MURDER
CASE #: 1976-4
Jill Robinson
Status:
Open
Date of Offense:
Date of Offense:
Jurisdiction:
Offense Location:
Troy, Oakland County, Michigan
Summary:
Jill Robinson was 12 years old when she was last seen by a family friend pedaling her bike up Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan, after she left her family's Royal Oak home in the early evening of December 22, 1976. She was found four days later on December 26, 1976 beside northbound I-75 lying face-up and fully clothed, a shotgun blast to the face having ended her young life. In the blink of an eye, Jill had become the second known victim of the Oakland County Child Killer.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Offense:
The Oakland County Child Killer is a Michigan child abduction/murder case that is believed to have occurred in 1976-77, but in actuality, could have spanned for a much longer swath of time. Four children, who resided in various communities in Oakland County, Michigan are the only known victims, however, there could be several more. These children were abducted, held for a number of days, and then murdered. Their bodies were discovered in separate communities than where they were abducted, creating complications in the investigations, as law enforcement factions did not cooperate with each other back then. The perpetrator(s) have never been officially identified, but it is believed by many that they were part of a much larger child trafficking/pornography ring that operated in Detroit and other areas throughout the United States.
Additional Details:
It was Wednesday evening, and Jill had always spent Wednesday evenings with her dad, Tom Robinson, since her parents divorced a year prior. On Wednesday, December 22, 1976, however, her dad had a scheduling conflict and had to cancel their plans. Like almost all 12 year old girls, Jill was a daddy's girl, and this appeared to really upset her. She seemed to be in a very bad mood when her mother, Karol Robinson, asked her to help with dinner by making biscuits. Jill refused, and became agitated, declining to explain what was wrong. When her mom ordered Jill to go outside and cool off, she stomped into her room, shoved a blanket, a brush and two books into her denim backpack, and headed out the door. It would be the last time that Karol Robinson saw her daughter alive.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
A motorist with a CB radio spotted Jill's body lying alongside I-75, just north of Big Beaver Road, and notified the police.
Jill is spotted by a family friend riding her bike northbound along Woodward Avenue, in front of Tiny Tim's Hobby Center in Royal Oak.
Jill leaves her Royal Oak home on her bike, and is believed to have been heading to her father's home in Birmingham.
Related Vehicles
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Associated Persons
Tom R. (Father) - Living
Christopher B. (Person of Interest) - Living
Karol R. (Mother) - Living
Case Content Disclaimer: The details on this case page are sourced from numerous locations to include family, friends, news postings and government public releases. Solve the Case, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of any content as case pages are living documents that frequently update as case details expand.
