Man confesses to homicide in chilly case: "A serial killer who solely killed as soon as"

When Stephan Smerk known as Fairfax County Police Detective Melissa Wallace on September 7, 2023, she was shocked to listen to what he needed to say.

“He says, I’m on the police division to show myself in,” Wallace informed “48 Hours” correspondent Anne-Marie Inexperienced on “Closing the Chilly Case of Robin Lawrence,” now streaming on Paramount+. “And I mentioned, flip your self in for what?”

Smerk, a 52-year-old married father of two who lives in Niskayuna, New York, was calling to admit to the 30-year-old chilly case homicide. Robin Warren Lawrence.

“1,000,000 issues begin going by my head,” Wallace mentioned. “The adrenaline was rising as a result of actuality hit… about what this implies and that we’re on the point of shut this case.”

Robin Warr Lawrence, artist and mom, was brutally murdered in her residence in Springfield, Virginia, in 1994. For 2 days, her daughter Nicole, then simply 2 years outdated, wandered the home alone earlier than her mom’s physique was found. And for 3 a long time after that, detectives tried to determine who may have performed this to Robin.

“Who would do such a factor? Why?” mentioned Mary Warr Cowans, Robin’s sister. “I bear in mind considering on the funeral that Robin’s killer could possibly be on this room with us. We did not know.”

It took a long time, however finally the household would get solutions. DNA proof – within the type of blood left on a fabric – was discovered on the crime scene in 1994 and, on the time, discovered no match when investigators ran it by CODIS – the FBI’s nationwide database. Years handed and new strategies have been developed, together with a course of known as genetic family tree.

In genetic family tree, a suspect’s DNA is used to search out his or her kinfolk. Investigators then search these kinfolk’ household bushes till they discover a potential individual of curiosity – somebody who was the correct age and in the correct place on the proper time to commit the crime. Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA know-how firm that always works with regulation enforcement, did not have excessive hopes of fixing Robin’s case utilizing this method as a result of the matches within the database have been up to now aside.

“Parabon gave us a zero solubility charge on this case,” Wallace mentioned.

Liz, a volunteer with the Fairfax County Police Division who requested that her final identify not be used, thought she’d give it a attempt anyway. The method proved tough. “I used to be prepared to surrender a number of occasions,” Liz informed “48 Hours.” “However I saved considering, nicely, I am going to end this or simply do yet one more factor.”

After three years of doing only one other thing, Liz found a potential suspect. He lived in Virginia in 1994 and would have been the correct age to commit the homicide. His identify was Stephan Smerk.

“I wasn’t very hopeful on the time,” Wallace mentioned. “I used to be simply taking a look at this man’s previous. I am considering, there is not any means.”

Smerk had a totally clear report, with out even a rushing ticket. He labored as a pc programmer in suburban Niskayuna.

Though they’d doubts, Detectives Melissa Wallace and Jon Lengthy traveled to Niskayuna to talk with Smerk. Their objective was to acquire his DNA, to see if he was associated to the one who had left their DNA on the crime scene – or if he was that individual.

“He solutions the door immediately,” Wallace mentioned. “All we mentioned is we’re detectives from Fairfax County, Virginia, and we’re investigating a chilly case from the ’90s.”

Smerk, detectives say, was unresponsive. “Stony man,” Lengthy mentioned. Smerk willingly gave his DNA and Wallace and Lengthy returned to the resort. Then Wallace obtained that decision.

“I used to be freaking out,” Wallace mentioned. “I run to [Long’s] room, whereas I am nonetheless on the cellphone, and I am knocking on his door, and he involves the door, like, what is the matter? I am like, we’ve got to go to the police division.”

Once they discovered Smerk on the Niskayuna Police Division, officers took him into custody and he was prepared to speak. Wallace and Lengthy sat him down in an interrogation room, and with out a lot warning, Smerk confessed to the homicide of Robin Warr Lawrence. He had gone to Robin’s home that night time in 1994, he informed them, for no different cause than eager to kill somebody.

“I knew I used to be going to kill somebody,” Smerk informed detectives. “I did not know who I used to be going to kill.” On the time, Smerk was within the army and stationed at a close-by base and knew the Robin Warr Lawrence neighborhood as a result of a buddy had stayed there. He mentioned he had no thought who lived in Robin’s home.

“There could possibly be 50 folks in that home. I do not know. They might all have weapons and shoot me useless. I wasn’t even fascinated by that.” All Smerk was fascinated by, he informed detectives, was killing. He mentioned he had compulsions that he could not management.

“I actually imagine that if it weren’t for my spouse and kids, I might most likely be a serial killer,” Smerk mentioned. “I am a serial killer who solely killed as soon as.”

“It’s such a surprising assertion,” Wallace informed “48 Hours.” “It does not make sense. You realize, in the event you’re a serial killer, you do not kill as soon as. However however, he was very candid and open and sincere all through the remainder of the interview. So, it may be true that he solely killed one individual.”

Is it potential for somebody with the impulses of a serial killer to solely kill as soon as? Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole says it may occur.

“We now have discovered over time from circumstances like BTK and the Golden State Killer and different circumstances the place they cease,” she defined. “The compulsions do not go away…they inform us they rechannel them. They put it into a distinct exercise. So this exercise could also be one thing lower than homicide, however it might contain, for instance, Peeping Tom conduct, autoerotic conduct… however you do not simply get rid of these urges. One thing has to exchange them.”

Smerk has no incidents on his report. O’Toole says it is potential he by no means dedicated one other crime, however he doubts the concepts in his head have disappeared. She mentioned she want to know extra about his thought to find out if he could possibly be a risk sooner or later.

“This concept that truly led to the homicide within the first place could be troubling to me till I knew much more about it. What triggered it? What are you doing with it now? Do not inform me it by no means existed. Do not inform me it simply went out the window after you dedicated that homicide.”

In his interview, Smerk expressed no regret for what he did. When requested if he had something he wished to inform Robin’s household, he responded, “How can I say this? I do know you are recording…I do not really feel something for the household…I really feel dangerous that I did it as a result of I knew that in the future my private freedom could be affected.”

Smerk pleaded responsible and was sentenced to 70 years in jail. He will likely be eligible for parole in 2037, when he’s 65 years outdated. Robin’s household mentioned they’re blissful for closure whereas Smerk spends the remainder of his life behind bars, however the penalties of his actions won’t ever go away them.

“It helped to know that an individual was discovered and located accountable,” Warr Cowans mentioned in his assertion to the choose at Smerk’s sentencing, “however it didn’t assist to know what he did to [Robin] and the way she suffered… that does not assist and does not deliver her again. She could be in our lives for the final thirty years. However that was taken from us.”

She informed “48 Horas” that for a very long time she lived in worry, not figuring out who had dedicated this horrible crime.

“I really felt scared at residence, in my mattress,” she mentioned. “To suppose that somebody out of nowhere may seem from anyplace and kill you in your house… It is only a scary thought that you simply’re not protected anyplace.”

“It’s scary,” echoed Lengthy. “From a group perspective, that is your worst nightmare. Like, that is the explanation you inform your family members to ensure their doorways are locked at night time.