Clearlake Oaks woman sentenced 50 years to life for murder of Rohnert Park man

A Clearlake Oaks woman, convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend in July 2021, was sentenced to a combined 50 years to life in prison Monday by a Lake County Superior Court judge.

On Nov. 10, a jury found Tammy Sue Grogan-Robinson, 58, guilty of shooting and killing her ex-boyfriend, Charles Vernon McClelland, 56, of Rohnert Park.

Judge Andrew S. Blum, who presided over the jury trial, sentenced Grogan-Robinson to 25 years to life for first-degree murder, plus an additional 25-years-to-life under an enhancement tied to her use of a firearm in the slaying.

The shooting was first reported by Grogan-Robinson on July 7. Authorities found McClelland dead with gunshot wounds in her home.

The two had reportedly been in an on-again, off-again relationship for five years, according to court records. Grogan-Robinson initially told police she had shot McClelland because he had sexually assaulted her the night before while holding a gun to her head.

She alleged in her account to authorities that the following morning McClelland returned to her home with the intention of assaulting her again, and fearing for her life, she shot him.

Mitchell Hauptman, a Lakeport attorney who represented Grogan-Robinson in court, told a Press Democrat reporter in September that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office “did a very in-depth investigation and came up with a different opinion about what happened.”

A rape kit conducted on Grogan-Robinson did not detect any identifiable male DNA, said Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson. None of McClelland’s DNA was found on the gun Grogan-Robinson said he had pointed at her during the alleged assault. Investigators later found texts on Grogan-Robinson’s phone in which she told a friend she was going to shoot McClelland. Later on, she texted her friend to delete those messages.

The courtroom on Monday “was very emotional,” Watson said. Multiple family members testified, including McClelland’s ex-wife, brother and 21-year-old son. They described him as a hardworking, gentle and good person.

According to Watson, Sheila McClelland, the victim’s ex-wife, Grogan-Robinson’s ploy to blame the violence on a fabricated assault hurts other women who are victims of sexual assault.

“She basically said ‘How dare you,’” Watson said.

“They were very thankful to the court and to the investigating officers at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their thoroughness of the investigation,” he added.

You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been revised to clarify that the combined sentence handed down to Tammy Sue Grogan-Robinson is 50 years to life, factoring in the conviction for first-degree murder and an additional enhancement for use of a firearm in the slaying.