Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry is offering a reward of $100,000 to anyone who has information about the killing of a Black gay man in Grenada.
Perry said Wednesday on Instagram that the man, Josiah “Jonty” Robinson, 24, was "like a son" to Perry's friend Yvette Noel-Schure, the celebrity publicist.
"My soul ached as she shared that he was a young, gifted singer who was murdered because he was gay," Perry wrote in the post, which included several images of Robinson. "My mind immediately went to Mathew Shepard, and all the other victims of racist, homophobic, antisemitic, xenophobic, senseless violence."
Perry did not elaborate on why he thinks Robinson was killed because of his sexuality. Noel-Schure did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Robinson's body was found on a beach in St. George's, Grenada, on June 18, according to the local newspaper The New Today Grenada. It reported that an autopsy found that Robinson had been strangled before he was thrown into the sea. It said police have questioned several people but have not had any breakthroughs.
"The pain of not knowing is truly gut-wrenching," Perry wrote in his Instagram post. "So with that said, Yvette and I are offering a $100,000 dollar reward to anyone who brings forth information that leads to the conviction of the murderer of Josiah 'Jonty' Robinson."
Perry urged his followers to call local investigators in Grenada and shared their telephone number.
