PRESS RELEASE: State of North Carolina General Court of Justice Scott Reilly – District Attorney, 36th District, Burke – Caldwell – Catawba
“Justice has been served.”
Those were the words of Marcus McLean after a Catawba County jury found a Hickory man guilty of first-degree murder in the death of McLean’s mother, Iris Ranae Robinson, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, bringing a trial of nearly two weeks to an end.
The jury needed a little more than an hour to return a guilty verdict for 64-year-old Jessie Allen Crawford in the June 2021 shooting death of the 51-year-old Robinson.
The Honorable Karen-Eady-Williams, Superior Court Judge from Mecklenburg County, sentenced Crawford to life without parole after the jury rendered its verdict in the Catawba County Superior Court setting.
“The damage has been done; the hurt has been inflicted,” Judge Eady-Williams said. “Nobody deserves to die that way. She didn’t deserve it … My heart goes out to the family.”
McLean, one of Robinson’s three children who addressed the Court following the verdict, personally thanked prosecutors, investigators, the Court and the jury during an emotionally-charged final day of trial proceedings that saw Crawford draw the ire of Judge Eady-Williams when he began to disparage Robinson and her family for their remarks when he was given an opportunity to speak.
The defendant will serve his period of incarceration in custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.
Prosecutors for the State were pleased with the outcome of the case and the jury’s verdict, taking the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless.
“We were honored to be the voice of Iris Robinson and represent those victims murdered in domestic violence situations,” Assistant District Attorney Nancy Lee said.
Fellow ADA Jessica Phillips added, “Our office continues to stand for and with victims who suffer at the hands of their abusers. We are committed to advocating for those affected by such heinous crimes.”
Newton Police Chief Vidal Sipe echoed those sentiments, saying, “My prayers continue to be with the Robinson family, and I hope this conviction and sentence give the family some closure. Thank you to Lieutenant William Garrett and Sergeant Dylan Adkins with the Newton Police Department, ADA Jessica Phillips and ADA Nancy Lee with the District Attorney’s Office, who worked tirelessly on this case to get Crawford’s conviction and life sentence. This is a testament that the justice system works and will not tolerate domestic violence at any level.”
The trial began with jury selection on Monday, May 12, 2025, followed by opening statements from the State and defense. Following evidence presentation from both sides – including testimony from the defendant – closing arguments took place Thursday, May 22, 2025, before the case went to the jury for deliberation.
Officers with Newton Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on June 5, 2021, to find the victim lying in the yard with gunshot wounds to her upper body area.
Witness accounts indicated that the defendant came to the property while Robinson and others were setting up for a cookout and assaulted her. After they were separated, Crawford went to his car, retrieved a gun and started pointing it at the people on the property. He left in his car but returned a short while later, got out and shot four times, striking Robinson with multiple rounds.
Autopsy reports showed that Robinson died of fatal wounds to the torso and abdomen from shots fired from a .45-caliber handgun.
Testimony in the case revealed the volatility of the relationship between Crawford and Robinson, highlighting physical abuse he inflicted upon her before taking her life.
Comments made by Robinson’s children revolved around the love and support she showed for them and how she instilled confidence in them through acts of kindness she displayed. They also spoke of how the defendant treated their mother.
“Despite her challenges, she gave us strength, love and confidence to go after our dreams,” Robinson’s daughter, Astinee McLean, told the Court, calling Crawford’s horrific deed a “jealous act.” “He took something from us we can never get back. He killed the future we were meant to have with her. Nothing can bring her back, but justice can honor the life she lived and the love she gave.”
Robinson’s son, Kevin Carlton, a master sergeant in the United States Air Force, said, “She was always guiding me to be a better person. She wasn’t just my mom, she was my anchor. She believed in people even when they didn’t believe in themselves. I see someone (Crawford) who didn’t care – no remorse, no emotion for what he took from me, from our family. To all the people who stood with us … the people who believed my mother’s life mattered, I thank you.”
Sgt. Dylan Adkins and Lt. William Garrett led the investigation for Newton Police Department. Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Phillips and Nancy Lee prosecuted the matter for the State with aid from Legal Assistants Amy Bishoff and Dea Crowe.
