J.T. Torbit
There is breaking news out of North Carolina as the U.S. Attorney’s Office has announce that it will not pursue criminal charges in the death of Shanquella Robinson. Robinson, a 25-year-old woman, died under mysterious circumstances while on vacation in Cabo, Mexico, last October. Her death has been a hot topic of conversation for months, with many calling for justice and answers.
The FBI launched an investigation into Robinson’s death in November, and Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant for femicide for one of her traveling companions, Daejhanae Jackson, in March. However, it is unclear how or if the U.S. decision will impact the extradition request made by Mexican authorities.
Robinson was on vacation with a group of six people, including Jackson, when she died. The group gave conflicting explanations as to how she died, with some claiming she died of alcohol poisoning, and her death certificate showing she died of “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation” — a broken neck. Robinson’s family members have also said her body showed bruises consistent with being beaten.
Video footage that surfaced soon after Robinson died showed a woman attacking her at the villa the group stayed at in Cabo. The woman who attacked Robinson was later identified as Jackson, according to Robinson’s family lawyers, Benjamin Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson, citing information from Mexican prosecutors.
The Department of Justice met with Robinson’s family and attorneys on Wednesday morning and told them it has completed its investigation and will not prosecute any of the six suspects. While U.S. officials made clear that Jackson is not a criminal suspect after the FBI investigation, they did not specify the Department of Justice or Department of State’s position on extradition.
Robinson’s family and lawyers have been vocal in their demand for justice, recently holding a press conference in Washington D.C. to call on President Biden to intervene in Shanquella Robinson’s case. The State Department previously stated that it “supports a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident and is closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation.”
While the U.S. decision not to pursue criminal charges may be disappointing to Robinson’s family and supporters, the Department of Justice said it would be open to reviewing new information should any come to light. For now, the community continues to mourn Robinson’s tragic and suspicious death, and many are left wondering if justice will ever be served.