April 30, 2025
(Fairbanks, AK) – Tuesday, a Fairbanks jury returned guilty verdicts against 24-year-old Kevin Robinson of Fairbanks for Murder in the First Degree and Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Third Degree. The jury also found an aggravating factor: that the victim of the offense was a person who provided testimony or evidence related to a prior offense committed by the defendant. For his convictions, Robinson faces a sentence of between 30 years and 99 years on the murder charge and a sentence of up to 5 years on the misconduct involving weapons charge.
On May 27, 2022, the Fairbanks Police Department received a report that two vehicles had blocked in a third vehicle in south Fairbanks and that a man had exited the lead vehicle and shot multiple rounds at the victim who was still seated inside the blocked-in vehicle. The victim, Robert Rones, 21, died from six gunshot wounds prior to EMS arrival. Through extensive police investigation, Robinson was identified as the shooter. When contacted by the Fairbanks Police Department, Robinson admitted to being angry at the victim because he had snitched on him to the police on an earlier case involving both of them attempting to rob one of the Fairbanks McDonald's. In the same interview, Robinson, after first denying to the police that he had anything do with the shooting, later changed his story and said he shot the victim in self-defense. This was only after being confronted with evidence directly tying him to the crime, however. At the time of the murder, Robinson was on felony probation for Attempted Robbery in the First Degree.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Baldock and Assistant District Attorney Katie Gonsalves, who both prosecuted the case, thank the Fairbanks Police Department for their hard work in investigating the crimes.
Mr. Robinson is in the custody of the Department of Corrections and is being held on a no-bail status pending his sentencing, which is currently scheduled for Sept. 13.
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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.
