Bail denied for Joshua Robinson, accused killer of Maliek Byers

Bail was denied Wednesday for the man accused of gunning down 23-year-old Malik Byers last week on the city’s East Side.

Joshua Silas Robinson, 29, of Target Street in North Charleston is charged with murder in the death of Byers, who was slain early June 14. The warrant Charleston police served on Robinson states that Byers was shot four times in his back while in front of 37 Reid St. Byers was walking toward Hanover Street when shot, and ran to the doorway of his girlfriend’s Hanover Street apartment. He called out her name before collapsing on the steps, according to police reports.

Paramedics pronounced Byers dead at the scene, police said.

The girlfriend, Teairra Washington said after the bond court hearing on Wednesday that she heard the fatal shots being fired, and then a shout from Byers.

“He called my name,” Washington said.

Washington said Byers is the father of her four children, ages 4, 3, 2, and 1.

“Maliek was a loving father of the children and he took care of them. Now, there are four babies running around who do not have a father anymore,” Washington said.

She rejected Charleston police conclusions the killing was drug-related.

Magistrate Linda Lombard conducted the Wednesday hearing at which she told Robinson he will have to arrange a hearing in Circuit Court if he wants bail set on the murder charge.

Washington and friend Nichole Johnson said after court that Byers and Robinson had known each other since their youths but “did not hang out together.” Johnson also disputed police conclusions that the homicide was drug related.

“It had nothing to do with drugs,” Washington said. She suggested the killing could have been related “to something years ago” but was not sure what.

Both Byers and Robinson had lengthy rap sheets, authorities have said.