Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder After History of Abuse
A jury has convicted a Rochester man of first- and second-degree murder in his girlfriend’s December 2022 death.
The jury acquitted Mustafa Rahshad Bush, 40, on a related first-degree premeditated murder charge.
Initial investigation began when a witness walking her dog on December 26, 2022, discovered Kimberly Robinson’s body partially covered by snow near River Bluff Lane NW and West River Road NW in Cascade Township north of Rochester.
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Robinson was Bush’s girlfriend, and was found nude with a gunshot wound to her neck and signs of blunt force trauma to her head. Investigators observed blood trails leading to the location, suggesting her body had been dragged into the ditch. Severe weather, with blizzard-like conditions in the days prior, complicated evidence collection, yet authorities were able to secure forensic materials at the scene.
The complaint detailed a history of an on-and-off relationship between Bush and Robinson, marked by frequent arguments. Surveillance and witness accounts placed the two together on Christmas Eve, with Robinson last seen alive that evening after leaving a family gathering. She had spoke with relatives about recent conflicts with Bush and indicated she would be staying with a friend that night, however Robinson was later seen with Bush at a Kwik Trip gas station, where Bush paid for fuel, indicating they were together late into the night.
In the days that followed, police conducted extensive interviews and reviewed surveillance footage. Witnesses recalled seeing Bush’s vehicle, a blue Kia sedan, at various locations, and forensic analysis completed after a search warrant later revealed blood stains within the vehicle’s passenger compartment. Items including women’s clothing, suspected to be Robinson's, were also found in the vehicle, alongside additional evidence linking Bush to Robinson in the hours leading up to her death.
Further investigation led detectives to a residence known for a burn pit, where a witness reported seeing Bush attempting to burn personal items, including what appeared to be clothing. Police recovered charred remnants at the scene. Investigators also tracked movements from both Bush’s and Robinson’s phones, noting they appeared to travel together in the early hours of December 25 before Robinson's phone last communicated from a location near where her body was later found.
Bush’s criminal background includes a 2007 conviction for second-degree murder and he was released from prison in 2020 after serving two-thirds of his sentence. Bush is expected to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2024 and faces life in prison.
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