Louisville man sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder and fetal homicide
Robert Hood pled guilty on Oct. 5 this year to the murder of Kayla Smith and her unborn baby in November of 2019.
Author: Joseph Garcia
Published: 11:35 PM EST March 6, 2024
Updated: 4:04 PM EST December 9, 2025
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Robert Hood, 34, will serve 20 years in jail for first degree murder and first degree fetal homicide after pleading guilty to murdering a woman and her unborn baby in November of 2019.
Hood was arrested by Louisville Metro Police in connection to the murder of his former romantic partner, Kayla Smith, in February of2020.
State Attorney Thomas Wine said Hood had pled guilty on Oct. 5, 2021 to evidence surrounding the murder of Smith and her unborn child.
He said prior to the murder on Nov. 27, 2019, Hood and Smith messaged about ways to induce her abortion. Smith was approximately in her third trimester of pregnancy.
Evidence revealed that Hood was outside Smith’s apartment early that morning with a bottle of pills he claimed would induce the abortion, Wine said.
Wine said that following text messages sent by Hood, Smith can be seen on home surveillance leaving her home to meet someone in front of her house.
An apparent gunshot is visible, and hours later Smith was found with a gunshot to the back of the head and a bottle of pills in her hand.
“The bottle of pills had the defendant’s DNA on them,” Wine said. “And his GPS latitude and longitude location was determined to be outside her home at the same time the gunshot was captured on surveillance.”
He said that as a result of the gunshot, Smith’s fetus was also killed.
A judge sentenced Hood to 20 years for first degree murder and 20 years for first degree fetal homicide.
The charges will be served concurrently, meaning Hood will serve both sentences at the same time, for a total of 20 years in prison.
