Suspect in Princeton teen shooting death held without bond

PRINCETON — A Kewanee man is being held in Bureau County Jail, denied bail and charged with murder of a Princeton teen in July 2020.

Davijon Robinson, 19, was in Bureau County court Wednesday, after he was arrested Monday in Decatur. Robinson is accused of murdering Caleb Conrath, then 17, in his Hillview Trailer Park home July 1 last year. The boy’s mother, Tasha Hilmes, also was injured in the incident but has since recovered.

Robinson is charged with first degree murder, which carries a sentencing range of 20-60 years; aggravated battery with a weapon, a class X felony punishable by up to 6-30 years and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a class 3 felony punishable by up to 2-10 years. Counts one and two are extended range eligible with a possibility of up to 25 years added to the sentence should he be found guilty. None of the charges are eligible for probation.

State’s Attorney Geno Caffarini in Wednesday’s hearing laid out the basis for charges against Robinson.

According to the investigation, on July 1 of last year, Princeton Police were called to Hillview Trailer Park for reports of a shooting. Witnesses saw a black man jump into a dark colored Nissan Altima driven by a white man. The vehicle was stopped on U.S. 34, at which time the subjects fled into nearby woods, Caffarini said.

The car owner was subsequently notified and informed police his minor son had used the vehicle. The 16 year-old told investigators he’d given Robinson a ride to Princeton and had been instructed to park behind Conrath’s home facing U.S. 6. After about 10-15 minutes, Robinson is reported to have run out of the trailer, instructed the driver to leave and blurted out “I shot him and I shot his mom,” Caffarini said.

The victim’s mother, who identified Robinson in a line-up, told investigators Robinson had been at the house once before, though she didn’t know him. She said he came into the home the day of the shooting and went into Caleb’s bedroom with him. She said she heard arguing, went into the room and saw her son injured. When retreating down the hall, Hilmes was shot in the shoulder. Hilmes was transported to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria; Conrath was pronounced dead at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Public Defender Ray Nolasco, appointed to represent Robinson by Judge James Andreoni, requested $750,000 bond for Robinson, with 10% required for his release. Andreoni denied bail, citing the seriousness of the charges along with the flight risk posed by the defendant.

Robinson has a previous theft conviction in Henry County. At the time he was arrested he was in possession of three pounds of marijuana and a gun.

Robinson is scheduled for a jury trial Nov. 29. A final pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 13.