22-year-old Lowell man arrested, charged with murder in Thanksgiving death of young mom

LOWELL, Mass. — The very last Facebook post of 22-year-old Dejah Jenkins-Minus, of Boston, was written on Wednesday. In it, she wrote, “my daughter will never need for anything can’t wait to celebrate her first thanksgiving tomorrow.” Sadly, the next day would be her first and only Thanksgiving with her daughter.

A 22-year-old Lowell man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to the death of a 22-year-old woman in the city, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday. That man has been identified as Leonard D. Robinson, 22, of Lowell.

Officials allege that he used a knife to kill 22-year-old Dejah Jenkins-Minus of Boston in a home on Llewellyn Street in Lowell on Thursday, Nov. 25.

The following morning, Lowell Police conducted a well-being check of Jenkins-Minus and her 2-month-old daughter at that same address. Upon arrival, police found the victim’s body inside the home with signs of apparent trauma. Jenkins-Minus’ young daughter was later located unharmed.

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The Chief Medical Examiner ruled Jenkins-Minus’ death a homicide, saying she was killed via “multiple sharp force injuries,” the DA said. Police, while executing a search warrant at that same Llewellyn Street address, recovered a knife “that appears to be consistent with the murder weapon,” along with other items.

“She just graduated high school. She just had her daughter. It was just Thanksgiving too,” said Daavon Holiday, who grew up with Dejah.

Holiday said she loved cheerleading and loved her family.

“Honestly, I would love for her to be remembered as this amazing goal-driven, hard-working mother that honestly would do anything to take care of her mother and herself and her child,” Holiday said. “The world just lost the amazing person.”

We spoke off-camera with members of Dejah’s family. They weren’t able to speak on camera at this time as they are sadly in the process of making funeral arrangements. However, LaToya Minus, the mother of the victim, told Boston 25 News by text message Saturday, “[Dejah] was a beautiful, loving soul. She did [not] deserve this to happen to her.”

Robinson, who allegedly fled the scene following Jenkins-Minus’ death, was arrested in Boston without incident. He is expected to be arraigned in Lowell District Court on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Officials continue to investigate the homicide.

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