Daniel Robinson: Geologist went missing after texting woman he was obsessed with
Daniel Robinson, 24, from Arizona went missing on June 23 this year. His father David who moved from South Carolina to the Grand Canyon state in search of his son has raised major concerns over the Buckeye Police Department being lax with their investigation. Robinson's Jeep Renegade was found on its side at the bottom of a 20ft ravine next to a pile of his clothes a month after he vanished. The Robinson family has hired a private investigator to further assist with the case.
Robinson's case gained steam after Gabby Petito's disappearance and murder. Her fugitive boyfriend Brian Laundrie who is named as a person of interest in his murder is on the run. Her case has shone a light on several people who vanished, some of them were found murdered later. For the full list, click here.
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Where is Daniel Robinson?
Daniel Robinson was last seen on June 23 leaving from his worksite near Buckeye. A day prior to his disappearance, Robinson had sent an unsolicited text message with the woman he was obsessed with. Eighteen hours later, he turned up at his remote worksite in the Arizona desert where he stayed for 15 minutes and then drove off. He hasn't been seen or heard from since then.
The woman has been identified as only Katelyn who he met while working his side job with Instacart. Robinson arrived at her house while delivering her liquor. Katelyn said she and her friend "were drunk" and invited Robinson inside. The two then later exchanged numbers and within a week Robinson arrived at her house unannounced and then began sending her "I love you" and "I couldn't stop thinking about you" texts. The final text she received from Robinson read, "The world can get better, but I'll have to take all the time I can or we can, whatever, to name it. I'll either see you again or never see you again."
"Katelyn said she believed Daniel was very nice and she and her female friend asked Daniel if he wanted to hang out with them," the police report said. "Katelyn said she and her female friend "were drunk" and that looking back on it, she shouldn't have invited a stranger into her home." Katelyn believed Robinson was "harmless as he only had one arm and was short in height."
Robinson's case exposed media treatment of missing people of color
The media has dissected every minute aspect in Gabby Petito's case, however, reports about Robinson who has been missing for over three months are mostly missing mentions of key evidence. His case brings to the fore the disparity in reporting between missing white women and people of color. MSNBC's Joy Reid mentioned the case on air saying she had never heard about it until a friend sent it to her. Her guest Lynette Grey Bull of the Not Our Native Daughter's Foundation described the media's lack of focus on Robinson's case as "systemic racism."