POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A man in Polk County is facing a first-degree murder charge for allegedly killing and then burying his girlfriend on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities said Jason Robinson, 37, was arrested after his mother called the Auburndale Police Department at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday to report the crime. The department requested the sheriff's office do a well-check on the girlfriend at the couple's RV on US 98 North, near Keen Road, in unincorporated Polk County.
The responding deputy made contact with Robinson who provided a fake name and birthday. The sheriff's office said the deputy looked Robinson up before responding and recognized him despite the fake name.
The sheriff's office said Robinson attacked the deputy when the deputy attempted to detain him. Robinson was able to remove the deputy's radio and taser, and the sheriff's office said he tried to choke the deputy. Two witnesses intervened and helped the deputy handcuff Robinson.
Additional deputies arrived and began to search for Robinson's girlfriend. The sheriff's office said the deputies noticed two chairs and a small table on top of a pallet next to the door of the couple's RV with freshly disturbed dirt. The sheriff's office said deputies found the victim buried under the pallet. The homicide and crime scene units responded to continue the investigation.
The victim's identity has not been released.
“I can’t express my gratitude enough to the two witnesses who jumped in to aid my deputy during a violent fight with a very violent man," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "Had they not gotten involved, this could have been much worse than it already is. I’d also like to extend our condolences to the family of the victim.”
Robinson is charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, battery on a LEO, tampering with evidence (two counts), resisting with violence, depriving an officer with means of communication/protection and giving a false ID to LEO.
According to the sheriff's office, Robinson has an extensive criminal history that includes 19 felonies and five misdemeanors in Florida. Authorities said Robinson was incarcerated in Florida state prison four times, most recently he was released in January 2021.
The sheriff's office said he also has a criminal history in Illinois, Delaware, Mississippi, and North Carolina.
