Nikki Curtis’ brother seeks truth behind ‘best friend’ death

PALESTINE, Texas (KLTV) – More than 20 years after his younger sister’s death, Matthew Bowman has spoken out about his beliefs about Nikki Curtis’ father, Robert Roberson.

Curtis died in 2002, and a jury found Roberson guilty of capital murder in 2003 when he was sentenced to death. For years, Bowman said he waited call after call for something to happen that would finally bring them peace: the truth.

“It’s not that we believe in the death penalty. Not because we advocate for a man to die. We want the truth for Nikki and we feel she did it,” he said. “He was kicking and screaming to stay with my grandpa, so he didn’t have a swollen brain when he left my grandparents’ house. Less than eight hours later, she was gone.”

For the last three months of his life, Roberson had custody of Curtis. Her maternal grandparents have had custody of her since birth. They also raised Bowman, who was just four years old when Curtis died.

“I remember playing, running around the halls, us,” he said with a chuckle, “fighting over roller skates or fighting over my toys. He always wanted to wear my clothes… That was my best friend. We did everything together then.”

Referring to the autopsy, Bowman does not believe she died of an undiagnosed illness or reaction to prescription drugs. An autopsy revealed her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head.

Roberson’s attorney, Gretchen Sween, acknowledged his criminal record but said nothing in his record showed violent criminal activity.

“There was never a report by anyone that Robert had harmed this child in any way until he was already arrested and charged using the shaken child hypothesis,” she said.

It is currently disputed whether Roberson was tried in 2003 on the basis that this is a shaken baby case. Proponents of his guilt say it was not a shaken baby case, and therefore the “junk science” law cannot be upheld on appeal. Those who support his innocence say the outdated and disproved science known as “shaken baby syndrome” is part of Roberson’s case for a new trial.

Bowman is one of three who signed a letter of rebuke of the facts of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee of the Chamber. The letter was delivered Monday with the assistance of Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine).

“The system didn’t fail her: they all told him he was guilty, they all sent him back, but the legislation, they failed my sister and mocked her name,” Bowman said.

Sween stressed that both sides of the family are grieving both for the girl and for a family member convicted of her murder.

“My frustration is seeing, you know, the pain that they’re in and their feeling that Nikki is lost in this story, when I think that’s not true. If you were to talk to Robert, Nikki was never far from his heart,” she said.

Roberson’s stay of execution could expire in January 2025. Until then, he will remain in prison.

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