4-2-59 defendant charged with the crime of MURDER (FIRST DEGREE) a felony. 4-8-59 Defendant arraigned and entered a plea of not guilty

6–4-59 Trial commenced. At the close of the States case the court directed a verdict of acquittal as to the co-defendant VERA WHIPPLE. At the close of the trial the Jury returned a verdict of guilty as to ROBINSON and imposed the death penalty.

6-30-59 In Division 9 of the Superior Court of the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, the death penalty was imposed.

Execution on of Sentence Stayed by notice of appeal filed with Supreme Court, as by Court order No- 3160, Dated  8-28-59

Circumstance surrounding the commission of the crime

Vera Nadine Whipple and William Bischoff arrived at Phoenix from the State of Washington some time in early December, 1958. They had been traveling together and living together as common-in-law husband and wife. They were destitute upon their arrival in Phoenix and were aided by the Salvation Army for a few days.

On December 15, 1958, they met Honor Robinson. Robinson took them to his home at 4214 S. 34th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. The three persons then worked together upon a scheme to obtain money through the commission of burglaries and robberies. Robinson went with Vera Whipple to various places for the purpose of determining whether or not they could be successfully robbed or burglarized.

After a few days Robinson became amorous attracted to Whipple and this attraction culminated with an affair at the Paducah Hotel in Phoenix on the night of December 30. 1958. Upon their return to 4214 S. 34th Street the next morning, they found William Bischoff waiting for them. Bischoff appeared angry at the actions of and Whipple.

The evening of December 21, 1958, Bischoff and Robinson went together into Papago Park in the City of Tempe for the ostensible purpose of burglarizing a house in the area. The excursion was pursuant to the preconceived plans of  Robinson and Whipple.

Robinson related the following to the Tempe Police: Whipple and he, Robinson planned to have Bischoff and Robinson go to Papago Park on the pretense of burglarizing a house, and after arriving at the park, Robinson was to get rid of Bischoff.  After parking the car, both men walked up a dirt road and Robinson dropped back a few feet behind Bischoff and shot him twice in the back.

Robinson, at the trial, contended that be shot because he thought Bischoff was going to lunge at him with an ice pick which the deceased supposedly carried. After shooting Bischoff, Robinson dragged the body off the road, and at this point removed such items that Bischoff had on his person. It appears that Bischoff lived several hours after he had been shot.

Bischoff's body was found on December 23. 1958, by a member of the Tempe Police Department. Thereafter the clothing worn by Bischoff was traced to a Catholic charitable organization and thence to Robinson who had received the clothing from the organization.

Robinson and Vera Whipple were found living together at 4214 S. 34th Street and were arrested on December 31, 1958. Thereafter, both Robinson and Whipple gave statements to officers, which finally indicated that Robinson had shot Bischoff and that Vera Whipple was not present at the shooting, but stayed with Robinson when he returned and thereafter changed her name to Kim Anne Raber.

The weapon used in the shooting was identified by Robinson. Robinson, after the shooting, had asked his neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Marks, to keep the gun and it was from their home that the gun was recovered. This Weapon was tested by the F.B.I. laboratory in Washington, D. C., and found to have fired the slugs which killed William Bischoff.

The F.B.I. report shows that the defendant has a criminal record dating back to 1935. He served time Alabama 1935 for burglary and grand theft. He also served time in Alabama for Receiving Stolen Property in 1938. Defendant served time in Georgia in 1940 for Voluntary Manslaughter and was convicted in Florida in 1952 for Assault With Intent to Murder and Assault with a Deadly weapon.

FBI 793 860

State Board of Penal Corrections Atlanta Ga murder and escape 7 to 15 yrs