A man convicted in a murder-for-hire case involving the death of a Metro East woman has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Gary D. Johnson, 46, was found guilty in March on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Portia Rowland. On Thursday, the court handed down a mandatory natural life sentence for the 2025 crime.
According to court records, Rowland was shot and killed in January 2025 outside a residence in Collinsville as she was leaving for work early in the morning.
Prosecutors stated that Johnson was one of three individuals involved in a coordinated murder-for-hire scheme. During the trial, Associate Judge Neil Schroeder noted that the evidence presented against Johnson was substantial and compelling.
The case included forensic findings and communication records linking Johnson to the crime. Investigators also tracked a co-defendant’s vehicle traveling to Johnson’s residence shortly before the shooting and later placing it near the crime scene.
Authorities allege that Sammy Shafer Jr., the estranged husband of Rowland’s partner, orchestrated the killing. Court documents claim he offered $10,000 to Johnson and another individual in exchange for carrying out the murder. The alleged motive is believed to be connected to an ongoing divorce.
Johnson’s criminal history was also highlighted during proceedings. He had previously been convicted of first-degree murder in 1997 in East St. Louis, later receiving a 40-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2000. He was released under supervision in 2017 and fully discharged in 2020.
Legal proceedings against Shafer are still pending, and a trial date has not yet been announced.
The case has drawn attention due to the calculated nature of the crime and its connection to a domestic dispute, as authorities continue to pursue justice in the remaining aspects of the investigation.