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The 1990 murder of Robin Baxter took 22 long years for the authorities to solve. Robin was found by the Louisville authorities in the Ohio River four days later, and her death was ruled a homicide.
The murder case was resolved with the arrest of Christopher Baxter in 2012, when he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Christopher had reportedly beaten her to death with his aluminum rod, which he had named The Equalizer or The Enforcer.
The Murder In The Heartland episode titled Solving the Unsolvable originally aired on December 6, 2023, and showcased the cold-blooded murder of Robin Baxter. The official synopsis reads,
"When Robin Baxter is found dead floating in the Ohio River, the entire town of New Albany, Indiana, bands together to find who's responsible. It takes over 20 years of crossing off suspects before an elusive clue cracks the case open."
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Episode 4 of season 6 re-airs on May 29, 2024, at 7 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery.
Five details about Robin Baxter's murder explored
1) Robin Baxter was last seen by their neighbor, Joseph Perry
On June 19, 1990, Robin Baxter and Christopher Baxter had been at home drinking when the two got entangled in a heated argument. She stepped out of her home when their neighbor, Joseph Perry, saw her with blood on her eyes, lips, and shirt. According to court documents, he had also heard her shout, asking someone to stop.
Robin was on her way to call her mother, and Perry saw her dressed in a tank top, denim shorts, and flip-flops. She was last seen walking towards a nearby store and visibly shaking, per court documents.
2) Baxter's half-naked body was recovered from the Ohio River
According to News and Tribune, Robin Baxter's body was found in the Ohio River by the Louisville Police Department on June 23, 1990. She was found wearing a black t-shirt and was naked waist down. Her face and head had multiple cuts and lacerations as well.
Robin's autopsy reports showed that she had suffered blunt force trauma to the back of the head.
3) Christopher Baxter's self-defense weapon was found to be missing
Robin's mother, June Eurton, had approached the New Albany police with a picture of their Troy Street home, which showcased The Equalizer in the background. She mentioned that the aluminum rod that was kept next to the closet had been missing.
The investigators had approached the Troy Street home to find that the new tenant, Charles McMillian, had accidentally broken the wallboard inside the closet to discover the rod between the walls. The police recovered a small towel and a glove containing Robin's DNA from the same spot, per court documents.
4) Christopher Baxter had made confusing statements about murder to friends in an inebriated state
The murder case had turned cold, despite key evidence. In the meantime, Christopher Baxter had reportedly made several comments in an inebriated state that alleged his guilt. In November 1992, Christopher visited Robin's close friend Suzanne “Spring” Monroe and her then-boyfriend, Charlie Lance, when he made a vague statement, leading to a violent exchange between Charlie and him.
He shared,
“You don't know the power you feel when you take someone's life, until you've actually done it.”
Another time, Christopher had drunkenly mentioned to Robin Payton, Robin Baxter's friend,
“You know I'd never hurt you. You know I'd never hurt you on purpose. You know I love you.”
Christopher had been at the wheel of the car and crying, while Robin Payton assumed the words were meant for Robin Baxter.
5) Christopher Baxter maintained his innocence during the trial
Christopher Baxter had several misdemeanors under his name that involved alcohol, per News and Tribune. He had been arrested 13 times until 2002 and was known to not get along with law enforcement. Additionally, Spring Monroe had mentioned that Robin Baxter had been abused by him multiple times.
Christopher was charged with Robin's murder in February 2012. However, he, along with his attorney, William Gray, maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty. While he was sentenced to 40 years in prison, he passed away, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.
Catch all the details in the Murder In The Heartland episode that airs on Wednesday.
