KANAWHA COUNTY, WV - A man from West Virginia who was accused and found guilty of murdering a woman, who he then dumped into a well, has been sentenced to life in prison.
The suspect, 46-year-old Michael Wayne Smith, was convicted in October 2025 of murdering 35-year-old Cheyenne Johnson, and was sentenced on Tuesday, February 10, Law & Crime reported. During the sentencing hearing, a judge sentenced Smith to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years as a repeat offender.
He was also sentenced to 40 years for second-degree murder as well as shorter sentences for concealing a body, illegal possession of a firearm and assault. Smith was convicted after his former girlfriend, 33-year-old Virginia Smith, testified against him after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, concealment of a dead body, and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
She was sentenced back in December 2025 to life in prison with mercy. Johnson was fatally shot with a rifle by Virginia Smith on April 29, 2021, after she said Michael Smith ordered her to do so. Michael and Virginia, though dating, were not related. Michael Smith and Virginia Smith had a verbal altercation with Johnson that day of an accusation that Johnson stole Virginia Smith's car.
The two women got into a physical fight, and Johnson purportedly had a knife. After Michael Smith threatened Johnson with a rifle, he ordered his girlfriend, Virginia Smith, to shoot Johnson, which she did. A juvenile witness testified to seeing Virginia Smith shoot Johnson.
Michael Smith then disposed of Johnson's body in a deep water well on Virginia Smith's property using a belt and ratchet straps. Johnson's body was found days later, after she was reported missing. It was Virginia Smith who had contacted authorities about Johnson's whereabouts.
Michael Smith was originally charged with first-degree murder, but was convicted of second-degree murder after Virginia Smith admitted to being the one who shot Johnson. During his sentencing hearing, Johnson's brother called Michael Smith a "waste of human flesh" as he read a victim impact statement on behalf of himself and Johnson's father.
The suspect, 46-year-old Michael Wayne Smith, was convicted in October 2025 of murdering 35-year-old Cheyenne Johnson, and was sentenced on Tuesday, February 10, Law & Crime reported. During the sentencing hearing, a judge sentenced Smith to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years as a repeat offender.
He was also sentenced to 40 years for second-degree murder as well as shorter sentences for concealing a body, illegal possession of a firearm and assault. Smith was convicted after his former girlfriend, 33-year-old Virginia Smith, testified against him after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, concealment of a dead body, and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
She was sentenced back in December 2025 to life in prison with mercy. Johnson was fatally shot with a rifle by Virginia Smith on April 29, 2021, after she said Michael Smith ordered her to do so. Michael and Virginia, though dating, were not related. Michael Smith and Virginia Smith had a verbal altercation with Johnson that day of an accusation that Johnson stole Virginia Smith's car.
The two women got into a physical fight, and Johnson purportedly had a knife. After Michael Smith threatened Johnson with a rifle, he ordered his girlfriend, Virginia Smith, to shoot Johnson, which she did. A juvenile witness testified to seeing Virginia Smith shoot Johnson.
Michael Smith then disposed of Johnson's body in a deep water well on Virginia Smith's property using a belt and ratchet straps. Johnson's body was found days later, after she was reported missing. It was Virginia Smith who had contacted authorities about Johnson's whereabouts.
Michael Smith was originally charged with first-degree murder, but was convicted of second-degree murder after Virginia Smith admitted to being the one who shot Johnson. During his sentencing hearing, Johnson's brother called Michael Smith a "waste of human flesh" as he read a victim impact statement on behalf of himself and Johnson's father.
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