Rifle arrestee suspect in ‘pure evil’ Phoenix shooting

By Dennis Webb
Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A murder suspect arrested near Rifle Tuesday morning was wanted in connection with what a Phoenix police officer says was an act of “pure evil” in that city two days earlier.

The Colorado State Patrol arrested Phoenix residents Allen Robinson, 30, and Susan Gonzalez, 31, on Interstate 70 after Phoenix investigators told the CSP they had reason to believe the two would be traveling through Garfield County that day. Phoenix police officer James Holmes declined to elaborate on why investigators believed that.

Robinson is accused of having killed Francisco Juarez, 20, in a drive-by shooting shortly after meeting him at a Circle K early Sunday morning.

The Colorado State Patrol said troopers stopped a 1992 Honda Accord Tuesday on eastbound I-70 and arrested Robinson and Gonzalez, the vehicle’s driver, without incident.

Both were being held in Garfield County Jail today and awaiting extradition proceedings. Gonzalez’s bond was set at $75,000 and Robinson was under a no-bond hold. Holmes said Phoenix authorities were trying to determine if Gonzalez knew Robinson was a homicide suspect and should be charged for hindering prosecution.

The two share the same Phoenix address. They had an 11-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl with them when arrested. Holmes said he didn’t know whose children they are. The children were released to the temporary custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services.

Phoenix police say Juarez and a 19-year-old man had driven to the Circle K Sunday to make a purchase, and Robinson and Robert Brown, 32, already were there. Robinson and Brown had tried to buy alcohol but were refused because they were intoxicated, and asked Juarez and his companion to buy some for them, but the 19-year-old refused, saying he was underage, police say.

Police say the four left the store on friendly terms, but Brown and Robinson later pulled up to the victims’ car and Robinson allegedly fired on them with a handgun, hitting Juarez numerous times and also grazing the 19-year-old. Juarez was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

While at the store, the four had discussed the Floyd Mayweather Jr./Miguel Cotto boxing match of the previous evening. Police have learned Robinson later indicated to Brown that he got the feeling the other two didn’t like Mayweather.

But Holmes said he doesn’t believe the victims’ views on Mayweather or their refusal to buy alcohol prompted the shooting.

“It was just pure evil and there was just no reason for this to have happened,” Holmes said.

Brown later turned himself in and faces a murder charge.