As a young teenager sits in jail, arrested in connection to a deadly robbery that killed an 84-year-old retired teacher, police have released little about possible accomplices or why and how the victim was targeted.
Below is a timeline of events, as described by court documents, limited information from police, and interviews with Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick:
January 21, 2021
According to court documents, at about 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 14-year-old Jakhim Robinson and others knocked on Eva Fuld's apartment door, where she lived alone on Linwell Terrace in Syracuse, in the Grant Village apartment complex.
She answered the door and the group forced their way inside.
Court documents say Robinson stole her credit cards, insurance cards, various wallets, and keys including her vehicle.
During the robbery, investigators said Fuld was stabbed, beaten and ultimately died from her injuries.
January 25, 2021
Fuld's body wasn't discovered until 12:23 p.m. on Monday, January 25, more than 92 hours after Fuld answered the knock at her door.
"Some neighbors began to be concerned about her, her car was missing, so police contacted the landlord and did a check on her apartment, and they found a horrible scene," said District Attorney Fitzpatrick.
Robinson was allegedly found with Fuld's vehicle and other stolen possessions, according to court documents, though it's unclear whether the teenager was found with Fuld's car on Monday, or in the days before.
Court documents say on Monday at about 8 p.m. Robinson, who lived in the apartment above Fuld, was arrested with his mother accompanying him.
He's charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Robinson was arraigned in court at 9:30 p.m.
January 26, 2021
At 8:29 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26, Syracuse police publicly announce the homicide investigation into Fuld's death, but make no mention of Robinson's arrest, even though he was already in custody and had been arraigned in court.
January 27, 2021
Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick publicly confirms Robinson's arrest on Wednesday afternoon.
Questions Remain
Forensic evidence is being tested to determine how many people were involved in Fuld's murder but court documents list three offenders in the crime.
It's still unclear whether the attack was targeted, or whether police believe Robinson is the one who killed Fuld.
No murder weapon has been recovered.
What was the reason it took police 3 1/2 days to find Fuld dead?
Robinson, who turned 14 in October 2020, is enrolled in Syracuse City Schools, though a spokesperson could not release any other information about him.
No court date has been set for Robinson.
City Councilor Joe Driscoll said his neighborhood watch group was filled with questions and fear about what happened, and what may have driven Robinson to participate.
"It's hard to know if someone was influencing him in this, but I can't fathom how a 14 year-old got to this point," Driscoll said.
Who was Eva Fuld?
Fuld was a beloved neighbor and an alumnus of Westmoreland Central Schools in Oneida County and was a longtime language teacher.
Public records show Fuld retired as a teacher in New York State in 1991. According to her mother's obituary, her mother also lived at 108 Linwell Terrace up until her death in 1989.
The Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said the department is still very actively involved in the investigation of Fuld's murder.
"Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, we will not be speaking publicly about the case. We are aware this case has resulted in significant outrage from our community," said Buckner. "We will provide an update to the case when it is possible to do so without jeopardizing the integrity of our investigation. Please continue to keep the victim’s family in prayer."
In the past, Buckner has vowed transparency after acts of violence in Syracuse. The investigation is ongoing, but as of Thursday night, the Syracuse Police Department has not yet released additional information on arrests or possible motives.