Waco mother of 8 who killed boyfriend ‘to escape abusive relationship’ sentenced to prison

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Waco woman, who her attorney said shot and killed her boyfriend last year to escape an abusive relationship, was sentenced to 33 years in prison Wednesday.

Ardra Charlette Robinson, 33, the mother of eight children, pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the shooting death of John Wesley Perry III, 38, in a plea agreement with the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Thomas West of Waco’s 19th State District Court accepted the plea bargain and sentenced Robinson to 33 years in prison. Robinson, who has been in jail since shooting Perry in May 2022, must serve at least half of her prison term before she can seek parole.

Prosecutor Will Hix said no one can be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

“The conviction of Andra Robinson today is emblematic of the fact that here in our community, we don’t allow anyone to engage in vigilantism,” Hix said. “We are grateful to have been able to bring this case to a close swiftly, which is only possible when everyone in the criminal justice system works together.”

The violent incident was captured on video and police reports say that Robinson told police she and Perry were arguing and that she admitted shooting him with a revolver. She also reported that Perry was abusive toward her in their relationship.

Robinson’s attorney, Jonathan Sibley, said Robinson is remorseful and wishes she would have sought help to escape the abusive relationship.

“This is a sad day for Ms. Robinson and her children, family and loved ones who desperately want to see her home again,” Sibley said. “As a result of this agreement, she will very likely have the opportunity to serve her sentence and see them again when she is released. Ms. Robinson had some very difficult circumstances in her life and has struggled with mental health challenges throughout her entire life.

“This incident was the unfortunate result of an abusive relationship where she believed her only option was to take matters into her own hands. I know she wishes she had reached out for help or received the help she needs to keep her safe and get her out of her abusive relationship without things getting to this point. She loves her children and family very much and looks forward to the day when this is behind her and she is back at home with them,” Sibley said.

According to affidavits for arrest and search warrants, police were called to the Octapharma Plasma office in the 5300 block of Bosque Boulevard on a report that a man was shot. When officers arrived, they found Perry lying in the parking lot.

They reviewed video footage and saw Pery waiting in the business for several minutes before Robinson pulled up in front of the business in a maroon Mercury and went inside. She appears to check in on a kiosk about 8:23 a.m., the affidavits state.

“The female appears to converse with the victim, and they both exit the business,” according to the affidavits.

Perry and Robinson get into the car, and Perry is seen on video a few minutes later exiting the car.

“There appears to be a brief altercation as the male exits the vehicle, and he falls to the ground,” the affidavits state.

Robinson gets out of the car and “stands near where the male victim is on the ground for several seconds,” reports state. “She then appears to point a handgun at the victim and shoots at him as he lays on the ground. The female gets back into the vehicle and flees the scene.”

A witness told police he heard Pery yelling, “No, No, No,” as he was shot. He also reported hearing several shots fired during the incident.

An officer spotted Robinson in the Mercury on Waco Drive and she was arrested.

“She admitted that she shot the victim several times,” an affidavits state. “She admitted that she saw what the victim looked like on the ground after she shot him, and she admitted she knew he was dead when she left the scene.”

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