Scorned ex-husband 'carried out evil act against former wife's new girlfriend'

An Illinois antheral has been arrested aft being accused of hiring a shooter to execution his estranged wife's woman successful her driveway. 

Portia Rowland, 32, was allegedly changeable to decease by Gary Johnson, 45, portion she was  warming up her car extracurricular her location connected Olive Street successful Madison County astatine astir 6am connected January 21. 

Responding cops recovered Rowland lying adjacent her store and suffering from gunshot wounds. 

Officials judge that Rowland's girlfriend, Sarah Shafer's ex husband, Sammy Shafer Jr., 36, paid $10,000 to Johnson and his driver Marty Shaw, 33, successful a murder-for-hire plot. 

Madison County State's Attorney Thomas Haine has charged Sammy with 2 charges of first-degree execution and 2 counts of solicitation/murder-for-hire.

Similarly, Johnson is besides charged with 2 counts of first-degree execution and 1 number of being successful possession of a weapon.  

Haine described the incidental arsenic a 'calculated and coldhearted murder-for-hire strategy based connected a idiosyncratic grievance.'

'It's genuinely shocking, and it has near a existent people connected our assemblage and, of course, connected their lives. 

'In our prosecution of the case, our extremity is to nonstop a wide connection to those who would conspire to perpetrate murder, conspire to bring unit into our assemblage for immoderate reason, that they volition beryllium found, that they volition beryllium prosecuted, that they volition look terrible consequences successful the tribunal of law,' he said. 

According to Shafer's tribunal documents, Shaw has reportedly admitted to taking wealth from the scorned ex-husband and going to a casino aft committing the crime. 

'Driver confessed to being hired by Defendant to termination Victim. Driver past contacts shooter and they spell to Victim's residence. Shooter waits extracurricular for Victim to travel retired and past sprout Victim. Shooter past runs to wherever Driver is waiting. 

'They past thrust to Shooter's residence wherever Shooter changes his apparel and they spell to the casino. Driver besides admits to past seeing Defendant the adjacent time and being paid $10,000 for the murder. 

'Driver took $3,500 and gave $6,500 to Shooter. Shooter besides admitted to being hired by Driver's brag (Defendant) to bash a execution and to shooting Victim.'

Johnson's tribunal documents besides authorities that helium has admitted to sidesplitting Rowland and fleeing the country with Shaw. 

Sammy was successful the process of divorcing Sarah, 34, who was successful a narration with the victim, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

According to Sarah, Sammy had erstwhile threatened that if she wouldn't beryllium with him helium would 'do thing successful his powerfulness to support the kids away' from her. 

The duo got joined successful 2013 and stock 3 children - aged 14, 12 and seven. Sammy had filed divorcement successful 2023.   

Amelia Minner, adjacent person of Rowland, said was the astir affirmative idiosyncratic and a immense protagonist of her children, particularly her lad Camron Minner.

'It's sad. She'll ne'er travel to my son's wrestling meets. She'll ne'er get to watch. She'll ne'er beryllium successful the assemblage supporting arsenic overmuch arsenic she did. 

She loved doing that. She was truthful blessed to bash that. It was ne'er forced; it was what she wanted to do,' Amelia told KSDK.

'Once I heard astir it, I was successful daze for days. Still, it kills maine reasoning astir it. Her not being astir conscionable doesn't consciousness right,' Camron added.

Her obituary read: 'She was genuinely a bright, shining airy successful this satellite and lifted the spirits of everyone she met.  

'Portia was a talented athlete, and she excelled successful playing emblem football, volleyball and billiards. Her top joyousness was spending clip with her household and hanging retired with her friends.  Portia volition beryllium sadly missed by each who knew and loved her.'

Rowland is survived by siblings Maxwell Rowland, Christopher (Janyce Bennett) Mueller, Jessica (Tyler) Thornhill, Lucas Mueller, Jacob Mueller and, arrogant grandmother, Janis Rowland, peculiar person Sarah Shafer, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, extended family. 

While authorities officials person asked for Sammy to beryllium jailed passim the trial, his attorney, Scott Rosenblum has alternatively pushed for the detention proceeding to beryllium moved to adjacent week truthful that helium tin person much clip to look astatine the evidence.

'We look guardant evidently to entering a plea of not blameworthy and challenging that evidence,' Rosenblum said. 

'I'm realistic. Just the charges itself and my acquisition successful this county. It's expected that would beryllium the state's position. We'll see.'

Sammy's detention proceeding volition beryllium connected February 5 and Johnson’s preliminary proceeding volition beryllium connected February 7.