A Minnesota man will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his girlfriend, a mother of three, whose body was found in a snowy ditch.
Mustafa Bush, 41, was sentenced on Friday after being convicted of first-degree murder during domestic abuse and second-degree murder with intent, but not premeditation, in the death of Kimberly Ann Robinson, also 41. .. Continue reading here ▶
Friends and family expressed relief at the outcome. “He gets to sit in a small jail cell, and his life is over just like he took hers,” said Jacklyn Bedtke, a family friend.
Robinson had been in a relationship with Bush and was last seen at a holiday party on Christmas Eve 2022.
Her body was discovered on December 26, 2022, by a woman walking her dog in Cascade Township, about 80 miles south of Minneapolis. The dog pulled the woman toward a ditch where she saw what appeared to be a human arm sticking out of the snow.
Deputies arrived shortly after and identified the body as Robinson’s.
Police quickly identified Bush as a suspect. A grand jury found probable cause that Bush intentionally killed Robinson, committed the crime during domestic abuse, and had a history of abusive behavior toward her.
At the trial, one of Robinson’s sons testified that his mother had sent him photos of bruises on her body and told him that if anything happened to her, it would be because of Bush. Another witness reported seeing Bush using a burn pit the day before Robinson’s body was found.
Robinson leaves behind three children. Her family described her as a kind person who didn’t deserve what happened to her. A GoFundMe campaign set up in her memory stated, “This has been heartbreaking for the entire family… She did not deserve what happened to her. We will fight for justice for her.”
Bush had a history of violence. He was previously convicted of murder in 2006, served 14 years in prison, and was on supervised release when he killed Robinson.
Despite his convictions, Bush has filed for post-conviction relief, claiming he did not cause Robinson’s death or act with extreme indifference to human life. However, the evidence presented at trial and his history of domestic abuse have led to his life sentence.
