On Friday, Larry Lee Robinson, age 58, was sentenced to 21 years in the Department of Corrections, for 2nd Degree Murder in connection to the death of 83-year-old Sally Bryant who was found brutally killed inside her Phoenix home in 1982.
On September 5, 1982 Bryant’s son came to her home to check on her, as he did every night. Once in the kitchen of the home he discovered his mother had been brutally attacked with a knife and died from her injuries. Investigators were able to learn from witnesses that a man was seen leaving the area of the victim’s home with a portable television, one of the items found missing from Bryant’s home. After canvassing her neighborhood investigators were not able to identify a suspect and the case went cold.
In 2012, a cold case unit had evidence from the crime scene tested for DNA and an unknown male profile was identified. Four years later the DNA came up as a match to Robinson, whose fingerprints were also later matched to the crime scene. Investigators were able to locate and interview Robinson about the murder. He denied being involved, however he did admit he had committed residential burglaries in that same area and at the same time of the murder.
In August of 2017 Robinson pled guilty to 2nd Degree Murder.