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A Fort Plain man is behind bars without bail after police say he beat his elderly parents to death with a hammer at their home, with authorities now releasing the identities of both victims.
According to News10 ABC, Fort Plain police responded to 38 Clinton Avenue at about 4:10 p.m. on Friday (February 20) after Robert Robbins Jr., 45, called 911 to report "an incident" he had had with his parents. Officers found him kneeling in the driveway with his hands raised when they arrived.
Fort Plain Police Sgt. Thomas Scarafile said he was the first on the scene. "I see an individual suspect here. He's on his knees with his hands up," Scarafile told CBS6 Albany. "So I immediately jumped out, ran after him and placed him in handcuffs and put him in the backseat of my patrol car."
Inside the home, officers discovered the bodies of Robert Robbins, 78, and Mary Robbins, 76, both residents of the address. Fort Plain Police Chief Kevin Collins confirmed the couple's son used a hammer as the weapon. Police described the deaths as "intentional in nature."
Robbins Jr. also lived at the home. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty to both counts on Saturday (February 21). He was arraigned in the Town of Minden Court and remanded to the Montgomery County Jail without bail.
Neighbors remembered the couple warmly. Giniene Raymond, who lives a few doors down from the home, told News10 she was shaken by the news. "I'm still devastated I haven't been able to get over this yet," she said. "It's difficult — this has never happened around here before. This is a nice quiet suburban area where stuff like this just doesn't happen."
Raymond recalled meeting the couple during walks with her dog. "They were such nice people," she said. "They commented on my pup, how cute she is." She added that the pair worked for Instacart to help make ends meet, a detail confirmed by the manager of a local grocery store.
According to Syracuse.com, the Fort Plain Police Department is working alongside the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, and the New York State Police. Investigators have not established a motive. When asked, Sgt. Scarafile said simply, "We have not at this time. No, nothing." Authorities also declined to comment on whether mental illness is a factor, saying that aspect remains under review.
Scarafile noted this is the first homicide in the village since 2018. Robbins Jr. is next scheduled to appear in court at 4:30 p.m. on Monday (April 20).