Lora Robinson, James DiMaggio’s Sister: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Lora Robinson, the sister of the man who kidnapped 16-year-old Hannah Anderson and burned alive her mother and 8-year-old brother, may have known something was seriously wrong the day her brother, James Lee DiMaggio, committed the crimes. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Lora Robinson Made an Unusually Large Volume of Calls to DiMaggio the Day of the Crime

As the case unfolds itself, new details reveal that DiMaggio’s sister may have known something was amiss with her brother the day he killed his best friend’s wife and son and kidnapped his daughter. According to search warrants obtained by ABC 10 News, it was noted by authorities during the active search for DiMaggio that Robinson made “multiple/unusually large volume of calls to DiMaggio’s phone on the day of the crime.”

UPDATE: Sheriff's Department says DiMaggio's sister Lora Robinson was originally suspected of aiding him, but later determined she did not.

— Derek Staahl (@DerekStaahlSD6) August 14, 2013

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2. The Siblings Made a Pact to Not Follow in Their Father’s Footsteps

It was also revealed that DiMaggio’s crimes eerily mirrored the crimes of his father, James Everet DiMaggio, exactly 15 years after his suicide. In 1988, the elder DiMaggio was arrested after breaking into the home of his ex-girlfriend wearing a ski mask and carrying a shotgun and handcuffs. The ex-girlfriend wasn’t home, but he held her 16-year-old daughter and her boyfriend and gunpoint. The girl managed to escape after asking to use the bathroom.

DiMaggio’s father then spent time in prison a year later after pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon for beating two people with a baseball bat at a motel in El, Cajon, California. He died of a “drug-induced” suicide on August 10, 1998–exactly 15 years before DiMaggio’s own death after an exchange of gunfire with police.

Andrew Spanswick, a spokesperson for DiMaggio’s sister, said the siblings once made a pact not to follow in their father’s footsteps.

“Her brother broke that trust and he never called her,” Spanswick said.

3. She Said Her Brother Wasn’t Capable of Hurting Anyone

In an interview with ABC News, Robinson said her brother was not capable of hurting anyone.

“Jim was the kindest, sweetest soul that you could ever imagine meeting, he lit up your life, he always knew what to say to make you laugh, he was my best friend, he was a person that you could depend on,” Robinson said.

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4.Robinson Confirmed that the Andersons and Her Family Have Been Friends for Years

“My children played with Hannah when she was little, we used to barbecue together and had a lot of good times together,” she said.

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5. She Saw Her Brother’s Body Before He Was Cremated

Robinson saw her brother’s body, covered in bullet wounds, before he was cremated on Tuesday. According to Spanswick, she is also interested in seeing the gun that her brother had.