BELMONT, N.C. — After almost a year without answers, a Belmont man’s family feels like they finally received some justice.
Andy Tench was last seen a year ago. On Tuesday, the man accused of concealing his death was denied a plea deal.
In giving his reasoning for rejecting D’Shaun Robinson’s plea deal, the judge said it was due to the family request, as well as his criminal history.
Prosecutors and Robinson’s attorney came up with a deal where Robinson would be offered up to 17 months for concealing Tench’s death and stealing an identity.
If the case were to go to trial, he would face up to 118 months in jail.
Tench’s family had told the judge that they wanted to see the case go to trial. The victim’s sister, Natasha Newman, said she was shocked that the judge took that into account.
“A little surprised I am, just because you don’t ever think anything’s going to go in your favor. But I’m grateful that it did, and we get another shot,” Newman expressed.
“A judge, finally someone in the judicial system saw and gave Andy a little bit of justice. But we intend to get full justice,” said Trench’s mother, Tracie Blanton.
Robinson is accused of dumping Tench’s body in a dumpster. Loved ones said they still have relatively few answers they need for closure.
In a statement, Newman addressed Robinson directly, saying, “It’s been almost a whole year, 365 days, since your horrendous actions to dispose of a human body. This was not just anybody, but my baby brother.”
While the Tench family continues to push for this case to go to trial, the District Attorney’s Office said they will present the same plea agreement to a different judge to see if they get a different ruling.
D’Shaun Robinson is scheduled to appear back in court on April 8.
According to court records, there could be another hearing on a plea deal for him.
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