A New York software engineer who pleaded guilty Friday to killing his Virginia mother 30 years ago said that if he didn't get married, he would “probably become a serial killer” as prosecutors read out his chilling confession. “I would have done it,” he thought eerily.
Stephen Smerk, 52, fatally stabbed 37-year-old Robin Lawrence at random in her Springfield home in November 1994, with her 2-year-old daughter inside. He admitted that he had caused the injury.
Smerk, then 22 years old, was in his first year in the Army and stationed at Fort Myer in Arlington when he drove from the base intending to kill anyone he encountered.
“If there were 50 people in that house, it wouldn't have been a problem,” said Deputy U.S. Attorney Kelsey Gill. “He tried to kill someone.”
Mr Gill added that Mr Smerk drove as far away from the barracks as possible and where he felt it was sufficient to kill him. According to WUSA9.
The software engineer was taken into custody in Niskayuna, upstate New York, in September 2023 after DNA evidence matched him to the killer.
Gill read portions of his disturbing video confession in court Friday.
“[Smerk] “I have not killed anyone else, but I could be a serial killer,” the prosecutor read.
In the same confessional video, Smerk added: [Lawrence] I'm feeling pretty good. ”
He said he stabbed her twice, but Lawrence was found with a total of 49 stab wounds, WUSA9 reported.
“If it wasn't for my wife and children, I probably would have become a serial killer,” Smerk said at one point.
The heartbreaking confession was difficult for Lawrence's relatives to hear.
“I can't stand the fact that he happened to choose my sister's house and went in and took her life and what he did for no reason other than what he had in mind.” Lawrence said. 's sister, Mary Cowans, told the magazine.
“He looks like he doesn't have a soul,” Lauren Obans, Lawrence's niece, said.
Lawrence's body was discovered by a family friend several days after the murder, after Lawrence's husband called for a medical examination while on a business trip.
The friend testified that he found the screen cut out of a large window in the back of Lawrence's house.
A friend entered the house to find a shocked toddler crawling up to her in a dirty diaper.
A friend said she saw blood splattered on the bedroom wall and ran to a neighbor's house to call police.
When police arrived, they found Lawrence face down next to her bed with a pillow between her legs, a detective assigned to the case said. He recalled the injuries to her head, face and neck.
Lawrence's husband, who lives in France, attended the hearing via video conference, WUSA9 reported.
“It tore our family apart and it was very difficult and difficult for all of us for many years,” Ms Cowans said. “At least he's no longer on the street and he's no longer a danger to other families or people. We're going to move forward.”
Smerk is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7th.
According to the plea agreement, he could face up to 70 years in prison.
