Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Robinson was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 1993 stabbing death of his estranged wife, 29-year-old Gwendolyn Samuels. Robinson went to the Bayside home where Samuels worked as a housekeeper and then attacked the pregnant woman, stabbing her multiple times. In 2023, Robinson’s 1993 conviction was vacated and he was granted a new trial following the discovery of newly discovered DNA evidence that the defendant alleged was exculpatory. The DNA evidence was presented at a second trial and Robinson was convicted by a jury after deliberating less than a day.

District Attorney Katz said: “More than 30 years ago, a jury convicted Michael Robinson of murdering his estranged pregnant wife. The facts have not changed since that time. My office continued its pursuit of justice for Gwendolyn Samuels and her loved ones. Gwendolyn’s two young children were forced to grow up without a mother because of the defendant’s actions and then were forced to re-live a second trial because of years and years of post-conviction litigation by the defendant. A second jury has spoken, and justice was delivered today with the defendant’s sentence of 25 years to life in prison.”

Robinson, 59, of Jamaica, was convicted of murder in the second degree by a jury in June. Queens Supreme Court Justice Michelle Johnson, who presided over the trial, sentenced him yesterday to 25 years to life in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges and trial testimony, on January 11, 1993, Gwendolyn Samuels was working as a housekeeper for 88-year-old Alviena Marchon in Bayside. Robinson arrived at the home then he and Samuels went grocery shopping for Marchon.

When the defendant and Samuels got back from grocery shopping, the defendant sat down with Marchon and spoke to her for a few minutes. Samuels went upstairs and was followed by Robinson.

Marchon testified at the original trial that she heard Samuels screaming and rushed up the stairs to find Robinson standing over her with a knife. When Marchon attempted to stop the attack, Robinson stabbed her.

Robinson had a prior history of being physically abusive with Samuels and by the time of the attack the two had separated. Samuels was about two months pregnant and living with her new boyfriend.

At the time of trial, Marchon was 89 years old. She has since passed away. Two of the testifying detectives from the original trial are also deceased. Their testimony from the first trial was read into the record during the new trial pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Law.

Robinson’s original conviction was overturned in 2023 after newly discovered DNA evidence found on one of the victim’s fingernails did not match that of the defendant. It was never determined who the DNA belonged to.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Nicole Rella prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.