Funeral arrangements set for 32-year-old woman shot and killed outside Collinsville home
.jpeg "Portia L. Rowland, 32, of Collinsville, is shown in a photo published with her obituary. She was fatally shot outside her home early Tuesday morning.")
An obituary and funeral arrangements have been released for Portia L. Rowland, the 32-year-old woman shot and killed outside her Collinsville home last week.
“She was truly a bright, shining light in this world and lifted the spirits of everyone she met,” stated the obituary on Irwin Chapel’s website.
Rowland was a 2010 graduate of Collinsville High School. She “enjoyed working with her hands” and “never met a stranger,” the obituary states. She was employed as a mechanic for Metropolitan Sewer District in St. Louis.
“Portia was a talented athlete, and she excelled in playing flag football, volleyball and billiards,” the obituary states. “Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and hanging out with her friends. Portia will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.”
Collinsville police responded shortly after 6 a.m. on Feb. 21 to a report of gunshots being heard in the vicinity of Olive Street and Indiana Avenue, according to a news release from the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. That corner is near Woodland Park.
Police found Rowland, who had been shot, lying near the garage of her home at 1301 Olive St. She was pronounced dead by a representative of the Madison County coroner’s office.
Police requested assistance from the Major Case Squad, which deployed about 30 investigators, according to Collinsville Lt. Eric Owen, who was named deputy commander.
By Wednesday, the Major Case Squad had released an image of a suspect from a security camera. He’s dressed in all black, including a hoodie over his head, and he appears to be holding a handgun.
Among Rowland’s survivors are Sarah Shafer, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last week that she was living with Rowland and planning to marry her. Three people have since been charged with murder, including Shafer’s estranged husband, Sammy Shafer Jr., of Caseyville, who was charged with first-degree murder, accused of paying two other men to murder Rowland.
Also charged in the alleged murder-for-hire were Gary D. Johnson, 45, of East St. Louis and Marty D. Shaw, 33, of Collinsville.
Anyone with information on the shooting is being asked to contact the Major Case Squad through Collinsville police at 618-344-2131, ext. 5924, or Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
Rowland is survived by her parents, Jeff Rowland, Cheryl Mueller and Bob Mueller, all of Collinsville, and five siblings, Maxwell Rowland, of Katy, Texas, Jessica Thornhill, of St. Louis, and Christopher Mueller, Lucas Mueller and Jacob Mueller, of Collinsville, the obituary states.
A visitation for Rowland was held from 4-7 p.m. Monday at Irwin Chapel in Glen Carbon, followed by a funeral service at 7 p.m. The Rev. Sharon Autenrieth officiated.
This story was originally published January 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM.
