White Texas Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Fatal Shooting Of Black Neighbor In Unprovoked Attack

A Texas man, Edward Murray, 57, received a life sentence on Nov. 1 for the fatal shooting of his neighbor Antonio Robinson, in front of his apartment in September 2020, as reported by Atlanta Black Star. A jury also ordered Murray to pay a $10,000 fine related to the tragic incident.

“I feel sorry for the family and the kids,” Murray stated in court, expressing remorse for his actions and acknowledging that he had consumed vodka before the fatal shooting. “I’m sorry that I let this happen. It’s not about me. It’s about everybody else that I hurt.”

This sentencing comes three years after the fatal incident when Murray, wielding a hammerless revolver (a modified gun) opened fire on Robinson, a Black man, killing him. Robinson resided in the apartment across from Murray with his girlfriend and their three children, ages two, three, and nine. The children would often play with their toys on the concrete sidewalk shared by both units, a mere 10 feet apart, which reportedly agitated Murray. On the fateful day of the shooting, Murray saw one of the children’s balls, kicked it, and decided to retrieve his firearm from his home.

Without provocation, Murray fired three shots at Robinson, and family members tried to stem the bleeding. According to court records, Murray also pointed his gun at Robinson’s girlfriend before leaving the scene. Robinson was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead.

Law enforcement apprehended Murray hours after the incident, subsequently charging him with murder. On Oct. 31, he was found guilty of the crime.

Ashley Lacy, Robinson’s girlfriend, alleged that Murray, who is white, had a history of racially offensive slurs directed at their family. She contended that the shooting should be classified as a “hate crime.” Lacy expressed the lasting trauma that their children had endured, stating, “My children are going to be so traumatized because they went to sleep and took a nap, and they woke up to no daddy.”