John Evers Robinson was a rising hardcore punk musician in New Haven — a wordsmith and thrill-seeker with a calm, welcoming presence that made him easy to befriend.
On March 14, 1990, Robinson was found bludgeoned to death inside his rented music studio on Temple Street in New Haven, less than a block from the New Haven Green.
Police have spent more than 35 years investigating his killing and have interviewed hundreds of people, but no one has ever been charged. In early June, state officials announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction, hoping to breathe new life into the case.
“Just because a case remains unsolved doesn’t mean it’s ever far from our hearts or our minds,” New Haven Police Chief David Zannelli said in a news release. “We’re committed to going back, taking a fresh look, and making sure families know we stand with them and that we will never stop seeking answers with the goal of getting closure and justice to grieving families.”
Robinson — known to friends by his nickname “Rokked” (pronounced “rock-head”) — was 24 years old when he died. He grew up in Kansas before moving to New Haven as a teenager to live with his father. Over the years, he became “one of the best-known people in New Haven,” according to a 1990 article in the now-defunct New Haven Advocate.
Through his band Sold On Murder, Robinson wrote music, sang, and played bass. He was working on his debut album at the time of his death. Friends and bandmates later raised money to release it posthumously.
Police discovered Robinson’s body in the early morning hours of March 14, 1990, after someone reported a foul odor coming from a second-floor space inside a two-story office building at 178 Temple St.