Robin Lawrence case on 48 Hours season 39 episode 5 - A detailed case overview

48 Hours season 39 episode 5, Closing the Cold Case of Robin Lawrence, revisits the 1994 Springfield, Virginia homicide and lays out how DNA, genealogy, and a surprise confession finally closed the case. The episode aired on Oct 25, 2025. Its synopsis frames the story in one stark line:

A gifted artist is murdered in her home; decades later, her killer reveals what drove him.

The broadcast centers on victim Robin Warr Lawrence, 37, an artist and advertising professional, and the two-day window in which her toddler reportedly wandered the house before a friend found Robin’s body.

Detectives later identified former soldier Stephan Smerk as the killer after he gave a voluntary DNA sample, then turned himself in and confessed. He pleaded guilty and received a 70–year sentence, with parole eligibility in 2037, according to CBS News.

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How 48 Hours presents the Robin Lawrence timeline

The episode opens with what happened first. On Nov 20, 1994, a friend entered the home and saw blood in the primary bedroom. Robin’s 2-year-old daughter was present and was taken for care. Investigators built a timeline placing the likely attack on the evening of November 18.

Entry route described as a rear window off the deck (Image via Unsplash)

Entry appeared to be through a rear window off the deck. Inside, the phone cord had been cut, there were signs of a struggle, and multiple defensive wounds were documented.

Crucial early evidence came from a small blood stain on a bathroom washcloth. The DNA profile did not match family or close associates and returned no hit in CODIS at the time. With few leads and no fingerprints, the case went cold.

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Inside 48 Hours: DNA, genealogy, and the break in the Robin Lawrence case

Years later, the case moved again through forensic genealogy. Analysts developed a distant relative network that reportedly suggested European ancestry lines and offered possible family trees.

A volunteer genealogist working with detectives kept tracing branches until a likely descendant pointed to Stephan Smerk, who had lived in Virginia in the mid-1990s and later worked as a programmer in upstate New York.

Detectives visited his home in September 2023 and requested a buccal swab. After they left, Smerk called a local station and said he was there to turn himself in. He was taken into custody that night.

Also read: 48 Hours season 39 episode 1 - What happened to Benjamin Elliott and where is he now?

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48 Hours documents the confession and charges in the Robin Lawrence case

On video, Smerk said he was a 22-year-old soldier who had been drinking and taking ephedrine when he decided to kill someone at random. He entered through the back, wore a mask and gloves, and cut the phone line during the assault. He admitted Robin begged for her life and fought back.

DNA on a bathroom washcloth became the key sample (Image via Unsplash)

He also described a facial scratch from the struggle, which aligns with blood left on the bathroom washcloth and the DNA match reported later. In the interview, he said, “I am a serial killer who’s only killed once.” The program notes that claim as part of his account, and it is presented for the record.

A judge later found probable cause, a grand jury indicted him, and he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.

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Plea, sentence, and what remains for the Robin Lawrence family

The court imposed 70 years. Parole eligibility begins in 2037, subject to Virginia’s rules at the time. Family statements in court describe decades of unanswered questions and the lasting effect on Robin’s daughter. The episode also notes Robin’s art career, including work connected to a civil rights medal, which family members cite as part of how she is remembered.

For viewers seeking the broadcast, 48 Hours is available to stream on Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, and fuboTV.

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Also read: The true story behind Alisa Mathewson's case ahead of 48 Hours

Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar