On the morning of New Year’s Eve 2023, a domestic disturbance at a home on Dodson Road in Troy, Missouri, ended with the shooting death of 16-year-old Matthew Arthur Robinson, a White male. Lincoln County deputies responded to a 911 call around 10:30 a.m., discovered Matthew with a fatal gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene. He was a student at New Horizons High School in Troy.

Five people who had been in the house were taken in for questioning; authorities did not disclose their relationships to Matthew or what led to the shooting, and the gun’s origin was not made public. A small roadside memorial of flowers, stuffed animals and a cross with his name appeared nearby, and the local school district provided crisis counselors for students and staff.

Family members, including his older sister Jillian Stephens and his aunt Tammy Kirkendoll, remembered him as a fun-loving teen who liked fishing and family time, and expressed frustration over the slow flow of information after the death. The sheriff said the investigation was ongoing and the matter was presented to a grand jury, which ruled the shooting was an act of self-defense; the prosecuting attorney was expected to decide whether to file charges.

If anyone knew Matthew, his daily life, or events at the Dodson Road residence that morning, please come forward with information.