Robert Lofton, a 56-year-old Kalamazoo man, is charged with open murder in the June 12, 2025 shooting death of his wife, Sariah Robinson, inside their home on Woodward Avenue. Robinson, 47, was a mother of nine. Lofton was arraigned on June 23, 2025, denied bond, and waived his preliminary examination in February 2026, sending the case to Kalamazoo County Circuit Court for trial.1MLive. Man Accused of Killing Wife in Kalamazoo Headed to Trial
What Happened on Woodward Avenue
The shooting took place inside the couple’s home on the 1400 block of Woodward Avenue, in Kalamazoo’s Northside neighborhood, on the evening of June 12, 2025. Lofton and Robinson were involved in a physical altercation. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said Robinson was in the process of divorcing Lofton at the time.2WWMT. Man Charged With Murder of Wife
Robinson’s son saw Lofton raise a handgun and shoot his mother once. The son fled the house with his siblings and reported hearing two more gunshots as they ran.2WWMT. Man Charged With Murder of Wife Officers from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety found Robinson unresponsive in a bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. She was taken to a hospital and died there.3MLive. Police Identify Mother Killed in Heartbreaking Kalamazoo Homicide
How Lofton Was Caught
Lofton fled the house after the shooting. Prosecutors say he then called his brother and sister to confess that he had killed his wife and told them he planned to kill himself.2WWMT. Man Charged With Murder of Wife
Police tracked him to the Lilac Hills Apartment complex near Michigan Avenue and Drake Road in the Knollwood neighborhood. As officers approached, Lofton shot himself in the head.4FOX 17. Man Who Harmed Self During Hunt for Shooting Suspect Charged With Murder He survived the wound and was hospitalized in critical condition. A handgun was collected as evidence at the scene.5MLive. Mother of 9 Killed in Kalamazoo: She Was Their Protector
Charges and Current Status
At his June 23, 2025 arraignment, Lofton was charged with:
- Open murder, a Michigan charge that lets a jury convict of either first- or second-degree murder
- Two counts of felony firearm
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Carrying a concealed weapon
Bond was denied, and Lofton has remained in custody.6MLive. Man Accused of Killing Wife and Shooting Himself Faces Murder Charge On February 26, 2026, he waived his right to a preliminary examination, moving the case to Kalamazoo County Circuit Court for trial.1MLive. Man Accused of Killing Wife in Kalamazoo Headed to Trial A trial date has not been publicly reported.
Lofton’s Prior Record
Lofton’s criminal history goes back more than three decades. Court records cited in local reporting show 26 separate court appearances beginning in 1990, on charges including domestic violence, failure to register as a sex offender, and multiple driving-related offenses.2WWMT. Man Charged With Murder of Wife That record is the basis of the felon-in-possession count in the current case.
Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry lists Lofton with a 1991 conviction in the Kalamazoo County 9th Circuit Court for third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving force or coercion, which is what required him to register.7Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry. Offender Details: Robert H. Lofton
Who Sariah Robinson Was
Robinson was 47 and the mother of nine children, ranging in age from 2 to 25 when she was killed. Jamie DeLeeuw, a virtual teacher with Kalamazoo Public Schools who taught three of Robinson’s children, described her as a “devoted mother” who was “their protector, provider, encourager and safe place,” and said Robinson often organized educational field trips and raised her children to be “confident community leaders.” Jasmine Hamilton, Robinson’s cousin and former coworker, called her “the sweetest person ever.”5MLive. Mother of 9 Killed in Kalamazoo: She Was Their Protector
Executive Lieutenant Robert Holdwick of KDPS called the killing “a senseless and heartbreaking act of domestic violence that took the life of a mother.”3MLive. Police Identify Mother Killed in Heartbreaking Kalamazoo Homicide
Robinson’s nine children are now being cared for by her sister. DeLeeuw organized a GoFundMe campaign to support them; as of mid-2026, it had raised more than $17,500 toward a $45,000 goal, with the funds held in a trust account for funeral costs, clothing, food, school supplies, and long-term support.8GoFundMe. Help Nine Siblings After Losing Their Mother The fundraiser notes that the children are now without either parent.