a suspect over 100 days after her murder in Mexico, the Biden administration has responded to their pleas demanding justice.
At the time of the report, attorneys representing the family addressed a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting that US officials take “immediate diplomatic intervention” following the death of the 25-year-old while on Mexican territory.
“Unfortunately, justice delayed is going to be justice denied in this case,” Sue-Ann Robinson one of the family’s attorneys told theGrio. “Every single day that passes, the evidence, the testimony, eyewitness recollection, those things dissipate day by day.”
Attorney Robinson (no relation to the Robinson family) further added that she along with famed civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, sent the letter to the White House and State Department to “close the gap on the administration’s ability to say … we can’t intervene because we don’t know what the ask is, adding that “writing the letter and detailing specifically what the ask is and obviously the background of the case, closes that gap for the administration to make that claim and hopefully is a flag to let them know that they need to intervene in this case.”
Since the letter was released, a State Department spokesperson said in a statement obtained by theGrio that they are “closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation. The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas and supports a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident.”
The publication also obtained a statement from the FBI, which said that an investigation into the North Carolina native’s death is “ongoing.”
“The FBI is working with the Department of Justice to conduct a thorough and exhaustive investigation to determine if a U.S. federal crime was committed,” the statement said.
Both the FBI and State Department declined to comment on whether they have received the family’s letter, although the family’s legal team has confirmed that the White House has received the letter.
During a White House briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the White House is closely monitoring the case and would provide information when it became available.
“Our hearts go out to Ms. Robinson’s family and friends. It is devastating what occurred,” Jean Pierre said.
