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Dr. Kathy Hinnant's brutal murder was a heinous crime that occurred over three decades ago at Manhattan's prestigious Bellevue Hospital. The pathologist and gifted researcher was found beaten, r*ped, and strangled to death in her fourth-floor office while working on a weekend in January 1989. She had also been robbed.
Her killer, a homeless man with a history of mental issues, Steven Smith, was arrested within a few days. Smith then told authorities that he had been squatting at the hospital and even showed them the place on the 22nd floor of the building where blood-stained gloves were found. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
Dr. Kathy Hinnant's decades-old murder case features on ID's Murder in the Big Apple this Thursday, June 8. The episode titled Hospital Horror will air on the channel at 10:00 pm ET. The synopsis for the upcoming episode reads:
"Talented medical researcher Dr Kathy Hinnant moves from South Carolina to New York City for a dream job opportunity; although New York is rife with crime, Kathy's not scared until one tragic day at work when she faces her worst nightmare."
Disclaimer: This story contains the mention of r*pe. Reader discretion is advised.
Dr. Kathy Hinnant's murder: 4 quick facts to know about the Bellevue Hospital pathologist's 1989 slaying
1) Hinnant was attacked inside her office while working on a weekend
On January 7, 1989, Dr. Kathy Hinnant, a pathologist at Manhattan's historic Bellevue Hospital and a researcher in cytopathology at the New York University Medical School, was reportedly working on a presentation inside her secluded fourth-floor office when she was attacked. She was five months pregnant at the time of the killing.
Hinnant's body was found at 6:30 am the following morning by her concerned husband Ericn Johnson and a hospital administrator. Johnson arrived looking for her at the hospital after she failed to meet him for dinner the previous night as planned.
2) Kathy Hinnant was beaten, r*ped, strangled to death, and robbed
When police arrived at the crime scene, they found Hinnant's dress pulled up to her bosom and her panties missing. A few of her other belongings, including a mink coat with her initials embroidered on the inside and $75 from her wallet missing.
Moreover, reports state that the large amount of blood and bruises on the victim's face suggested that she was beaten to death. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was "asphyxia by strangulation" and that she was r*ped.
3) A homeless man named Steven Smith, squatting at the hospital, was arrested
After a few homeless men from a shelter handed authorities Kathy Hinnant's ID and other credit cards, they were able to arrest a former mental patient named Steven Smith from the same shelter. Smith then told them that he would periodically squat the Bellevue Hospital on the 22nd floor, which was under maintenance at the time and was never patrolled.
Smith reportedly took authorities to the place where he secretly crashed. There, they found blood-covered gloves, which were likely used by him to commit the murder.
Other items included dirty bedding, empty beer cans, and a stethoscope. They also learned that he would often pose to be a doctor at a hospital and was wearing a blue scrub suit and a lab coat when he attacked Hinnant.
4) Smith gave men at the shelter Kathy Hinnant's stolen belongings to sell
Men at the shelter claimed Steven Smith gave them Hinnant's belongings and asked them to sell the items. Her mink coat which had her initials on the inside was found with another man at the shelter. Moreover, authorities found a shawl allegedly belonging to the victim and blood-stained clothing in a trash can close to the shelter.
Smith was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree r*pe and later found guilty on all counts after an unsuccessful insanity defense. In November, he was given a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.
The case will air on ID's Murder in the Big Apple this Thursday at 10 pm ET.
