Is the name of the book that covered the death of Vicki Lyn Robinson. Robinson was 49, when she was murdered in here Carrollwood home in Tampa, FL.
Even though it’s been 10 years since this infamous crime, this story made the news again.
On June 27, 1998, Vicki Robinson stepped into her kitchen in a nightgown. Whispel twice testified about how Davis attacked her there, how Valessa Robinson held her mother down while Davis slashed at the woman's throat with a bleach-filled syringe, how he handed Davis a knife.
This time the news reports that Adam Davis has remained on death row and Valessa Robinson is still in prison as well.
Adam Davis and his lawyers appealed his case to the high courts stating Davis did not receive proper representation during trial.
The Supreme Court denied the claim that the attorneys for Davis were ineffective. They had a similar ruling from an appellate court.
Davis and his girlfriend Valessa were found guilty of the murder while Jon Whispel pleaded guilty to second degree murder and agreed to testify against Davis and Robinson. .
According to the Supreme Court ruling, late on June 26, 1998, Davis, Valessa Robinson and Whispel met at a Denny's and took LSD. While on the drug, Valessa Robinson proposed the three kill her mother by injecting an overdose of heroin, but they couldn't get any of the drug.
During Valessa Robinson's trial, prosecutors said she wanted to kill her mother because Vicki Robinson wanted to end the girl's relationship with Davis.
They bought a syringe for $2 to inject the sleeping woman with bleach and an air bubble. By then it was early in the morning of June 27. Vicki Robinson woke up, and Davis grappled with her.
The girl and Davis held Vicki Robinson down and Davis injected the bleach. When that didn't kill her, Davis stabbed the woman.
When they heard her groaning, Davis went back into the room, and later he told Whispel he had stabbed Vicki Robinson two more times and tried to break her neck.
They stuffed her body into a plastic garbage can and dumped it along a canal near Waters Avenue.
The trio stole Vicki Robinson's car, credit cards, cash and ATM card, intending to head to Phoenix.
On July 2, 1998, they were caught in Texas.
Vicki Davis was popular in her church and community. More than 100 people showed up for a vigil at her house the day after her daughter told investigators where to find the body.
The state high court's ruling today was its second review of Davis' trial and death sentence. In 2003, attorneys for Davis appealed the conviction and sentence, an appeal the Supreme Court denied.
In 1999, Whispel was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He testified against Davis and Valessa Robinson at their trials and avoided a possible death penalty.
In 2000, Valessa Robinson was found guilty of third-degree murder along with theft charges and sentenced to 20 years.
The book, Rattlesnake Romeo can be found here Kensingtonbooks
