Charges Dropped Against Two Men Indicted for Murder

Charges have been dropped against two Shreveport brothers in separate 'cold case' murders and another recent crime.

According to the Caddo District Attorney's Office, 62-year-old Jake Robinson was indicted in August 2014 for the second-degree murder of Harold Bruce Cotton. On February 29, 2004, Cotton was found murdered in the back seat of his car on White Springs Road, at the Caddo-DeSoto Parish line.

And 63-year-old Henry Robinson was indicted in April 2015 for the second-degree murder of 44-year-old Claudell Staten. His body was discovered by a passing motorist on Ellerbe Road, north of Robson Road, on March 20, 1988. He'd been shot several times. Detectives said the incident happened during a struggle inside Staten's moving car. He was left outside on the ground after the vehicle crashed.

A June 4, 2015, charge of solicitation for murder, based on a March 2015 incident against a witness, is also being dismissed against Jake Robinson.

DA James Stewart, Sr., made his decision to dismiss the charges after the death of one key witness and questions about the accuracy of testimony provided by others. The Robinsons continue to be suspects in their respective cases, which remain under investigation.

Anyone with information on Staten's and Cotton's murders should call the DA's office at 318-226-6826.