SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WFRV) – As a memorial grows in downtown Sheboygan Falls to honor Giovanni Michael Robinson, the man accused of shooting and killing him made his first appearance in court on Monday afternoon.
A criminal complaint alleges that 35-year-old Luis Cruz Burgos shot Robinson after there was a disagreement over how much Robinson’s group should have to pay for Cruz Burgos to drive them back to their hotel. Robinson was in Sheboygan County for a golf trip and had gone to Sheboygan Falls one of the nights with his friends to celebrate a hole-in-one.
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Appearing virtually with his lawyer, Cruz Burgos listened as a Sheboygan County court commissioner set a $2 million cash bond.
“Given the charge and potential penalties the defendant is facing, as well as the violent nature of the allegation, the bond requested by the state is within the norm of what is reasonable,” Sheboygan County court commissioner Ryan O’Rourke said.
Cruz Burgos faces one count of first-degree reckless homicide, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 60 years. In court on Monday afternoon, the district attorney said this was a violent, senseless crime and said Cruz Burgos has connections to other states (Pennsylvania and Florida), which potentially makes him a flight risk.
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Cruz Burgos is in the country legally and has family in the Sheboygan County area. According to the criminal complaint, he told police that he didn’t have a gun that night and wasn’t the one who shot Robinson. He also noted that he has a court order from a Florida judge dating back to 2019 that prohibits him from having a gun. The order stemmed from a domestic incident.
“Mr. Cruz is, of course, presumed innocent of the charge in the case (the reckless homicide charge in Sheboygan Falls),” said his defense attorney, Mitchell LaCombe. “That charge hasn’t been proven yet and bail may not be used as an instrument of punishment.”
Cruz Burgos will return to court on Oct. 6 for a status hearing and then has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct 8. Some of his family members were in court on Monday afternoon, but didn’t want to do an interview. They did say they believe he is innocent.
