Caseyville businessman accused of hiring hitman to kill wife’s girlfriend in Collinsville
The Madison County state’s attorney’s office has charged a Caseyville businessman with murder and solicitation for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill his estranged wife’s girlfriend.
Sammy J. Shafer Jr., 36, is one of three suspects arrested last week and charged Monday in connection with the fatal shooting of Portia Rowland, 32, early Tuesday morning outside the small brick home on Olive Street in Collinsville that the women shared.
Sammy Shafer Jr. is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of solicitation of murder for hire.
“Said defendant, or a person for whom he is legally accountable, without lawful justification, and by means of discharging a firearm, with the intent to kill Portia Rowland, shot Portia Rowland, thereby causing (her death),” the criminal complaint states.
Other suspects in the murder-for-hire case include Gary D. Johnson, 45, of East St. Louis, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Rowland and one count of possession of a weapon by a felon.
A third suspect, Marty D. Shaw, 33, of Collinsville, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly being an accomplice who drove the getaway car.
“We believe the evidence at trial will show that this was not a random act of violence, but rather this was a calculated and cold-hearted murder-for-hire scheme based on a personal grievance,” State’s Attorney Tom Haine said at a press conference Monday afternoon at Collinsville City Hall.
Haine stood before members of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, which had been called in by Collinsville Police Department to conduct the initial investigation. Now that suspects have been arrested, the police department is taking back over.
Investigators followed more than 200 leads and executed more than 30 search warrants, according to Collinsville Lt. Eric Owen, who served as deputy commander during the investigation.
Owen said investigators used license-plate readers to track a suspect vehicle, leading them to a Missouri address, where they took Shaw into custody with the help of St. Louis County Police. He was charged last week, but the charges were kept under seal.
Investigators arrested Johnson on Friday in Cahokia Heights and Shafer on Saturday in Caseyville. The state’s attorney’s office has filed petitions asking that pretrial releases be denied.
“We have argued that (the suspects) pose a continuing threat to public safety should they remain on the streets, and we intend to make that argument before the judge,” Haine said.
Sammy Shafer Jr. is married to Sarah Shafer, 34, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last week that she was living with Rowland and planning to marry her, and that they were preparing their Collinsville home so Shafer’s three children from a previous relationship could move in.
Sammy Shafer Jr. filed for divorce from Sarah Shafer in August 2023 after nearly 10 years of marriage, according to St. Clair County Circuit Court records. That case remains open. Negotiations have involved their three children, ranging in age from 7-14.
The couple’s last divorce-related hearing was held on Jan. 14. Another one was scheduled for Feb. 25.
Sarah Shafer obtained a three-week emergency order of protection against Sammy Shafer Jr. in April 2024. It was later dismissed.
In her request for the order, Sarah Shafer alleged that Sammy Shafer Jr. physically pinned her down, made unwanted sexual advances, took her vehicle keys, removed a fuse from the vehicle so it wouldn’t start and smashed her cellphone.
“He called and said if I won’t be with him he’s going to do anything in his power to keep the kids away from me,” stated the request, which listed Sarah Shafer’s address at the Olive Street home.
Sammy Shafer Jr. is a well-known businessman who operates S. Shafer Excavating in Pontoon Beach with his father, Sammy Shafer Sr. They work on jobs throughout the region.
Illinois Secretary of State records show that Sammy Shafer Jr. also is president of several other businesses, including a trucking company and Caseyville Bridge Inn, a bar on Main Street.
Collinsville police responded shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday to a report of gunshots heard in the vicinity of Olive Street and Indiana Avenue. They found Rowland, who had been shot multiple times, lying near the garage of a home at 1301 Olive St. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sarah Shafer told the Post-Dispatch that she was sleeping in the home when police knocked on the door and told her what happened.
The Major Case Squad deployed about 30 investigators after being called in on the investigation.
By Wednesday afternoon, they had released an image of a suspect from a security camera. The person was dressed in all black, including a hoodie, and appeared to be holding a handgun.
Rowland’s obituary, which was posted on the Irwin Chapel website, described her as a “bright, shining light in this world.”
Rowland was a 2010 graduate of Collinsville High School. She liked “working with her hands,” 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.”
The obituary referred to Sarah Shafer as a “special friend” of Rowland in a paragraph listing her survivors.
A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Monday at Irwin Chapel in Glen Carbon, followed by a funeral service at 7 p.m.
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).
This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 12:58 PM.
