Overview of MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Shanquella Robinson
This Crime Junkie episode (hosts Ashley Flowers and Britt) covers the October 2022 death of 25‑year‑old Shanquella (Shanquilla) Robinson during a college friends’ trip to San José del Cabo, Mexico. The episode traces the event timeline, conflicting accounts from the six-person group (the “Cabo Six”), leaked video evidence, divergent autopsy findings (Mexican ME vs. an FBI‑ordered autopsy), the subsequent investigations in Mexico and the U.S., legal actions taken by Shanquella’s family, and the unresolved questions that keep the case open.
Key timeline (concise)
- Late October 2022: Shanquella travels to San José del Cabo with a group from Winston‑Salem State University for a birthday trip.
- Night 1: Mother Salamandra speaks with Shanquella; everything seems fine.
- Oct 29, 2022 (next day): Khalil Cook calls Salamandra saying Shanquella is severely intoxicated, vomiting, dehydrated; they say they can’t afford hospital care. Salamandra provides SSN for treatment.
- That evening: Khalil calls again and says Shanquella has died from alcohol poisoning.
- Nov 10–15, 2022: Mexican authorities tell the family the manner of death is violent; autopsy lists severe spinal cord/neck injury, brain swelling, knot on forehead and bruises. A video of a morning fight (~7:00–7:30 a.m.) is leaked showing Dejanay Jackson attacking Shanquella.
- Discovery timeline: fight in morning; Shanquella found barely conscious on the villa bathroom floor around noon; doctor called ~2 p.m., arrived ~3:15 p.m.; suffered seizure and cardiac arrest; medics performed extensive resuscitation; pronounced dead just before 6 p.m. (death certificate contains a conflicting 15‑minute time note).
- April 2023: FBI announces no federal charges; cites a second autopsy with different findings.
- Oct 2024: Family files wrongful death lawsuit against the Cabo Six, FBI, and State Department.
- 2025: Partial dismissal of suit (claims vs. FBI and State Dept. dismissed); other claims pending. Defendants deny allegations. Dejanay (now Imani Green) responds claiming self‑defense.
People & parties involved
- Victim: Shanquella (Shanquilla) Robinson, 25 — boutique owner, hair braider, described by family as gentle and loved by children.
- Mother: Salamandra Robinson — primary advocate for justice.
- Cabo Six: group of five friends plus Shanquella who traveled together; notable members:
- Khalil Cook — close friend who first spoke with the mother; visited the family after return.
- Dejanay Jackson (later changed name to Imani Green) — birthday girl; identified in video as attacker.
- “Mike” — anonymous male who spoke to reporters (first on‑the‑record source from the trip); claims he wasn’t present for the fight and later helped care for Shanquella.
- Authorities: Mexican prosecutor (issued arrest warrant for Dejanay), FBI Charlotte (investigated, performed second autopsy), U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Evidence & findings — what conflicts and matters most
- Leaked fight video: shows an unarmed, largely defenseless Shanquella being struck repeatedly by Dejanay in a bedroom, at one point yanked by the neck; Shanquella appears not to (or cannot) fight back and is unclothed in the footage. This video was influential in public perception and in Mexico’s prosecutor pursuing charges.
- Mexican autopsy (partial): ruled manner “violent”; cause listed as severe spinal cord and neck injury (neck dislocation sufficient to be fatal), brain swelling, large forehead knot, multiple bruises. Mexican ME did not specify mechanism.
- FBI‑ordered autopsy (full/report): reportedly found no neck/spinal dislocation, concluded brain swelling consistent with prolonged lack of oxygen, and reported no alcohol present in system (claiming any alcohol could have metabolized during the ~10.5 hour gap). This report led U.S. authorities to decline federal charges.
- Medical scene accounts: a doctor who attended said Shanquella had facial injuries, couldn’t speak, and needed hospital care; she and medics alleged friends were reluctant to send her to a hospital and delayed contacting family. One villa concierge said friends appeared calm except for one visibly shaken woman; Dejanay said to be cold/indifferent.
- Timeline gaps and procedural questions:
- What happened between ~7:30 a.m. (fight) and ~noon (when Shanquella was found)?
- Why was the doctor not called until ~2 p.m., and why did friends allegedly block hospital transfer?
- Discrepancy in time of death on the Mexican death certificate versus known resuscitation timeline.
- Mexican autopsy was reportedly partial and did not remove the spine; this may account for differences between autopsy conclusions.
Investigations, charges, and legal outcomes
- Mexico: Prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Dejanay, investigating as femicide (in Mexico, femicide is when gender is a factor in killing). No extradition occurred; U.S. authorities did not hand over the suspect.
- U.S./FBI: Conducted an investigation and a second autopsy; April 2023 the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office announced no federal prosecution due to insufficient evidence to support charges.
- Civil action: Shanquella’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit (Oct 2024) against the Cabo Six, FBI, and State Dept.; claims include attack by Dejanay and subsequent coverup and failures by U.S. officials. Portions against the FBI and State Dept. were dismissed in 2025; other claims remain pending.
- Defendants’ responses: All defendants deny wrongdoing. Dejanay/Imani Green claims self‑defense, alleging Shanquella was belligerent and provocative.
Main unresolved questions & issues
- Cause of death dispute: Did blunt force/head/neck trauma from the fight cause fatal injury, or did hypoxia/brain swelling from another event (or from alcohol) cause death?
- Autopsy discrepancy: Why do the Mexican (partial) autopsy and FBI (second) autopsy differ on neck/spine findings? Was the Mexican autopsy scope limited (spine not removed), and how does that impact conclusions?
- Critical time gap: What occurred between the morning fight and the noon discovery? Who witnessed, and were calls/messages/call logs preserved and analyzed?
- Delay/refusal to seek hospital care: Why did friends reportedly resist hospital transfer or delays in calling doctors/authorities, and how did that affect survival chances?
- Identity of anonymous caller to the family claiming a fight occurred, and whether more witnesses have relevant information.
- Extradition and prosecutorial decisions: Could Mexican or U.S. authorities have done more to secure prosecution? Why did the FBI not pursue charges after the leaked video and Mexican warrant?
Notable quotes / insights from episode
- “Her manner of death is listed as violent.” — Emphasizes Mexico’s autopsy ruling.
- “They were not telling authorities the whole story.” — Host’s observation on initial friend statements.
- Forensic expert Dr. Joseph Filo: partial autopsies can miss spinal examination; head trauma + hypoxia + swelling can be fatal but proving causation beyond reasonable doubt is difficult.
- Former prosecutor Beth Green: Without a medical examiner calling the death a homicide, prosecutors face a steep burden to charge.
Action items & how listeners can help
- If you have information about the case, contact the Charlotte FBI: 704‑672‑6100.
- Source materials and social content (including the fight video excerpt) are available on crimejunkie.com and Crime Junkie’s social channels (episode references).
Takeaways
- The case is complicated by conflicting physical findings, witness accounts, and a critical time gap between the fight and when Shanquella was found.
- A leaked video showing a severe assault intensified calls for accountability, but the FBI’s second autopsy produced findings that undermined a straightforward homicide prosecution.
- Shanquella’s family continues to pursue civil action and public appeals for justice; many factual questions remain unresolved and central to whether criminal accountability can be achieved.
Sources cited in the episode: Mexican autopsy report, FBI documents, interviews with family and one anonymous member of the trip (“Mike”), statements from the Mexican prosecutor, and expert commentary (forensic pathologist Dr. Joseph Filo and former prosecutor Beth Green). All referenced materials are available via the episode notes at crimejunkie.com.