Suvechha Sarkar
Robin Warr Lawrence was a 37-year-old talented artist, devoted wife, and loving mother. However, her life came to an abrupt end in November 1994, when she was found dead in her home in Springfield, Virginia. Her untimely demise left her family grief-stricken and the community completely shocked. CBS’ ’48 Hours: Closing the Cold Case of Robin Lawrence’ delves deeper into the investigation, which spanned approximately three decades, before the development of DNA technology led to a breakthrough. Through interviews with officials who worked on the case and her loved ones, the episode also sheds light on how justice was served.
Robin Lawrence’s Remains Were Found Around Two Days After Her Death
Robert E. and Jessie Mae Warr welcomed their bundle of joy, Robin Warr, into the world sometime in 1957. She grew up in a household filled with love, playing alongside her siblings, Dee Anna, Mary, and Robert Jr. From a young age, she had always loved animals and had a knack for creativity. According to her niece, Lauren Ovans, Robin was an extroverted person who was very active and always had a smile on her face. After completing her initial education, Robin pursued higher studies at Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Following that, she reportedly moved to Washington, DC. Lauren stated that not only was Robin a talented artist who loved painting, but also an accomplished dancer.
Eventually, Robin met the love of her life, Ollie Lawrence, and they began dating. Shortly after, they tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony, and they settled down in Springfield, Virginia. In 1992, they were overjoyed by the birth of their daughter, Nicole Lawrence. Robin also reportedly began working as the Director of Advertising for Merchant Tire Co. However, she never imagined that her happy life would come to a sudden halt in November 1994. On November 20, Ollie was away from home for a business trip when he grew concerned since he was unable to reach Robin for about two days. Hence, he asked a family friend, Laurie Lindberg, to check on Robin. When Laurie arrived at their house around 12:30 pm and knocked on the front door, she got no answer.
Laurie stated that when she went to the back, she saw that the window screen was cut. As she reportedly entered through the window, she found two-year-old Nicole in the house. She looked toward the bedroom and was shocked to see blood spatter on the wall, prompting her to call 911 immediately. When officials arrived at the scene, they found Robin dead from multiple stab wounds. They noted that there were no signs of forced entry or theft. Yet, they uncovered a washcloth in the bathroom, which had blood on both sides. Detectives found that Nicole was dehydrated but unharmed. The autopsy reportedly revealed that Robin had 49 stab wounds and passed away due to the fatal injuries.
Genetic Genealogy and the Killer’s Confession Cracked the Case Almost 30 Years Later
As officials initially began their investigation, they questioned several individuals. However, according to reports, they were unable to identify any immediate suspect. The medical examiners reportedly developed a DNA profile from the washcloth found at the scene. However, when it was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), it didn’t provide a match. Since there were no significant leads, the case eventually went cold. Nonetheless, the DNA evidence was preserved in the evidence storage. In the years that followed, the cold case unit picked up the case and continued working on it. It wasn’t until 2019 that the DNA was submitted to Parabon Nanolabs to utilize genetic genealogy in an attempt to identify the possible killer.
The DNA technology helped create a likely family tree of the killer, helping narrow down the investigation. Finally, after years of research, in August 2023, the cold case detectives found a near match to a man named Stephan Smerk. As per official records, they discovered that during the time of the murder in 1994, he was on active duty nearby in Fort Myer. They reportedly also compared his high school picture and a 1998 image with the one developed using technology, which was a match. In 2023, Stephan was residing in Niskayuna, New York. According to court records, the authorities visited his residence to collect his DNA swab, which he willingly submitted. Reports state that on September 7, 2023, Stephan called detectives after they left to inform them he was at the police station to turn himself in.
According to investigative reports, during questioning, Stephan confessed that he had gone out of his base on that fateful night under the influence. In his statements, he told them that he wanted to kill someone and had allegedly picked Robin’s home randomly. Stephan further admitted that he had selected that neighborhood because he was familiar with it, as one of his friends had lived there. He reportedly confessed to breaking into the home through the back window and stabbing Robin multiple times. Ultimately, Stephan was arrested in New York, charged with Robin’s murder, and extradited to Virginia. In October 2024, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison, with 70 years to serve and the remainder suspended, on March 7, 2025.
Read More: Ollie Lawrence: What Happened to Robin Lawrence’s Husband?
