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Man sentenced for attempted murder at Fullerton movie theater
An Anaheim man was sentenced today to 22 years to life in state prison for stabbing two men during a horror movie at a Fullerton theater.
Steven Walter Robinson Jr., 26, was found guilty Sept. 29, 2009, of multiple felony counts, including attempted murder. Robinson did not know the two men.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2008, Robinson bought a ticket for horror movie The Signal at an AMC theater in Fullerton. Robinson wore dark clothing and sunglasses inside the theater. A theater manager asked security to watch Robinson after noticing that he appeared agitated and aggressive when asked to show his ticket.
The theater security guard saw Robinson carrying a container of alcohol and asked Robinson to put it in his car. Robinson left the theater.
About 10 minutes later, Robinson re-entered the theater and asked the concession cashier if anyone had seen or turned in a "baggie." The cashier told him that nothing had been found.
The security guard saw Robinson carrying an AMC cup that the guard thought might have alcohol inside. Robinson refused to remove the lid of the cup for the guard. He was told that he wouldn't be permitted to see the movie without complying with security. Robinson got a refund for his ticket and left the theater.
A box office cashier called the manager shortly after to report that a bag of hallucinogenic mushrooms had been turned in to the box office. The manager contacted the Fullerton Police Department, who sent officers to the theater.
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At approximately 7:20 p.m., Robinson sneaked back into the theater. The security guard was checking the theater where The Signal was playing and recognized Robinson as one of the four people watching the movie. He returned to the lobby and informed the manager and police.
While officers were in the lobby, Robinson allegedly got up from his seat and approached Julio Sanchez, 38, carrying a double sided knife-hammer weapon. Robinson stabbed Sanchez five times in the head, arm, chest, and knee. He continued to stab and slash at Sanchez until the victim was able to run into the lobby, covered in blood, and escape.
Robinson then allegedly approached Eloy Uresti, 65, and began stabbing him in the arm as Uresti tried to protect his face. Uresti began to crawl away, but Robinson followed. Robinson hit the victim in the head with the hammer end of the weapon and continued attacking Uresti until hearing police enter the theater. Robinson fled through an exit door to the parking lot.
Sanchez suffered permanent loss of mobility in his arm. Uresti suffered nerve damage.
Robinson fled to his brother's Las Vegas apartment to hide. He was arrested on March 7, 2008 on a $500,000 warrant and brought back to Orange County.
Investigation revealed that Robinson possessed several books about serial killers and the torture and murder of their victims. Robinson's home computer contained MySpace postings from Robinson to friends about killing and mass murder. Robinson used the screen name "psychokiller666."
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