In September 1997, a tragic murder and sexual assault occurred at a home in the 400 block of Rock Springs Road in Kingsport, Tennessee. Kingsport, situated in northwest Tennessee within Sullivan and Hawkins counties, became the scene of a horrifying crime. Seventeen-year-old James Hutson was found stabbed to death inside the house, and his mother, Mary Hutson, was assaulted by an unidentified man.

Detectives from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) processed the crime scene meticulously, collecting all available evidence. Forensic materials were submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Crime Lab, where a DNA profile of the suspect was developed and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Despite these efforts, no matches to a known individual were found, leaving the case unsolved for decades.

1997 Mary Hutson died

2011 – LE had a suspect: Jonathan Slemp who was charged in two separate murders and he was named as a person of interest in a James Hutson Murder. Hutson’s murder happened within 3 miles from both Short and Jones’ home. Slemp has not been charged in the murder of 17-year-old James Hutson, but investigators said Hutson was stabbed two dozen times at his home on Rock Springs Road back in 1997

In 2023, SCSO detectives reopened the cold case, reexamining evidence in collaboration with TBI agents as part of the TBI Cold Case Initiative. The team enlisted Othram, a forensic laboratory specializing in advanced DNA analysis, to assist in identifying the perpetrator. Using Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing® at their facility in The Woodlands, Texas, Othram scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile from the evidence. Their forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to generate investigative leads.

These leads pointed to a potential suspect: George Robinson, born March 22, 1964. Investigators located Robinson in Kingsport and collected a DNA sample from him. The sample was sent to the TBI Crime Lab, where forensic scientists compared it to the DNA profile from 1997. The analysis confirmed a match, identifying Robinson as the perpetrator.

On November 20, 2024, a Sullivan County Grand Jury indicted George Robinson for murder. When deputies attempted to arrest him at his apartment on Hillvue Drive in Kingsport, Robinson barricaded himself inside. Sullivan County SWAT responded and initiated negotiations, but Robinson refused to surrender. After several hours, the SWAT team forced entry, and Robinson shot himself. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he remains as of this report.

The identification of George Robinson marks a milestone in Tennessee’s use of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) technology. This case is the first in Sullivan County—and the 20th publicly-announced case statewide—where law enforcement successfully utilized Othram’s advanced DNA technology to identify an unknown suspect.

On November 20, 2024, a Sullivan County Grand Jury indicted George Robinson for murder. When deputies attempted to arrest him at his apartment on Hillvue Drive in Kingsport, Robinson barricaded himself inside. Sullivan County SWAT responded and initiated negotiations, but Robinson refused to surrender. After several hours, the SWAT team forced entry, and Robinson shot himself. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he remains as of this report.