MALVERN — A funeral will be held in Texas next week for a Malvern football player who was killed there while visiting his family.

Landin Robinson, 16, and his 18-year-old cousin, Klayton Manning, were shot Tuesday evening on a country road, according to the Caldwell County Sheriff.

Authorities found Robinson and Manning, a volunteer firefighter, dead near a Polaris side-by-side utility vehicle.

Evidence from the scene indicated the teens were shot while on the fire department vehicle and while trying to flee, according to a court complaint filed by a detective.

On Thursday, investigators arrested Bryan Haynes, 34, of Austin, and charged him with capital murder.

The sheriff’s office said Haynes, the only suspect in the case, was being held in lieu of $500,000 bond.

According to the complaint, Haynes told his brothers Tuesday night that he had shot two “aliens” who were chasing him in an ATV with firefighter decals.

Haynes said he shot the “aliens” multiple times and his account was consistent with the victims’ wounds and evidence at the scene, according to the complaint.

According to a GoFundMe account set up to raise money to pay for expenses caused by Robinson’s death, Landin’s mother, Amber Hise was at home in Ohio when she learned her son had been killed.

“Landin was the sweetest young man, he would give you the shirt off of his back,” writes Tiffani Cowan Hendrix, who organized the fundraiser. “He loved his sisters, loved his friends, and loved sports. He was a great kid!

“He aspired to be a welder and had plans to go to welding school after graduating from high school.”

“Words sometimes can’t describe how everything happened and how everything unfolded,” Malvern football coach Matt Chiurco said. “It’s just an absolute disaster.”

Robinson joined the team last year as a sophomore when his family moved to the district, but an injury limited him to playing special teams and a little bit on the line, Chiurco said.

“This year we were counting on him to probably be one of our tackles,” the coach said.

Robinson was a quiet, humble and coachable kid who was a good student and wanted to become a welder, his coach said.

Chiurco said he, a guidance counselor and a pastor spoke to the football players this week about Robinson’s death.

Brown Local Schools Superintendent Mark Scott said in-person, video and telephone counseling would be available for students, staff and families.

“The Brown Local School District family is deeply saddened by the loss of Landin and he will be greatly missed,” Scott wrote on Facebook.

On Monday, Chiurco, High School Principal Tim Babiczuck and guidance counselor Jeremy Taylor, who also coaches, will make the 21-hour drive to Luling.

Beacon Journal staff contributed to this report.

Reach Shane at shane.hoover@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @shooverREP

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

DeAndre Baker is still in Florida, training every day in the hopes that he’ll soon be able to rejoin the Giants.

The Giants, though, have still not welcomed him back. 

And it’s not clear when — or if — they will.

Though the 22-year-old cornerback is out on bail after being arrested in connection with an armed robbery last month, and is even free to travel to New Jersey, his status with the Giants remains unchanged, according to a source familiar with the team’s thinking. Baker was told to stay away from team meetings back on May 17 so he could “focus on his legal issues,” the source said, and he’s still not allowed to participate in any of their video meetings.

When and if that changes probably depends on what the prosecutors in Broward County, Fla. do next, according to Baker’s attorney, Patrick G. Patel. Baker was charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault stemming from an incident at a party in Miramar, Fla. on May 13. Patel previously told SNY the case against his client was “complete garbage” and that Baker was the victim of a “shakedown”.

In an interview with SNY on Wednesday, Patel reiterated his position and said he still expects the charges against Baker to be dropped – possibly by the end of this week.

“As soon this dismissal goes (through), he’s going to head back to Jersey and start practicing,” Patel told SNY. “If it becomes a charge, then the NFL will suspend him. So the Giants are really just playing it cool right now, which is the right thing to do. Just do nothing until the state makes a decision on what they’re going to do.”

Video: FNNY: Breaking down Baker, what to do with DeAndre?

Patel said the “general timeline” for prosecutors to make a decision is 30 days from when Baker turned himself in, which was on May 16. That gives them another 12 days to decide whether or not to proceed with the criminal case. Patel, though, said he expects the decision will come in the next few days. And he’s hopeful it will all be resolved before the NFL has to act.

“I think we’ve got the case won, to be honest with you. I think it’s only a matter of time,” Patel said. “But it’s the kid’s life. This kid will get suspended and lose his job, and then the case gets dismissed and what have we done? So everybody’s taking a wait and see approach.”

That does seem to be the approach the Giants are taking, keeping Baker away even though he’s free on $200,000 bail and a judge approved a motion that would allow him to return to New Jersey for work. The Giants, of course, are conducting their offseason virtually like every other team in the NFL, and it’s unlikely they will hold any in-person activities for players until training camp begins this summer. They are tentatively scheduled to open camp on July 29, though that obviously could be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patel believes that Baker’s case will be long over by then. He again told SNY that witnesses who identified Baker as the perpetrator of a crime have since recanted their statements to police. And he said he has evidence that Baker was logged in and playing the Madden NFL Football video game at the time the alleged crime and even the gambling that led to it took place.

Even if charges are dropped, the NFL could still punish Baker for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy – and they are investigating the incident that led to his arrest, according to a source. Regardless, Patel again said he believes Baker – who had attitude and work-ethic issues with the Giants last season – has been “scared straight” by this whole experience.

“Hopefully it’s a wake-up call for the young kid,” Patel said. “That’s what he needed. He wasn’t a first-round draft choice as a player last year, you know?”

A number of players have been charged by the NRL judiciary following incidents in Round 3 as rugby league made its long-awaited return.

Rooster Victor Radley will reportedly fight a charge for a dangerous tackle on South Sydney’s Dane Gagai. If found guilty, he will be suspended for one match and receive 135 demerit points.

Warrior Agnatius Paasi faces a two-match ban for a dangerous contact charge on Dragon Corey Norman. He can reduce the suspension to one match with an early guilty plea.

Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona was charged with dangerous contact for an incident with Canberra’s Dunamis Lui. He cannot reduce the one-match ban with an early guilty plea.

Knight Edrick Lee can avoid suspension with an early guilty plea for an incident involving Panther Kurt Capewell.

Norman (dangerous contact: 0-1 games), Wests Tiger Alex Twal (contrary conduct: $1350-$1800 fine) and Oliver Clark (dangerous contact: 0-1 games), and Storm youngster Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (dangerous contact: 0-1 games) are the other players facing fines or suspension.

Rooster Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been hit with a $1600 fine after he entered an early guilty plea for a grade-one careless high tackle on Rabbitohs player Alex Johnston. He is available to play this week.

Bronco Kotoni Staggs is set to miss this week after entering an early plea for grade-two careless high tackle on Eel Dylan Brown. He is available to return in Round 5.

Houston County Sheriff’s deputies reportedly pulled over the 24-year-old about 6 p.m. Tuesday in Elko, according to WMAZ.

Adams was stopped due to a suspended registration. When the arresting officer approached the car, he observed an aroma of marijuana, according to USA Today. A probable cause search was conducted, leading police to discover less than 1 ounce of marijuana.

Adams ultimately was charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, driving without insurance and having a suspended/canceled/revoked vehicle registration.

“The Packers are aware of the matter involving Montravius Adams,” a team spokesperson said in a statement issued to PackersNews. “We will refrain from making any further comment as it is an ongoing legal matter.”

Adams is a native of Vienna, Georgia. After an impressive showing at Dooly County High School, the defensive standout spent three years as an integral part of the Auburn University defensive line.

He was drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, according to previous Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The Packers selected Adams with the 93rd overall pick that year.

According to jail records, Adams has bonded out of jail.

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