Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Detour to Darkness’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fatal Destination,’ the focus is on the horrific murder of a bright and free-spirited 18-year-old woman named Amber Robinson, who had high ambitions for her future. When the news of her passing broke out in the summer of 2018, shockwaves were sent across the entire community. The swift investigation brought some gruesome truths about the fateful night to the surface, allowing the detectives to apprehend the perpetrator responsible for the crime.
Amber Robinson Mainly Grew Up in the Foster Care System
Born on January 16, 2000, Amber Robinson was a free-spirited individual with big hopes for her future. She reportedly didn’t know her birth parents for most of her life, but shared a close bond with her four siblings. She was primarily raised in the foster care system, navigating life across states such as Texas, Alabama, and Florida. When she was in eighth grade, Amber spent some time with her grandfather, Andrew Tyson, at his place in Birmingham, Alabama. While there, the grandfather-granddaughter duo made beautiful memories and bonded over their passion for all things art. In 2015, a 15-year-old Amber was slated for adoption while living with a family in Northwest Florida, when things took a turn. As the family lost custody of their children, one of the people who was employed at the group home, Amy Elliott, decided to take Amber in under a temporary foster care replacement in 2017.
As the two began spending time together, they developed an affinity towards each other. Soon, Amy expressed her desire to adopt the high-schooler legally. However, the latter eventually chose not to go forward with it in order to remain lawfully connected to her siblings, whom she doted upon. While the arrangement fell through, there was still immense love between Amber and her former foster mother, Amy. In December 2017, she graduated from Santa Rosa Adult School a semester ahead of others in her batch. The Santa Rosa County resident officially became an adult in January 2018 and was excited to start another chapter of her life in college. Aiming to pursue mortuary sciences, she had kick-started her preparations by shuffling through college applications.
Amber Robinson’s Journey to Find Her Birth Mother Ended in Tragedy
On the personal front, Amber was a creative and curious soul. She was a devoted animal lover, photographer, and adventure enthusiast who also enjoyed reading and writing and harbored a keen interest in philosophy and mysticism. She had recently taken up the ukulele. She believed in the goodness of the world and wanted to do whatever she could to make it a better place. By opting for mortuary sciences, the compassionate 18-year-old wished to utilize art to honor the deceased and offer their loved ones a semblance of peace as they bid them farewell.
Alongside planning for college, she was set to visit California in search of her biological mother, whom she had seemingly tracked down. Before she embarked on the trip, she headed over to Georgia and attended the vibrant Rainbow Family Gathering over the Fourth of July weekend. However, as a shock to her loved ones, she was discovered dead in a home in the town of Elizabethtown in Hardin County, Kentucky, on July 7, 2018. Her remains were identified through a dental record examination. According to reports, the cause of death of the 18-year-old young woman was determined to be severe blunt force trauma to her face and head, as well as strangulation.
The Killer Turned Out to be a New Acquaintance of Amber Robinson
The investigation was quite swift as the authorities were called in by the killer himself. Apart from finding Amber Robinson’s remains in the house on Joan Avenue, the detectives also found a 20-year-old street performer named Joseph Bryan Capstraw, covered in blood and with various injuries to both his hands. He confessed to the murder, saying, “I killed her.” He told the authorities that he had gotten into a heated argument with Amber during which he blacked out. As per his accounts, he then woke up and found her beaten up. In his defense, Joseph claimed that Amber was the one who attacked him with a knife first.
Following his chilling confession, he was arrested and charged with the murder that same night on July 7, 2018, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Meanwhile, the police believed that the homeowner who allowed the pair to stay at his house was not home at the time of the murder and had no involvement in the gruesome killing. Upon digging deeper into the murder, they learned that Amber and Joseph first crossed paths in early July 2018 at the Rainbow Family of the Living Light festival near Dahlonega, Georgia.
According to reports, since both of them were from Florida and had faced a fair amount of hardships in their respective lives, they connected and related to each other’s situation. While Amber was in the foster care system, Joseph was a homeless street performer. After attending the festival, the pair was reportedly picked up by a resident of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, while they were hitchhiking from the Chattahoochee National Forest. The driver allowed them to stay at his residence, where the murder of Amber Robinson took place. Joseph was held on a $1 million bond after being indicted for the crime.
Joseph Capstraw is Serving His Sentence at a Kentucky Prison Facility Today
More than a year and a half after Amber’s killing, Joseph Capstraw’s murder trial commenced on February 17, 2020. While the prosecution presented incriminating evidence against the defendant, he tried to defend himself and his actions. Taking the witness stand during the trial, he admitted he had lied about being attacked by Amber. However, he alleged that he had blacked out during the argument because of alcohol consumption on the fateful night. The killer also claimed that the injury wounds on his forearm were caused by his attempt to take his life after waking up to the pool of blood surrounding Amber.
After hearing both sides, the jury deliberated for nearly six and a half hours before reaching a final verdict. Ultimately, the jury found Joseph Capstraw guilty of killing 18-year-old Amber Robinson. Subsequently, he was sentenced to five decades in prison for his crimes. Currently, Joseph Capstraw remains incarcerated at Lee Adjustment Center in Beattyville, Kentucky, with his parole eligibility date scheduled for June 2038.
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