D’Shaun Robinson pleaded guilty in connection to the death of Andy Tench, a gay man from Belmont who was reported missing in March 2024 and later declared deceased. Court records show that Robinson entered guilty pleas to multiple charges, including concealment of a death, identity theft, two counts of felony financial card theft, financial card fraud, larceny of a motor vehicle and three misdemeanor counts of financial card fraud.
He admitted to placing Tench’s body in a dumpster after finding him unresponsive following a night together in Charlotte. He also admitted to using Tench’s credit card. Tench’s remains have still not been recovered.
Robinson was sentenced to 2.5 and 4.5 years in prison. Court documents indicate he could spend as little as one to one-and-a-half years due to a 477-day credit he received for time already served.
The plea marks a significant development in a case that has drawn sustained public attention. Tench was last seen alive on March 24, 2024, after celebrating his birthday at The Bar at 316, a well-known LGBTQ+ nightclub in Charlotte’s Dilworth neighborhood, that closed down.
When he failed to return home, his family reported him missing, launching extensive search efforts and continually pressed for updates from law enforcement throughout 2024 and 2025.
Family statements played a pivotal role during court proceedings. In March 2025, a judge rejected an earlier plea deal after hearing emotional victim impact statements. That hearing reflected the family’s insistence on full accountability.
“It’s hard,” Tench’s sister, Natasha Newman, said. “It’s like a little bit of closure but it’s not really the closure we want. I’m not sure that there will ever be justice. Maybe a little bit of closure, but not really justice.” Without knowing where her brother’s body is or how he died, Newman said, there can be no true justice.
Investigators have said there is not enough evidence to conduct a targeted search of any landfill where Tench’s body may have been taken.
Supporters and advocates for missing persons say the case underscores the challenges of prosecuting cases when a body is never found. Without physical evidence, charges often focus on secondary offenses such as fraud or concealment, leaving families without full answers.
While the plea resolves some aspects of the case, the exact cause and manner of Tench’s death remain unknown. Loved ones continue to call for information that could lead to the discovery of his remains and the closure they are still waiting for.