The suspected shooter in this weekend's homicide in New Rochelle appeared in court two days after a woman he said he dated was shot dead in her luxury high-rise apartment.
Wearing a blue medical gown,
Robert Wooten, 28, pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is accused of getting into a fight with 30-year-old Meisha Williams in her apartment before shooting her three times, striking her twice and fleeing the scene.
According to court documents, Wooten first spoke with officers as he was
being arrested on Saturday night. Police used license plate readers to track Wooten in his car from New Rochelle to Jamaica Queens.
Wooten allegedly told New Rochelle police officers that he and Williams had dated for three to four years, and that they were not supposed to be around each other. He also allegedly said this was "not the first time they got into a knife situation" but didn't elaborate further.
Later that night, he allegedly spoke with police again. This time he allegedly told them, "It was a mistake" and "he got into a verbal and then physical altercation with the victim...before he lost control," according to court documents. Police said he admitted he panicked and got rid of the gun as he fled but "should have stayed at the scene."
Several hours later, police said he once again spoke with them and said "I think I killed my only support system."
According to documents, police eventually told Wooten that Williams was dead and police allegedly asked if he murdered her. Then they asked if he meant to murder her and he allegedly said, "No."
Police said all of Wooten's admissions were given after he was read his Miranda Rights and captured on body cameras over the course of several hours.
Police responded to 55 Clinton Place on Saturday, Aug. 24, around 10 a.m. and found Williams' body with two gunshot wounds. Wooten was taken into custody less than 12 hours later.
Wooten is represented by an attorney from the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County who did not offer a comment in court. It did not appear that the family or friends of either the suspect or victim were in court Monday. Wooten is due back in New Rochelle City Court for a felony hearing on Friday at 10:30 a.m.
He is being held without bail.