Nephew stabbed and bludgeoned uncle, 2 friends to death during card game
An Illinois man, Cloanger Robinson, was sentenced to life in prison for turning his uncle’s card game into a deadly nightmare by stabbing and bludgeoning him and two friends to death in 2020.
Robinson, 22, received his sentence on Tuesday for the murders of his uncle, Cordell J. Reed Sr., 67, and Reed’s friends Nathaniel N. Gentry, 65, and Anthony D. Jones, 60. The Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing in a news release, following Robinson's conviction of first-degree murder on May 24. During the sentencing hearing, a prosecutor read emotional victim impact statements.
“Prior to his death, we were making plans for my son and father to meet for the very first time. Now that will never happen,” Gentry’s daughter wrote. “Words cannot explain the pain that is in my soul.”
Addressing Robinson directly, she added, “You cannot undo what you did, but you can become a brand-new person through the grace of God.”
Jones’ brother expressed his devastation, stating, “I have faith that restitution will present itself through remorse in the damages brought upon my family, not only in ripping a beloved family member from us but also in the destruction of our family home. The impact is that of what my brother Anthony left with all of those that loved him, through his kindness ... he served his country, he served his community in volunteering, and he served his Lord through his faith.”
State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy condemned the brutal nature of the murders. “The brutal nature of these murders was inconceivable, especially considering the fact that Cloanger Robinson was related to two of the elderly victims,” she said. “Their families did not deserve to have their loved ones stolen from them.”
Robinson remained silent in court, but his defense attorney conveyed his remorse, according to the Commercial-News.
The murders occurred on January 22, 2020, when Reed invited Robinson, then 18, and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, into his home. However, the defendants had ulterior motives. “Once invited in, they planned to steal some weed in the victims’ possession,” prosecutors revealed.
The younger men entered the residence wearing latex gloves under knit gloves. During the evening, Robinson got into an argument with Gentry and struck him in the head three times with a baseball bat. A second co-defendant, Terrion Tinsley, then 16, stabbed Reed and brutally beat and bludgeoned the victims to death, as evidenced during Tinsley’s trial.
The bodies of the three victims were discovered the following day by a family member who called 911. The defendants were quickly arrested, linked to the crime through DNA found on discarded clothing and latex gloves inside knit gloves, which a tipster found in storm drains blocks from the crime scene.
Tinsley was sentenced to life in prison on April 1. A second unidentified juvenile pleaded guilty to robbery and agreed to testify for the prosecution.
Gentry’s obituary noted his service in the U.S. Army. Ed Butler, a friend of the victims, told The News-Gazette that the men were retired and had formed a strong bond. “Those three guys all hung together and developed a really good relationship,” Butler said.
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