St. Louis Hires Murder Suspect’s Company for Demo Contract

Portia Louise Rowland was murdered shortly after 6:06 am on January 21, 2025, in the driveway of her home in Collinsville, Illinois. She died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Sarah Shafer, her girlfriend, was in the home at the time of the murder.

The alleged murder getaway vehicle was found in St. Louis County, Missouri. The alleged driver, Marty D. Shaw, 33, Collinsville, was charged in Illinois with two counts of First Degree Murder as an accomplice in the killing.

Next, Gary D. Johnson, 44, East St. Louis, was arrested as the shooter, two counts of First Degree Murder as well as one count of Felon in possession of a Weapon. After the shooting, he allegedly changed clothes and went to a casino. Johnson had previously been convicted of a murder in 1997.

On January 25th, Sammy J. Shafer Jr., 36, Caseyville, was arrested outside his home and charged with two counts of First Degree Murder and two counts of Solicitation/Murder for Hire in the death of Rowland. It’s alleged that he paid $10,000 for the hit.

Shafer Jr., it is alleged, hired Johnson to kill Rowland, whom he considered a romantic rival. Sarah Shafer, Shafer’s wife, divorce pending, and Portia Rowland had planned to marry, according to prosecutors.

Shafer Jr. is President of S. Shafer Excavating and Demolition, a company based in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, registered with Illinois Secretary of State, File #73632633. His father, Sammy J Shafer Sr., also of Caseyville, is Secretary of the company.

On April 17, 2025, the company changed its registered agent from Shafer Jr. to Tammy Shafer, his mother.

The company is also registered with Missouri Secretary of State as S. Shafer Excavating Inc.

Shafer Jr. is scheduled to go to trial on April 27, 2026.

On December 16, 2025, the Board for St. Louis City’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority spent less than ten minutes rubberstamping a $3,692,000 contract with S. Shafer Excavating Inc for environmental remediation and demolition services at 4690 and 4700 Goodfellow Blvd, a 16.45-acre former ammunition plant site.

The murder case never came up at the meeting (YouTube video of meeting, Shafer contract starts at 6:55).

Three LCRA Board members voted for the contract: Sean Spencer, executive director for Tower Grove Community Development Corporation; attorney Kennard Jones; and business consultant Lori Koenig. Two Board members were absent: attorney Matthew McBride, who runs Nexus PAC, and Lindsey Evans, a senior project manager at PGAV Planners.

LCRA is one of ten boards appointed by St. Louis City’s mayor to facilitate the mayor’s economic development agenda via blighting, corporate welfare, sale of land owned by the city, under the umbrella organization St. Louis Development Corporation. The director of SLDC is also appointed by the mayor.

The Goodfellow industrial site will be cleaned up at public expense for a redevelopment. Mayor Cara Spencer and her SLDC director Otis Williams have not announced what that development will be.

I know what you’re thinking, “Innocent until proven guilty.”

Correct.

But Plot Twist. Shafer Jr. is not the only alleged connection between the murder of Portia Rowland and S. Shafer Excavating and Demolition.

The getaway vehicle was registered to Tammy Shafer, Shafer Jr.’s mother, now agent for the company. She is not a suspect.

However, suspect Marty D. Shaw, alleged driver of the vehicle, was or still is employed by the company. Shaw is also the cousin of suspect Gary D. Johnson, the alleged shooter.

Shafer Jr. allegedly provided the gun used in the murder and left the $10,000 payment in an excavator at his Shafer Jr.’s home

While not a concern for Mayor Spencer, SLDC Director Williams, or the LCRA Board, it was a concern in Springfield, Illinois, which already had a contract with the company.

Either SLDC did not perform a records check on Shafer Jr. and his company or it was ignored. Here’s what I found in fifteen minutes. Some articles are now stored at Internet Archive Machine because of paywall and desire to have sources available to all.

November 19, 2025 Belleville News-Democrat: Nearly 150 on witness list for metro-east husband’s murder-for-hire trial

June 16, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: Attorneys debate if Caseyville husband who allegedly hired hitman can get fair trial“

February 14, 2025, KTVI TV: Alleged orchestrator in Collinsville murder-for-hire set for court appearance

February 5, 2025 KMOV TV: Man at center of murder-for-hire plot denied pre-trial release

February 5, 2025 Belleville News-Democrat: Prosecutor: Caseyville businessman planned murder-for-hire for months, provided the gun

January 29, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: High-profile attorney represents man charged in Collinsville murder-for-hire case

January 28, 2025 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Victim’s girlfriend’s husband charged in murder-for-hire scheme in Collinsville

January 27, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: Caseyville businessman accused of hiring hitman to kill wife’s girlfriend in Collinsville