BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — A February capital murder trial in Butler County Common Pleas Court for a Fairfield Township man accused of setting a woman on fire is scheduled after Robbi Robinson refused a guilty plea deal Tuesday that would take death off the table.
Robbi Robinson, 25, is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated arson and felonious assault for the May 11, 2023, incident on Arroyo Ridge Court. Robinson was arrested as he attempted to leave the scene.
Prosecutors said Robinson filled a container with accelerant, took it to an upstairs bedroom, doused the 50-year-old woman with it and lit her on fire. He is also accused of hitting her in the face, knocking out her teeth. The woman jumped out a window to escape.
Brenda Scott was found on fire in her backyard by a neighbor who called 911. Scott died of her injuries a few weeks later.
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Robinson faces the death penalty if convicted.
His jury trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 3 in Judge Keith Spaeth’s courtroom.
During the brief hearing Tuesday that was expected to be a plea hearing, Robinson’s attorney Lawrence Hawkins III stated his client did not wish to plead guilty with the sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Katie Pridemore said that was the state’s last offer, “we are going to trial.”
Robinson’s attorneys declined to comment.
Robinson’s August trial was canceled when additional forensic evaluations were ordered to determine his competency for trial.
Robinson’s competency was first questioned in March after a psychologist said he claimed to be “the Supreme Being,” according to court records.
Defense attorneys Hawkins and David Brewer said in the formal motion, “Mr. Robinson was so delusional that Dr. Jenny O’Donnell could not complete her evaluation. Mr. Robinson claimed to be ‘the Supreme Being’ and made other claims that the court had no power over him.”
After reviewing two additional evaluations, Spaeth declared Robinson competent and set the February trial date.
