Where is Dr Kathy Hinnant's killer Steven Smith now? Whereabouts explored ahead of Murder in the Big Apple on ID

A homeless man named Steven Smith, squatting at NYC's historic Bellevue Hospital and posing as a doctor, was convicted in the January 1989 r*pe and strangulation death of the hospital's pathologist Dr Kathy Hinnant, who was five months pregnant. Smith was convicted later that same year and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.

Dressed in a scrub suit and lab coat, carrying a stethoscope, Smith attacked and r*ped Hinnant before strangling her to death. He then stole her mink coat with her initials embroidered on the inside and $75 from her wallet and returned to a homeless shelter, where he handed the items to three men to sell. These men informed authorities of the situation, which led to his arrest.

Dr Kathy Hinnant was r*ped and strangled to death by Steven Smith in January 1989 (Image via Find a Grave)

According to the New York Department of Corrections, Steven Smith is currently serving his sentence at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility.

An upcoming episode of ID's Murder in the Big Apple will further delve into Dr Kathy Hinnant's tragic murder from decades ago. The episode, titled Hospital Horror, is scheduled to air this Thursday, June 8, at 10 pm ET.

The synopsis of the episode states:

"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."

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Steven Smith, a homeless man convicted in Bellevue doctor Kathy Hinnant's murder, was given 50 years in prison

Steven Smith was posing as a doctor when he murdered Dr Kathy Hinnant inside her office at the Bellevue Hospital (Image via Bonnie's Blog of Crime, Find a Grave)

In 1989, 24-year-old Steven Smith, a homeless man with a history of psychiatric issues who was squatting at Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital posing as a doctor, was found guilty of murder, robbery, and r*pe in pathologist and researcher Dr Kathy Hinnant's death. She was found murdered in her office at the prestigious establishment on January 7, 1989.

Given Smith's extensive history of mental illnesses and having lost his insanity defense, the judge reportedly considered his last-minute plea in which he claimed that he deserved "a shot like anybody else." He said:

"I'm still human. But I'm just not well. I'm sick. That's all."

The judge, however, denied the defense's plea to have psychiatric treatment included in his sentence. Smith's lawyer, Marvyn Kornberg, reportedly stated that his client "does have a mental problem, and I ask that he be marked for psychiatric care."

Dr Kathy Hinnant was five months pregnant at the time of her murder (Image via Bonnie's Blog of Crime, Find a Grave)

During the initial stages of the investigation, authorities learned that Steven Smith was admitted to the hospital twice before he started squatting on the establishment's 22nd floor, which was under maintenance at the time.

Police found blood-stained gloves, dirty bedding, empty beer cans, and a stethoscope in the part of the hospital where Smith claimed he secretly crashed during certain periods. Other evidence, including the victim's shawl and blood-stained clothing, were found in a trash can near the homeless men's shelter from where he was arrested within days after killing Dr Kathy Hinnant.

According to UPI, Steven Smith was handed the maximum sentence for the counts of intentional murder, felony murder, r*pe, sodomy, and robbery in Hannant's slaying, who was five months pregnant at the time. He was given 25 years in prison for each of the murder counts to be served consecutively.

The New York Department of Corrections mentions that Smith is currently serving his sentence at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility and will become eligible for parole in 2039.

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Learn more about Kathy Hinnant's murder case from 1989 on ID's Murder in the Big Apple this Thursday.