AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Regulation enforcement dominated his demise a suicide, however our I-TEAM uncovered investigators didn’t get better fingerprints on the gun, bullets, knife, or cell telephones mendacity subsequent to Tyrique Robinson’s physique.

Robinson died every week after the election and after changing into the youngest particular person elected to the Richmond County Board of Schooling.

Additionally perplexing, Robinson’s household found lacking emails and texts deleted from his cellphone between him and his mentor after the sheriff’s workplace returned their son’s cellphone to them. Senior Investigator Liz Owens continues to research the demise of a politician.

Robinson died a day after his mentor went public with allegations he stole cash from her and their enterprise, however messages and emails mixed with court docket data filed after his demise present there may be far more to the story.

Robinson met Melissa Oden by way of his godmother, her hairdresser, in January of 2022.

Oden wanted a driver for one among her many firms. The 20-year-old had a CDL license.

“When Ty got here out of the army, he needed to start out his personal business- Robinson Enterprises, he was going to do trucking transportation, after which he met her,” Kim Gowdy, Robinson’s mom says.

Paperwork obtained by the I-TEAM from the South Carolina Secretary of State’s Workplace record Oden as a 40% proprietor of Dream Transportation together with her son, godson, and Robinson every 20% house owners.

Photographs and movies on Robinson’s cellular phone present one other aspect of their relationship.

Gowdy says, “They might exit to eat collectively. They might go on a visit collectively. They went out of city collectively.”

Together with a visit to a on line casino in North Carolina, which led to an assault.

In her assertion to Cherokee Police, Oden says the ex-boyfriend:

Oden: “He flew all the way in which right here from Texas as a result of he heard she was going to be right here and was bringing the younger man.”

Oden acknowledged he thought there was one thing sexual occurring between the 2 of them and got here to confront Robinson.

Oden despatched this textual content to Robinson months later:

“Ty, Lanzy desires to know the way a lot so that you can write a letter to not press expenses.”

“$8,500?”

“Really, make it $10K.”

“He mentioned that Melissa needed him to not go ahead with it. He mentioned, ‘Mother, I acquired to go ahead with it’,” Gowdy says.

Oden requested the District Lawyer to maneuver the date of the listening to, initially set for November 8, 2022 -election day.

On Wednesday, the day after the election, data present Oden texts Robinson:

Oden: I don’t even wish to discuss to your ass (beep) proper now….you lied yesterday about utilizing my bank card. It’s unhappy that you just’re prepared to damage your status and potential life over lies.

On Thursday, the Board of Elections confirmed to the I-TEAM that Robinson inquired about resigning after simply being elected.

On Friday, Oden texted the I-TEAM:

Oden: “I’ve an important story to let you know a few newly elected official who has been stealing.”

She advised the I-TEAM she would file a report with the sheriff’s workplace on Wednesday when she returned from out of city.

On Tuesday:

Dispatch: “911 do you want police hearth or ambulance?”

Robinson’s brother discovered him useless.

Brother: “Over (beeping) cash?!”

Oden by no means filed a theft report with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Workplace in opposition to Robinson, and the case in opposition to her ex-boyfriend in Cherokee by no means went to court docket.

Randy Frails: “She has determined it’s actually not acceptable to touch upon this difficulty in Cherokee or something which will have damage this younger man Tyrique who’s deceased-who dedicated suicide.”

Randolph or Randy Frails represents Oden. He additionally represents the company that investigated Robinson’s demise.

Earlier than representing the Richmond County Sheriff’s Workplace, he donated closely to Richard Roundtree’s marketing campaign for Sheriff.

Robinson additionally consulted with the Frails and Wilson attorneys legislation agency.

The I-TEAM obtained this e mail the place he requested their assist with an open data request to the board of training for wage data.

Liz Owens: “It appears slightly complicated to me if it’s inappropriate as a result of he’s dead- why did she file paperwork in probate in opposition to his property and household?”

Robinson’s household went to file as executors of his property in December. They found Oden had filed a declare in opposition to the property as a creditor.

Andy Frails’ title is listed as her lawyer on the probate papers.

Gowdy says, “It was one other sucker punch, one other intestine punch pouring salt on the wound doesn’t even start to explain the anger and shock I felt at that second.”

Oden’s submitting comprises claims of fraudulent monetary transactions. She says Robinson made whereas he was alive, the identical allegations she made earlier than his demise however by no means went to the sheriff’s workplace about which incorporates utilizing her bank card to buy a billboard for his marketing campaign and an airline ticket for a buddy.

The submitting additionally comprises a declare for a van registered below Robinson’s title for Dream Transportation.

Liz: “It’s simply complicated to me as a result of she had a good relationship with him for a 12 months but it surely’s inappropriate to speak about Cherokee you need the van again and it’s not like she is hurting for cash.”

Frails: “Liz, let’s be clear that’s your rendition of their relationship- you simply mentioned they’d a good relationship. I by no means mentioned that and I don’t assume Ms. Oden had ever mentioned that both.”

On the Austin Rhodes present, Robinson mentioned:

“One of many issues she advised me is she goes to make me nice, so I took the imaginative and prescient it was among the best issues I heard being younger however didn’t understand it got here with preposterous management.”

“I had lots of people say your son would have modified Richmond County,” Gowdy says.

Liz: “What do you assume led to his demise?”

Gowdy: “I actually don’t know. I simply really feel like there may be extra to the story.”

A month earlier than the election and earlier than Robinson died, his aunt tells us he started receiving threats, a lot in order that he known as her and mentioned he wanted to maneuver his mom and son out away from Richmond County.

We aren’t accomplished digging by way of data and looking for the items of the total story surrounding the demise of a politician.

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