Robinson pleads not guilty to Klickitat murder charge; public defender appointed
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., July 9, 2026 — Richard Michael Robinson pleaded not guilty today, July 9, during his arraignment in Klickitat County Superior Court on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of his fiancée, Meihong He. The court also appointed public defender Lori Hoctor to represent Robinson.
Richard Michael Robinson has ties to The Dalles and Klickitat County
Robinson was transferred from Wasco County to appear on the Washington charges after a judge approved his release to Klickitat County authorities last month.
Following Thursday's hearing at 1 p.m., CCCNews requested comment from Hoctor outside the courthouse.
She declined to comment on the case.
The Washington prosecution stems from the death of He, whose remains were discovered in a U-Haul storage unit in The Dalles in July 2025 after the contents of the unit were sold at auction following nonpayment of rent. Robinson has denied the allegations against him.
In a separate case in Wasco County Circuit Court, Robinson remains charged with second-degree abuse of a corpse. That case is pending while the Washington prosecution moves forward.
