On November 20, 1994, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a tragic event occurred when Lawrence was discovered brutally stabbed to death in her home, as reported by the Fairfax County Police. Miraculously, her two-year-old daughter was found unharmed in another part of the house. This nearly 30-year-old case has now been resolved, thanks to the diligent work of law enforcement and the use of genetic genealogy analysis over a span of three years.
Detectives, in a twist of fate, found themselves at Smerk’s residence while he was disposing of his trash. They obtained a consensual DNA sample from him and later obtained a “full confession” to the crime. Smerk, who was an active-duty Army member at the time, resided in Fort Myers, located in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C., according to the police.
The heinous nature of the crime shocked even seasoned law enforcement professionals, with Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis describing it as particularly gruesome. Smerk, who had no prior arrest record and no apparent connection to the victim, is currently in custody in New York and awaits extradition to Virginia.
The breakthrough in this case began with the collection of DNA evidence from the crime scene in 1994. Despite initially having no matches, the DNA profile was uploaded to the national DNA database. Genetic genealogy analysis eventually played a pivotal role in solving the case. Cold case detectives submitted the DNA to Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA technology-based company in Virginia, which helped create a DNA profile. This profile was used to construct a family tree, ultimately leading to the identification of the suspect.
Intriguingly, before his arrest in New York, detectives compared a composite sketch of the suspect to Smerk’s high school yearbook picture and a DMV photo from the 1990s.
Upon arriving at Smerk’s residence in Niskayuna, New York, detectives engaged in a conversation with him. Remarkably, Smerk willingly provided an additional DNA sample, which authorities found to be highly unusual and raised suspicions.
Detectives then left to return to Virginia but received a call from Smerk. He expressed his desire to talk immediately. Detectives advised him to call 911 and go to the local police station. In a shocking turn of events, Smerk, now a software engineer, confessed fully to the crime, providing explicit details. Fairfax County Police have been in contact with the Army, but they believe Smerk will be prosecuted in the county, given the overwhelming strength of the case.
