Army Veteran Arrested For 30-Year-Old Murder After DNA Testing

Robin Warr Lawrence was 37 years outdated in 1994 when somebody broke into her Virginia house and stabbed her 49 instances … killing her and leaving her 2-year-old daughter alone for 2 days till a neighbor found her physique.

For years, police could not discover a wrongdoer … till new DNA testing led them to a person who claims he would’ve been a serial killer if not for his spouse and youngsters.

The entire story’s being specified by a brand new episode of “48 Hours” which is able to introduce the world to Stephan Smerk … the person who final 12 months pled responsible to murdering Robin and was sentenced to 70 years in prison in March 2025.

At the unique crime scene in November 1994, DNA proof was collected — particularly blood from a toilet towel. DNA science was nonetheless in its relative infancy — that is earlier than the O.J. Simpson trial, for instance — and the proof introduced again no rapid suspects.

However, Parabon NanoLabs — an organization making enormous leaps in genetic family tree and DNA phenotyping — and investigators had been in a position to generate a suspect profile that matched a relative of Smerk’s.

Cops met Smerk exterior his house in New York whereas he was taking out the trash … and, they requested him for a DNA swab which he voluntarily offered. Shortly after he known as them and turned himself in for the murder.

According to Smerk, he was an active-duty soldier stationed close to Northern Virginia who felt compelled to kill. He left the barracks, selected Robin’s home randomly, broke in and murdered her.

He stunningly instructed cops … “I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for my wife and my kids, I probably would be a serial killer.” Smerk later moved to the Empire State and lived a quiet life as a software program engineer.

After he killed Robin, Smerk instructed cops he took a bathe, removed his garments … then simply continued on along with his life as if nothing occurred. Smerk additionally instructed cops he was drunk on the time of the murder.

Robin’s husband requested a neighbor to test on her after not hearing from her for a number of days … and, after they arrived, the neighbor discovered the again door open and known as for Robin’s daughter. The daughter was handled for dehydration after she was discovered.