AMIAS BERNARD ROBINSON - 2 yo (2010) - Charlotte NC

Man arrested in fatal shooting of 2-year-old

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

Ellis Eugene Royster

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested a 23-year-old man late Tuesday in the shooting death of a 2-year-old boy on Eastbrook Road in August, after dropping a murder charge against another man.

Amias Bernard Robinson was shot when caught between two groups arguing in front of a house in the 5800 block of the road.

Investigators said Amias was sitting in his stroller at the time, and he was not the shooter's intended target. The person taking care of Amias was trying to avoid the gunfire when the boy was hit, police said.

Police arrested Ellis Eugene Royster without incident at his home late Tuesday in the same block of Eastbrook Road.
Royster was at the scene of the shooting and voluntarily went to police headquarters to be interviewed by homicide detectives at the time, police said this morning. He wasn't charged in the shooting in August because a witness identified Alvin Alexander, 35, as the shooter, police said.

This week, detectives reinterviewed seven witnesses and three other witnesses who had yet to come forward.
Police said they dropped the murder charge against Alexander after a witness who'd identified Alexander as the shooter was reinterviewed this week and recanted his story. The witness told detectives that Royster was the shooter. A witness interviewed for the first time this week also identified Royster as the shooter, police said.

In 2009, Royster was sentenced to 20 days in jail and a year's probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon, court records show.

He has separate charges pending from 2009 for carrying a concealed weapon, marijuana possession and driving 52 mph in a 35-mph zone.

Anyone with information in the August shooting case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, or call 704-432-TIPS and ask to speak directly to homicide detective Abbott.

Charges dropped against man in toddler's death
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Police have dropped charges against a Charlotte man arrested in the shooting death of a 2-year-old boy in his stroller earlier this year after a witness changed his statement.

A murder charge was dropped Tuesday against 35-year-old Alvin Alexander.

Police said Amias Bernard Robinson was sitting in his stroller when he was shot Aug. 12 during an argument between two groups. The child was not the intended victim, police said. The boy died several days later.

Police said a man who identified Alexander as the shooter has changed his statement. A second witness identified 23-year-old Ellis Royster as the shooter.

CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Unit arrested Royster at his home on Eastbrook Road late Tuesday night. He is charged with murder and is being held in jail without bond. It is Royster's fourth arrest in Mecklenburg County since 2004. http://www.wcnc.com/home/Charges-dropped-against-man-in-toddlers-death-105855998.html?unconfirmed=1

Jury selection begins in case of fatally shot toddler



Amias Bernard Robinson was killed on Aug. 12, 2010. 


Posted on May 20, 2013 at 4:12 PM

Updated Monday, May 20 at 4:13 PM





CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Monday, the trail of a Charlotte man accused of the murder of a toddler began.

Ellis Eugene Royster, 25 walked into Mecklenburg District Court today to stand trial on first degree murder charges for the death of Amias Bernard Robinson.

Robinson was sitting in a stroller when two groups started fighting on East Brook drive and someone started shooting. Robinson was hit and died days later at CMC.

Royster could spend the rest of his life behind bars if he is found guilty.

After police arrested one man they dropped charges against him and arrested Royster.


  http://www.wcnc.com/news/crime/Jury-selection-begins-in-bystanding-toddlers-shooting-death-208196951.html

Royster guilty of first degree murder in toddler's shooting death


Credit: NBC Charlotte


by RICHARD DEVAYNE / NBC Charlotte

Posted on May 29, 2013 at 9:25 AM

Updated Monday, Dec 2 at 1:24 PM


See all 3 photos »

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Mecklenburg County jury has reached a verdict in the case of a man accused of shooting and killing a toddler in east Charlotte.

The jury has found Ellis Royster guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 2-year-old Amias Bernard Robinson.

"It was a long time coming," said Armisher Glenn, the toddler's mother. "It's finally a murderer, a predator off the street, and I think everybody can sleep good tonight."

It happened on Aug. 12, 2010. Eleven total shots rang out as a car drove by Royster's house on Eastbrook Road. The jury found Royster guilty of opening fire at the moving car. Although Amias was not the target, he was struck by three stray bullets from Royster's 9mm and died four days later at Carolina Medical Center.

Before he was sentenced to life in prison without parole, Amias’s father Charles Robinson spoke to Royster on behalf of the family.

"You hurt me, our family," Robinson said, as he pointed at Royster. "I just hope that one day you’ll be man enough to man up for what you did."

During the two week trial, Royster's defense tried to convince jurors that there was not enough evidence to convict Royster. This included lack of a murder weapon and witnesses who changed what they initially told police about the shooting.

Alvin Alexander spent two months in jail in connection to this case, as witnesses first identified him as the shooter. Alexander, who is behind bars for an unrelated crime, testified against Royster. In his testimony, Alexander said the dispute stemmed from a drug deal gone bad.

Charges were dropped against Alexander after a witness recanted their statement identifying him as the shooter.

A second witness identified Royster, leading to his arrest, and ultimately, his conviction.


Royster's attorney said he plans to appeal the conviction.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/crime/Verdict-reached-in-toddlers-shooting-death-209335251.html