Murder Timeline

October 1975

 The Crime

A couple of weeks before the murder: friends and family notice that 20 year old, John Alexander, is depressed and has talked of suicide. Harriet is still seeing John Alexander. Friends say that during this time he seems confused and preoccupied with Harriet.

October 3, 1975, The night before: 
A friend sees John Alexander, and doesn't notice anything particularly strange. He seems a little on edge, but nothing out of the ordinary. He talked about his affair with Harriet, and he was angry that he was fired from the country club.

October 4, 1975
12:10: Harriet Robinson is killed at a local tennis court at the tennis center at 5055 Old Canton Road place.

12:10 noon: Someone notifies police that there has been a murder. Patrons of the the tennis court are flagging down police, but no one stops. People continue to call the police, and they don't arrive until 10 minutes later.

The police department arrives 10 minutes later. John Alexander goes home and tells his mom that her murdered Harriet. She urges him to call the police, which he does. He tells them that he did it, and he needs to turn himself in.


John Petyon Alexander is arrested for murder. No bond is set. Alexander goes through a series of psychological tests.

12:24 At the scene police are gathering forensic evidence. They are at the scene for about an hour. Harriet's body is finally removed from the scene at 1:14pm

August 6: John W. Robinson Jr. complains that his wife's lover is harrasing him and his family. The judge order him to stop.
Harriet Robinson was 38 years old and her lover John Peyton Alexander II was just 20 years old.