Daytona Beach, FL - Daytona Beach Police are asking for the public's help in solving the mysterious homicide of a Daytona Beach man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had a history of getting into altercations.
49-year-old Pernell Robinson was found dead at his residence at 224 Taylor Ave in Daytona on July 15. He was found by 55-year-old Diane Reid, who lived with him as a caretaker and reported his death to police. Reid found Robinson at approximately 3 AM on the porch of the residence with his clothes disoriented and with dry blood on him after he had been missing for three days. Robinson appeared to be "out of it," according to police reports. This was not the first time she found him in this state. In fact, police say it was a pattern, but it was unusual for him to be gone for so long without her seeing or hearing from him.
Reid brought Robinson inside to get some rest, and she left the residence. She returned at about 3:30 PM with food for Robinson. This time, she noticed when she checked on him that he did not appear to be breathing, and she could not find his pulse. Reid called 911, and Daytona Beach Fire and Rescue found his body facing up on the floor of the bathroom. An autopsy ruled the death a homicide due to blunt force trauma.
Police held a press conference regarding Robinson on Friday and are offering a $5,000 reward for anyone with information on this death.
"We still don't have a lot of answers to a lot of our questions, so we need some help. We don't even know if this even occurred in our city. It could have happened somewhere else, and then he went home and unfortunately expired," Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri told the media at the press conference and on social media. "We've got a lot of work to."
Capri said that Robinson's death could have been drug-related, but they do not know for sure. Capri says Reid has been very cooperative during the investigation. Police have also contacted Robinson's brother, who has been released from prison, is out of the area, and hadn't seen his brother in years.
Investigators are asking anyone who knows where Robinson was from July 12 to July 14 to contact Detective Dave Dinardi, 386-671-5219, or, email dinardid@dbpd.us, or the Criminal Investigations Division, 386-671-5202.
Photo of Robinson courtesy of Daytona Beach Police Department
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