The man who killed a teenager and sexually assaulted the child’s mother was charged after 27 years

Nearly three decades after a teenage boy was found murdered and his mother sexually assaulted in a Tennessee home, authorities have arrested a suspect.

George Robinson has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the 1997 killing of 17-year-old James Hutson after his DNA was allegedly linked to the crime scene, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said. Press release On November 22.

Authorities say the young boy was stabbed to death on Sept. 6, 1997, and his mother, Mary Hutson, was killed in Tenn. She said she was sexually assaulted at their home in Kingsport. DNA evidence was collected at the scene and sent for testing. However, no match was found and the case eventually went cold.

WJHL reports Mary passed away about a year later.

In 2023, investigators reopened the case and began examining evidence with the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. That May, DNA evidence from 1997 was sent to Othram Labs, a genetic genealogy company based in Texas, and identified Robinson as a potential suspect, according to the statement.

Authorities said they recently obtained a DNA sample from Robinson and compared it to DNA evidence taken from the scene in 1997. Forensic scientists later claimed that Robinson’s DNA was a confirmed match with DNA evidence.

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On November 20, a grand jury indicted Robinson on murder charges. Accordingly WJHL-TVFirst Judicial District Attorney Barry Staubus said Robinson was not charged in connection with the sexual assault of Mary because of the statute of limitations.

When authorities tried to arrest Robinson that morning, they said he barricaded himself in his Kingsport, Tenn., apartment. The county’s SWAT team arrived and tried to negotiate with Robinson, but Robinson “refused to cooperate,” authorities alleged.

Authorities managed to enter the apartment where Robinson shot himself several hours later, according to the statement. Authorities said he was taken to a local hospital for treatment but did not share details about his condition.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to: rainn.org.