Lane sentenced for murder of Cape Central student Madison Robinson; tempers flare during hearing

Isaiah Lane

Isaiah Lane, 33, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison Thursday, June 20, for the second-degree murder of a 15-year-old student who planned on being a paramedic with the military; and also for shooting her brother, Ryan Robinson, in the leg.

Lane had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault. The sentence was handed down by Judge Scott Lipke.

Lane shot and killed Madison Robinson on August 24, 2019, on her front porch on Jefferson Avenue. Lane claimed he didn’t intend to shoot Madison, while shooting toward her brother.

Madison Robinson, pictured here posing on her first day of school in 2019, died days later Aug. 24, 2019, when she was struck by a bullet. On Thursday, June 20, Isaiah Lane was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences on second-degree murder charges for shooting her while standing on her front porch. Lane told police he did not intend to shoot Robinson. One other man, Madison Robinson's brother, Ryan Robinson, was shot and injured in the shooting as well.

Madison Robinson was described in previous news reports as an energetic, outgoing and lovable honor student. She was on the school’s debate team, reading club, and the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. She had been working toward a Certified Nursing Assistant certification through Central High’s dual-credit nursing program and had set a goal of working in the Doctors Without Borders organization. When she was shot, she was making plans to celebrate her 16th birthday.

During the sentencing hearing Thursday, witnesses from both sides testified to the judge to try to influence sentencing.

Madison Robinson’s biological mother Yameka Robinson and aunt Martez Johnson, who raised Madison from birth, both testified that Madison’s loss left a hole in their lives.

Yameka Robinson, reminding the court that Madison would be 20 years old now, told the judge that Lane didn’t deserve mercy or forgiveness for his “monstrous” and violent actions.

“I suffer daily,” she said, adding she hopes that Lane “does not find solace” in prison.

Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecutor Angel Woodruff told Lipke that Lane deserved to spend the rest of his life in prison after killing “a 15-year-old girl who did absolutely nothing wrong."

One of Lane’s grandparents testified on behalf of Lane. She said Lane did not fire the weapon, but only pleaded guilty because of the association with someone else who did. During her statement, she brought up a separate assault between the two families, which sparked a disruption in the proceedings in which several people raised their voices, and a woman on the Robinson side of the courtroom walked out while angrily making an obscene gesture toward someone in Lane’s family.

For his part, Lane stated to the judge how “truly, honestly sorry I am for the part I played in this little girl’s life. ... I can’t express enough remorse for this whole situation.”

He further stated that whatever the judge decided, he hoped both families could find peace. He and his attorney pleaded for Lipke to impose a sentence that would allow him, someday, to rejoin society.

After Lipke declared the sentence, Lane lowered his head, while members of Robinson’s family sobbed. Moments later, Lane looked toward his family and stated, “I’m still here.” He then appeared to stare down someone on the victims’ side of the courtroom and exchanged words as he was being escorted from the room. Harsh words were exchanged between Lane and others, telling him he’d never get out, and it took several warnings and intervention by court bailiffs for Lipke to bring the courtroom back to order.

Lane was arrested and charged days following the murder, but prosecutors temporarily dismissed the case after witnesses said they would no longer cooperate in the investigation. Murder charges were filed again in October 2022, when he was arrested on unrelated charges. At that time, authorities questioned him about the 2019 murder, when he acknowledged Robsinson’s death was caused by the shooting.

According to documents associated with the case, a woman told police following the shooting that she had been assaulted earlier in the day. Lane apparently shot into a porch where several people were standing in retaliation.

Documents claim the woman said Lane told her “one of them (expletive) had to get hit.”