At the first day of testimony in Archie Robinson’s first-degree murder jury trial Tuesday, Douglas County Deputy Coroner Altaf Hossain testified that the fatal shot that killed 39-year-old Patrick Roberts, of Lawrence, last year was fired less than 3 feet away from the victim.

Archie Lamont Robinson

Patrick Roberts

Robinson, 30, of Topeka, is charged with first-degree murder during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony and aggravated burglary in connection with Roberts’ shooting death. Prosecutors allege that Robinson kicked in the door to Roberts’ home with co-defendant Dustin Walker, tried to steal money or marijuana from Roberts, and shot him when he didn’t comply.

On Tuesday, Roberts’ son, brother and mother testified that two men forcefully entered their home around 3 a.m. March 8, 2014, confronted and shot Roberts, wrestled with Roberts’ brother and fled the home before police could arrive. None of the family members could positively identify Robinson as one of the men inside the home.

The family’s testimony was similar to the testimony they gave at Walker’s February jury trial. That trial ended in a partial mistrial with jurors convicting Walker of the aggravated burglary charge but not coming to a unanimous decision on the murder charge. Walker will have a second trial for that charge in May.

During Hossain’s testimony Tuesday, jurors viewed an image of Roberts’ abdomen, which was perforated with a single bullet hole on the right side. Around the wound were small red marks, called stipplings, which Hossain said indicated the shot was fired about 2 to 3 feet away from the victim’s body.

Hossain said the bullet shot diagonally, front to back, entering through Roberts’ upper right abdomen and exiting through his back left side.

Lawrence detective Zachariah Thomas also testified Tuesday to the trajectory of the fatal shot. Using dowel rods, lasers and protractors on a hole in Roberts’ bedroom wall allegedly caused by the bullet, Thomas said he determined the shooter was likely standing in Roberts’ doorway when the gun went off.

The placement of the shooter in the doorway correlated with Roberts’ brother Wayne Roberts’ testimony that he had seen a man, determined to be Walker, standing in Patrick Roberts’ doorway pointing a gun shortly after he awakened to a gunshot. Prosecutors allege Robinson was also in the bedroom but not holding the gun.

Thomas also said he found evidence of marijuana use in Roberts’ bedroom. Jurors saw photos Tuesday of large amounts of loose marijuana and smoking utensils strewn throughout a disheveled bedroom spotted with bloodstains.

The trial will resume Wednesday with the second day of testimony. It is expected to last through Friday.

Robinson is being held in the Douglas County Jail on a $1 million bond.