Deputies still searching for answers a year after the Bell Tower shooting

Reporter: Anika Henanger
Published: Updated:
Kevin Robinson, 55, was killed in a shooting at the Bell Tower Shops October 9.

Wednesday marks one year since two men were murdered, and two others injured, in a spray of gunfire at the Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers.

This deadly shooting is on the verge of becoming a cold case. With no evidence or leads, investigators say this still don’t know who killed Kevin Robinson, 56, and his step-son, 22-year-old Javarcia Riggins.

One year later, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is making a renewed push for tips that could finally lead to the arrest of the person or persons responsible.

During the evening hours of Oct. 9, 2018, Robinson and Riggins were having dinner at T.G.I. Friday’s with family members.

After dinner, the two men briefly stepped outside the restaurant and were immediately met with gunfire. Both Robinson and Riggins were killed as a result.

MORE: Search continues for shooter after two killed at Bell Tower Shops

It was a birthday ending in a father and step-son gunned down.

“When I got the news, it was like, my brother! Not Kevin! Not, of all people, Kevin,” said Pastor Rickey Anderson, Sr. with Followers of Christ Fellowship Ministries.

Anderson officiated Robinson’s funeral just days after his son’s birthday.

“The wrong place at the wrong time—I don’t agree with that,’ he said. “I’m not at the wrong place and I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Although some witness accounts provided some information as to what transpired that night, the person or persons responsible are still at large.

Given the sizeable number of people who were in the area at the time, Crime Stoppers is hoping that someone will come forward to help paint a clearer picture and ultimately, help track down one or more killers.

“We need to have some names on the radar and, ultimately, we need to have some arrest,” said Crime Stoppers Coordinator Trish Routte. “We don’t wanna be sitting here another year from now on the second anniversary still looking for answers. The answers are out there; we need them now.”

Immediately after the shooting, some names and tips came in, but none of them panned out.

“When you have a targeted shooting, people are into everybody else’s business, maybe even things that were posted on social media, so those are the type of things that we need to hear and even secondhand information,” said Routte.

She says she’s confident the killer or killers are in SWFL.

“He hurts every day and for him to try to be successful in life, dad now gone and having to cope with that,” said Anderson.

And until someone comes forward, the family will continue to pay a heavy price.

Crime Stoppers says they hope the greatest motivation for tips is closure for the family, but there is also a $3,000 reward. Tipsters can stay anonymous.

Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.

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