Man linked to 2012 killing of 12-year-old girl shot, arrested in home invasion

Annie McCormick Image
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Man charged in violent home invasion in NJ
Man linked to girl's 2012 murder charged in NJ home invasion: Annie McCormick reports during Action News at 11 p.m. on May 24, 2017.

SICKLERVILLE, N.J. -- A man who pleaded guilty in connection with the murder of a 12-year-old South Jersey girl five years ago has been charged in connection with a recent home invasion during which, sources say, he was shot and wounded.

Sources say 21-year-old Dante Robinson is in police custody at Cooper University University Hospital, charged with burglary, aggravated assault, endangering a child and other offenses.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office says Robinson broke into a home on Kay Lane in Sicklerville Monday night.

The victims told Action News four or five armed men with masks beat and terrorized them.

The homeowner said he shot one of the assailants in self-defense.

Sources say Robinson was the suspect hit with gunfire.

This is the same Dante Robinson who was charged in connection with the 2012 murder of 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale in Clayton, New Jersey.

Dante was charged along with his teenage brother, Justin Robinson.

Justin is currently serving a 17-year sentence after pleading guilty to the killing.

In 2013 Dante was released from a juvenile facility after pleading guilty to an obstruction of justice charge.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office handled the case, which occurred in Gloucester County.

On Wednesday night, as the family gathered at the Autumn Pasquale Memorial Park in Clayton, Autumn's father told Action News the court should never have let Dante Robinson out.

"I knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of time," said Tony Pasquale.

"If he was off the street to begin with, that family wouldn't be in this position right now," said Autumn's aunt, Mary Pasquale.

Tony Pasquale says he intends to be in the courtroom when Dante Robinson faces charges for Monday's home invasion.

"I would tell the judge, 'Don't let this happen again. You have him, he's in custody again. Keep him there,'" Pasquale said. "'You know what he did in the past. What makes you think he'll stop doing this?'"

The Camden County Prosecutors Office won't release further details in the home invasion case, including if the other assailants are still out there.

Once he is cleared by doctors at Cooper, sources say, Robinson will head to jail.

Autumn was strangled after going to the Robinsons' home to trade bike parts with Justin Robinson in 2012.

A break in the case came after the brothers' mother contacted authorities because she saw something that bothered her on one of her sons' social media accounts as the community searched for Autumn. Dante Robinson was initially charged with murder in the case, but the charge eventually was dropped after Justin Robinson said he acted alone.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.