Tyler Perry Offers $100,000 Reward For Info On Murder Of Gay Musician
Tyler Perry is asking the public for help following the murder of 24-year-old singer-songwriter Josiah Robinson, who may have been targeted for being gay.
The musician, who frequently performed under the name Jonty Dream, was found dead on Grenada’s BBC Beach in June, with an autopsy concluding that the cause of death was strangulation. The news sent shockwaves through the community and prompted an outpouring of grief on social media from friends and strangers alike.
In a recent Instagram post, Perry revealed that he learned of Robinson’s death through a mutual friend, publicist Yvette Noel-Schure.
“Through her tears and grief she was telling me that in her home country of Grenada, a young man that was like a son to her was murdered,” he wrote. “My soul ached as she shared that he was a young, gifted singer who was murdered because he was gay.”
The Royal Grenada Police Force reportedly has not released a motive for the killing as part of their investigation, but Robinson was a prominent member of the local LGBTQ+ community, prompting speculation among the public that his sexuality may have led to a targeted attack.
Perry cited his own nephew’s death in prison three years ago to explain that he keenly understands the specific type of pain that comes with not knowing exactly what happened to a loved on, calling it “gut-wrenching.”
“So with that said, Yvette and I are offering a $100,000 dollar reward to anyone who brings forth information that leads to the conviction of the murderer of Josiah “Jonty” Robinson,” he wrote. “Please pray for his mother and Yvette and all of those that loved him, as well as every family who has been impacted by senseless violence.”
His post has prompted some backlash from Grenadians, who are concerned that the speculation of a hate crime makes their island come across as homophobic and dangerous. Conversely, a piece written for British Vogue about his death by friend Tenille Clark lamented the “harsh truth…that his approach to activism in the Caribbean as a member of the LBGTQ community — his voracious desire to live in his simple, beautiful truth — often became a cyclic matter of life or death.”
“This did not deter Jonty, nor did the hurtful, threatening experiences ever change his mind about the essential goodness of humanity,” Clark recalled. “Murder will not define or contain his legacy. If shame dies when stories are told in safe spaces, then Jonty’s legacy is irrefutable proof that pride lives where stories connect in the truth and freedom of our circumstances.”
Perry has asked that anyone with information about Robinson’s murder contact The Criminal Investigation Division at +1-473-440 3921.
