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Homicide victim served time for 1977 death of BU professor

After spending thirty years in prison for murdering a former Bradley professor, one of the most notorious murderers in the city, Michael A. Robinson, became the city’s 11th homicide victim this year.

On September 26, 2012, Robinson, who was 54 years old, was pronounced dead at 10:13 p.m. from a gunshot wound to the head, according to Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll.

He and another man whose identity has not been released were robbed by three males who shot them both. The second victim did not have life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Two 15-year-old boys have been charged with murder and a 16-year-old has been arrested in connection with the double shooting and alleged robbery on Sept. 26. A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Sharome Krus, was charged with a felony count of obstructing justice Sunday after being arrested overnight Friday on murder charges.

On July 23, 1977, Dominic Volturno and his family had just returned home from the Heart of Illinois Fair when he was assaulted behind his home.

Robinson, who was 19 at the time, struck Volturno in the head with a pipe while Billy Gulliford, who was also 19, stood guard in a nearby alley. A third man, who was 18-year-old James Hines, also participated in the robbery.

Volturno was hospitalized for a week before his death. While Gulliford was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 to 70 years in prison, Robinson pleaded guilty and accepted a term of 60 years with no possibility of parole for 30 years.

Robinson was released on parole in January 2007, with six months taken off his sentence by a statute intended to ease prison overcrowding. He completed parole in January 2010.

He had been arrested one additional time in Peoria County since his death.

Information from the Peoria Journal Star

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