Robert Smallwood: The Lexington Serial Killer

American serial killer and rapist (born 1973)

Robert Franklin Smallwood Jr. (born December 1973) is a notorious American convicted serial killer responsible for the brutal strangulation murders of three women in Lexington, Kentucky, spanning from 1999 to 2006. Initially thought to be separate, these horrific crimes were linked together through DNA testing in August 2006, leading to Smallwood's arrest the following month. He pleaded guilty to all three murders and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007.

Quick Facts

• Born: December 1973 (age 51)
• Location: Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
• Children: 3
• Convictions:
  • Murder
  • First-degree rape (2 counts)
  • First-degree sodomy
  • First-degree robbery
  • First-degree burglary
• Criminal Penalty: Life imprisonment
• Victims: 3
• Span of Crimes: 1999–2006
• Country: United States
• State: Kentucky
• Date Apprehended: September 28, 2006

Early Life

Robert Smallwood was born in December 1973 in Lexington, Kentucky, where he grew up alongside his sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth eventually moved to North Carolina, where tragically, she became the eighth murder victim of the still unidentified Edgecombe County serial killer. In 1997, Robert married a woman named Neisha, and together they had five children. However, their marriage ended in separation at an unknown time, leaving Smallwood to contend with his dark impulses.

Crimes

Smallwood's criminal activities began in earnest in 1993, when he broke into the home of 83-year-old retired schoolteacher Viola Green. Inside her house, he unleashed a terrifying assault, binding her wrists and raping her before fleeing the scene. Remarkably, Green survived the attack but passed away from natural causes in 1998, never knowing the identity of her attacker.

In 1998, Smallwood was arrested for another sexual assault involving a woman found tied to a tree. His DNA was discovered on her purse, but during the trial, his defense argued that the victim—a prostitute—must have consented to the sexual encounter. This defense strategy worked, leading to Smallwood's acquittal a year later, allowing him to continue his violent behavior.

Murders

Following his acquittal, Smallwood's violent assaults escalated. In December 1999, he broke into the apartment of 48-year-old Dorris Ann Roberts. In a horrifying act, he gagged her and strangled her to death with her own clothing. When neighbors noticed her absence, they forced their way into her apartment and discovered her lifeless body. Roberts had a troubled history, marked by alcohol abuse and domestic violence; just weeks before her murder, her roommate had suffered a fatal heart attack.

The following significant crime occurred in 2002, when Smallwood murdered his second victim, 29-year-old Sonora Allen. A Lexington native and mother of six, Sonora struggled with drug addiction. After meeting her family on Fourth Street, she disappeared. Her body was discovered on August 15 in the parking lot of Fortune Pizza. Medical examiners ruled that she had been killed just hours before her body was found, likely being strangled or smothered, as there were no visible wounds. Disturbingly, her shorts were pulled down to her thighs, and her tank top was slightly displaced, suggesting she may have been sexually assaulted.

In May 2005, Smallwood faced legal issues again, this time for drug-related offenses. He pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree possession of a controlled substance, receiving a year of probation. Yet, in a chilling turn of events, on April 6, 2006, while on probation, he broke into the home of 33-year-old Erica Butler. He bound her wrists and strangled her to death, marking the third murder in his chilling spree. In June 2006, Smallwood was arrested for violating his probation due to an unrelated incident, receiving a one-year prison sentence.

Investigation, Arrest, and Imprisonment

The breakthrough in the investigation came in August 2006 when the Kentucky State Police Forensic Lab confirmed through DNA testing that all three murder cases were linked to the same perpetrator. This revelation sent shockwaves through the community, prompting police to alert the public about the at-large serial killer and encouraging anyone with information to come forward. A task force comprising around 20 investigators was formed to delve into the chilling series of crimes.

Simultaneously, the FBI joined the effort. Witnesses present during Butler's murder helped create a sketch of the suspect, which was distributed widely in the hope of gathering additional leads. Despite DNA from Smallwood being submitted to national databases, no matches were found, leading Lexington Police Chief Anthony Beatty to declare that a linked series of murders was unprecedented in the city.

Meanwhile, Smallwood was still serving his one-year sentence in prison. During this time, authorities compared his DNA to the samples collected from the murder scenes, and the match was undeniable. He was subsequently charged with the murders of the three women as well as the 1993 rape of Viola Green. The public reaction was intense; Kentucky police labeled him Lexington's first serial killer.

Initially, Smallwood pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a potential trial. However, he later changed his plea and, in 2007, was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, forever changing the narrative of crime in Lexington.

Sources

• "Lexington serial killer pleads guilty." The Advocate-Messenger. October 5, 2007. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• "Robert F Smallwood Jr. - Social Security Birth Index." Familytreenow. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
• Mike Hixenbaugh (October 31, 2009). "Smallwood's brother in prison for serial killings." Rocky Mount Telegram. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Steven Lannen (September 29, 2006). "Suspect in rape, slayings identified." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Brandon Ortiz (September 13, 2007). "Smallwood gets separate trials." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 3. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
• Steven Lannen (September 29, 2006). "Suspect in rape, slayings identified." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Claire Galofaro (May 31, 2015). "Kentucky overhauling broken system of testing rape kits." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Tom Lasseter (December 21, 1999). "Death not surprise to neighbors." The Advocate-Messenger. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Cassondra Kirby (September 7, 2006). "Troubled lives; cruel end." Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
• Cassondra Kirby (August 30, 2006). "DNA links one man to 3 slayings." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
• "Police Search For Serial Killer After DNA Links Victims To Same Man." WAVE. August 31, 2006. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
• Steve Lannen (January 17, 2007). "Violent crime up slightly, homicides in Lexington." Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 3. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
• "Smallwood pleads not guilty." Lexington Herald-Leader. December 23, 2006. Retrieved July 19, 2022.