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John Robinson, the focus of Lifetime's latest movie Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story, is serving time and is still on death row at El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas, as per Biography. He was found guilty after a string of horrific crimes was exposed in 2000, including the killing of at least eight Kansas and Missouri women.
Robinson's case became particularly infamous when it was uncovered that he had arranged for the adoption of his niece, Heather Robinson, following the killing of her mother, Lisa Stasi. Today, over two decades since he was apprehended, John Robinson is still incarcerated. Although he appealed his conviction several times, Robinson is still behind bars, according to Biography.
The Lifetime movie Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story dramatizes them, with an emphasis on the effect his crimes had on Heather Robinson and her journey for the truth. It is set to air on June 7, 2025.
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John Robinson's crimes and arrest
John Robinson's criminal activities extended over decades. He enticed women under false pretenses, promising employment or assistance, and then killed them. Biography states that Robinson murdered eight women before he was arrested in 2000. His crimes were not only murder but forgery and kidnapping as well.
One of his most appalling crimes was the 1985 murder of Lisa Stasi. Robinson then falsified documents to put Lisa's baby daughter, Tiffany (subsequently renamed Heather Robinson), into his brother and sister-in-law's care, billing them thousands of dollars in false legal fees. Lisa's body was never discovered, but Robinson was found guilty of her murder almost two decades later.
Robinson's downfall began as law enforcement carried out a search warrant of his Kansas property in June 2000. The investigators found barrels holding human remains, and the evidence tied Robinson to several disappearances. DNA analysis and hospital records later confirmed Heather Robinson's identity, revealing the extent of Robinson's crimes, as per reports.
The impact on Heather Robinson
Heather Robinson's world was turned upside down by what she learned about her uncle. Adopted by Don and Frieda Robinson, she thought she had been legally adopted. When she was 15, she learned that her birth mother was one of John Robinson's victims, and the man she referred to as "Uncle John" was a serial killer.
As per the reports, Heather never felt comfortable around John Robinson, with a constant fear of being in his company. Following her revelation of her true heritage, Heather began searching for more about her mother's life and disappearance. She began a podcast, The Lisa Stasi Effect, to address unanswered questions and to honor her mother.
Heather was on good terms with her adoptive family but also had contact with her maternal grandmother, Patricia Sylvester, who assisted her in obtaining answers. According to Biography, Heather chose to keep the name Heather Tiffany Robinson, feeling it honored both her adoptive and biological families.
John Robinson’s current status
John Robinson is still in prison and on death row. He has appealed several times, but none of those appeals have freed him. Biography reports that his sentence and conviction have survived multiple legal appeals. Imprisonment for Robinson means he will never be released, and he continues to serve his sentences for numerous murders and the accompanying crimes.
The Lifetime movie Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story brings the case back into the spotlight, depicting the occurrences that resulted in Robinson's abduction and how it affected Heather Robinson's life.
Steve Guttenberg stars as John Robinson in the movie, emphasizing the terrifying truth about his crimes and how they had far-reaching consequences for survivors and the families of victims, as per TV Insider.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story premieres on June 7, 2025.
