COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man pleaded guilty to charges related to the deadly shooting of a 38-year-old man in the Linden neighborhood last year.
Devon Robinson, 27, entered a plea agreement and was convicted on charges of voluntary manslaughter and kidnapping with a firearm specification, according to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. He was initially charged with murder, but that charge was dropped.
The charges stem from the shooting on East Hudson Street on Sept. 23, 2022.
Officers with the Columbus Division of Police found 38-year-old Mario Copeland suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.
Detectives learned that Copeland was standing in an alley south of East Hudson Street when he was confronted by a group of men. One of the men pulled out a handgun and shot Copeland multiple times. The group then fled the scene.
After reviewing surveillance video, detectives found that Robinson was the one who shot Copeland.
Columbus police charged three other men in connection to Copeland’s death: 31-year-old Rayshawn Rogers and brothers 34-year-old Christian Capers and 35-year-old Damon Capers.
The prosecutor’s office said Robinson and three other men sought out Copeland because they believed he was responsible for selling tainted fentanyl to a friend, Lithasha Streeter. Street died from an overdose and was Rogers’ sister.
Police said family and friends of Copeland believe he sold narcotics to Lithasha Streeter, who later died from an overdose. Streeter was Rogers’ sister, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Robinson initially turned himself in to Columbus police on a warrant for a parole violation. While interviewing with detectives, Robinson admitted to his role in the deadly shooting.
Robinson was sentenced to 25 to 30 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty.
