College Basketball Coach Jenae Strong Accused of Murder

A college basketball coach is charged with murder after a 29-year-old man was shot and killed Thursday during a domestic incident in Alabama. A Huntsville Police spokesperson says shots were fired at 5:20 p.m. Dec. 29. After a preliminary investigation of the scene, HPD charged Kashonna Jenae Strong with the murder of Antonio Robinson in connection with the Charles Drive home death investigation, WAFF 48 reported. It is believed that Robinson’s murder was the result of a domestic dispute, according to investigators with the HPD Major Crime Unit. Several neighbors said police were called to the same house due to a domestic disturbance Wednesday night. “I don’t know when it was but it was about like three loud bangs, like boom, boom, boom,” one neighbor said. “I thought it was like maybe like a car crash.”

Strong, charged on Jan. 6 in the fatal shooting of Robinson, “feared for her life” during the incident and acted in self-defense, her attorney, Carl Cole, told the Decatur Daily. “She was attacked by an armed man and she feared for her life,” Cole said of his client, according to the outlet. “He tried to strangle her. He went for a gun. I’ve known her for 10 years. She’s coached in the community, she’s officiated games in the community and I know for a fact she’s helped problem kids and kept them out of trouble.”

This is sad and not something I expected to see, ever. https://t.co/ePCrXvAox1

— Yann. (@untouchableYann) December 31, 2022

Strong, a Decatur, Alabama, resident, was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Oakwood University in Huntsville, WAFF reported. Prior to its removal, Strong’s name was listed on the school’s website as “Janae Strong.” Strong’s name is spelled differently on the website than her legal middle name, Madison County Jail records indicate. Strong has been officially relieved of her duties at Oakwood University, according to a university spokesperson.

In response to the arrest around on Friday, university spokesperson Norman Jones issued the following statement: “Oakwood University is saddened by this tragic event, and we pray for the victim’s family. The loss of life to gun violence is regrettable. Our campus has been closed for the holidays, but we can confirm that Kashonna Jenae Strong was a contract worker for the University.” Strong posted $50,000 bond and was released from jail early Friday evening, according to Madison County Jail records. Currently, the investigation is ongoing. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) has a 24-hour helpline at 1-800-799-7233) or go to ncadv.org.