KINGSPORT, Tenn. — A Kingsport man was indicted on charges related to the cold case murder of a teen and the sexual assault of the boy's mother from nearly 30 years ago.
The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Friday morning to announce the arrest and indictment of George Robinson, 60. He faces charges of premeditated first degree murder, felony murder in perpetration of a burglary and felony murder in perpetration of a rape.
SCSO detectives reopened the investigation into the death of James Hutson, 17, and the sexual assault of his mother, Mary Hutson, back in 2023.
According to police, James was stabbed to death at their home on Rocky Springs Road in Kingsport on Sept. 6, 1997. They also determined Mary was sexually assaulted by an unknown man.
Detectives were able to collect enough evidence to develop a DNA profile for the suspect and entered it into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). There were no matches until May 2023.
TBI agents that are part of the TBI Cold Case Initiative submitted the DNA from 1997 to Othram labs for forensic genetic genealogical DNA testing. Othram scientists identified Robinson as a potential suspect.
Investigators located Robinson and obtained a DNA sample. TBI forensic scientists compared Robinson's DNA with the DNA profile developed in 1997 and concluded it was a match.
A grand jury returned indictments charging Robinson on Wednesday. Then, detectives attempted to take Robinson into custody. Deputies said he barricaded himself inside his apartment on Hillvue Drive in Kingsport.
A SWAT team attempted to negotiate with Robinson but deputies said he refused to cooperate. After several hours, the SWAT team made entry into the apartment and Robinson shot himself. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.