In the autumn of 1989, a horrific act of violence shattered the lives of a Nashville, Tennessee family. Judith Lynn 'Judy' Robirds, a 34-year-old White female, was brutally murdered in her Lutie Court home on October 1, 1989. She was not the only victim of the tragedy that unfolded that day; her two sons, Chad Burnett, 16, and Jason Burnett, 13, were also killed in the attack.
The discovery of their bodies the following day revealed a scene of immense brutality; all three had been shot and stabbed.
The investigation quickly focused on Judy's estranged husband, Oscar Franklin Smith. The couple had recently separated, and Judy had filed assault charges against him. Evidence of a volatile relationship emerged, with coworkers of Smith later testifying that he had threatened to kill Judy on multiple occasions. In the months leading up to the murders, the situation had escalated, with one incident involving Smith allegedly tying Judy up, assaulting her, and threatening her with a knife.
Following the discovery of the bodies, Oscar Franklin Smith was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. The subsequent trial in 1990 brought to light the chilling details of the crime. A crucial piece of evidence presented was a 911 call made from the Robirds' residence just before the murders. On the recording, the frantic voices of Judy's sons could be heard pleading for help, with one of them shouting, 'Frank, no!'. The prosecution also presented a bloody palm print found at the scene that was missing the same two fingers as Smith.
A Davidson County jury found Oscar Franklin Smith guilty of the premeditated murders of his estranged wife and her two sons. The jury found multiple aggravating circumstances and sentenced him to death. Following a lengthy period of appeals, Oscar Franklin Smith was executed by lethal injection on May 22, 2025. His execution brought a final chapter to a case that had left a lasting scar on the Nashville community and highlighted the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
