Harvey Miguel Robinson

American murderer on death row

Harvey Miguel Robinson (born December 6, 1974) is an American serial killer currently imprisoned on death row in Pennsylvania. He was 18 when he committed his violent spree, killing three and injuring two.

Robinson was born on December 6, 1974, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His father was an alcoholic musician from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, who physically and emotionally abused Robinson's mother, who eventually left the family. His father was later incarcerated for beating his 27 year old mistress, Marlene E. Perez, to death. Perez was so brutally beaten that she was nearly unrecognizable, according to police reports. Robinson was first arrested at the age of nine. In school, he exhibited traits of severe conduct disorder, including threats and outbursts, which intensified as he aged.

Denise Sam Cali was one of three of Robinson's victims who survived. The other was a five year old girl Robinson stalked for days; Robinson broke into her home, raped and choked her, and left her for dead, but she survived. Sam Cali managed to break free of Robinson's grip and run outside. Robinson attempted to attack her again but she fled. Police later used Sam Cali as bait to lure Robinson in order to capture him. When she did, a shootout erupted between Robinson and a police officer. Robinson fled, but sustained wounds. He went to a local hospital, where he was arrested.

In November 1994, Robinson was sentenced to death for his crimes. As of April 2006, Robinson's execution had been stayed. He was later resentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Joan Burghardt because he was 17 when the crime was committed. In December 2013, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania upheld Robinson's death penalty in the Fortney murder. In October 2019, a Pennsylvania judge resentenced Robinson to 35 years to life in prison after he successfully appealed his earlier conviction for the murder of Burghardt. The judge urged Robinson to consider donating his brain to science, calling it "the one gift you can give." Robinson is incarcerated at SCI Phoenix in Skippack Township, Pennsylvania.

In 1996, the story of Robinson's crime spree was depicted in the film No One Could Protect Her with Joanna Kerns playing the role of surviving victim Denise Sam Cali. In 2015, Robinson's crime spree was covered on the Investigation Discovery series Your Worst Nightmare. Also in 2015, Robinson's crimes were covered on A&E's Killer Kids and Investigation Discovery's Most Evil and Dead of Night.