Harvey Miguel Robinson was born on December 6, 1974, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a difficult family environment. His father was an alcoholic musician from Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He was known to physically and emotionally abuse Robinson's mother. This abuse led his mother to eventually leave the family. Later on, Robinson's father was imprisoned for beating his mistress, Marlene E. Perez, to death.

Robinson's early behavior showed signs of trouble. He was first arrested at the young age of nine. While in school, he displayed severe conduct disorder. He often made threats and had outbursts. These issues only grew worse as he got older, causing concern for his teachers and family.

Harvey Miguel Robinson committed several violent crimes in the early 1990s. His first known victim was 29-year-old Joan Burghardt, who was murdered in August 1992. After this murder, Robinson was arrested for burglary and served eight months in prison. While he was incarcerated, the police were unaware of his connection to Burghardt's death.

In June 1993, Robinson killed 15-year-old Charlotte Schmoyer, who was a newspaper carrier. Robinson murdered her just a few months after Burghardt's death. Following this crime, he was almost caught when he received a speeding ticket but was allowed to leave.

In July 1993, Robinson murdered 47-year-old Jessica Jean Fortney. His crime spree included numerous assaults and attempts on other victims. One of them, Denise Sam-Cali, managed to escape after being attacked. Another young girl, a five-year-old, was also attacked but survived after Robinson left her for dead.

Robinson's capture followed a police operation where Sam-Cali was used to lure him. During the attempt to arrest him, a shootout occurred between Robinson and a police officer. Even though he fled the scene, he was later apprehended at a local hospital where he had gone for treatment of his injuries.

In November 1994, due to his violent actions, Robinson was sentenced to death for his crimes. Over the years, his sentences changed due to various legal decisions. As of April 2006, his execution was stayed. While he was resentenced to life imprisonment for Burghardt's murder, he later waived his appeals for the murder of Schmoyer in 2012 in exchange for a life sentence. In 2013, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld his death penalty for the murder of Fortney.

In October 2019, a judge resentenced Robinson to 35 years to life in prison after he successfully appealed his earlier conviction for the murder of Burghardt. He is currently incarcerated at SCI Phoenix in Skippack Township, Pennsylvania.