Prosecutors look to drop homicide charge in Waynesburg case
State prosecutors plan to drop one of the homicide charges lodged against a Waynesburg woman accused in the fatal shooting of two people.
Shawna Smith, 26, is charged as a co-conspirator in the shooting deaths of Kevin Williford, 54, and Judy Hunter, 47, in Waynesburg. If the state’s motion to amend the complaint is approved, the homicide charge related to Willford’s death would be dropped, while the criminal homicide charge in Hunter’s death would remain.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Kara Rice said Wednesday that her office wanted to add a charge of criminal solicitation to commit homicide against Smith in Hunter’s death.
Rice declined to comment as to why prosecutors wanted to drop the homicide charge related to Williford’s death. The addition of the solicitation charge, Rice said, comes from a statement made by Smith’s alleged co-conspirator, Cortland Rogers.
At his plea hearing, Rogers, who is serving life in prison for the February 2022 deaths of Williford and Hunter, said Smith urged him to “leave no witnesses.”
Smith’s attorney, Tom Farrell, objected to adding the solicitation charge, which he said was a reaction to Rogers changing his original story that Smith had shot both victims. He said he would prefer the commonwealth refile and recharge the case.
“I think the theory is changing, and it’s changing because the other defendant pleaded guilty and said what really happened,” he said.
Police found the bodies of Williford and Hunter inside their Waynesburg apartment days after they were shot.
In addition to life in prison, Rogers was also sentenced to 15 to 60 years for two counts of kidnapping and one count each of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy. Smith is also charged in connection with that incident, which happened the same day police found the bodies of Williford and Hunter.
Witnesses said Rogers and Smith had assaulted two other people and kidnapped them at a residence on Wood Street. During that incident, he had also confessed to the shootings, witnesses said.
Another motion by the commonwealth would reduce the six counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping faced by Smith to one.
Court of Common Pleas Judge Louis Dayich will rule on the request to add the solicitation charge at a later date.
Smith’s trial is set for Sept. 16, with jury selection occurring the day before.