KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WOWK) – A jury has convicted a man accused of killing a woman and dumping her body in a well.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, Michael Smith was found guilty in Kanawha County Circuit Court on charges of second-degree murder, concealment of a deceased human body, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, malicious assault, and assault in the commission of or attempt to commit a felony. He was found not guilty of use and presentment of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The sentencing date for Michael Smith has not yet been scheduled.
The charges stem from the shooting death of Cheyenne Johnson, whose body was found in a well in the Sissonville area Monday, May 3, 2021. Johnson was reported missing in late April 2021, less than a week before her body was found.
Lead detective testifies in trial of man accused of dumping woman’s body in well
This past March, Smith was reindicted on new charges in the case, including murder, concealment of a deceased human body, use and presentment of a firearm during the commission of a felony, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, malicious assault and assault in the commission of or attempt to commit a felony.
The day Johnson’s body was found, Michael Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly admitting to her murder and to putting Johnson’s body in the well. Authorities said at the time of Virginia Smith’s arrest a few days later, she and Michael Smith were not related, but were reportedly in an intimate relationship at the time of the homicide.
At the time of Virginia Smith’s arrest, then-Kanawha County Chief Deputy Greg Young gave a press briefing stating that a juvenile witness interviewed during the investigation allegedly told law enforcement they saw Virginia Smith shoot Johnson.
Virginia Smith pleaded guilty in 2023, but due to Michael Smith’s trial, has not been sentenced.
On Tuesday, Virginia Smith testified in her co-defendant’s trial.
Co-defendant testifies in Kanawha County murder trial
She claimed that Michael ordered her to shoot Cheyenne Johnson after he and Johnson got into an altercation. After she was shot, Michael dragged Johnson’s body down a hill and put her body in a water well on Virginia’s property, according to Virginia.
During her testimony, Virginia repeated that she was under the influence of a lot of drugs during the time of the murder. The defense questioned her about lying to the police multiple times during the investigation.
Michael Smith’s defense attorney attempted to counter her claims by saying throughout the investigation she had had seven different stories about what happened on the night of Johnson’s murder.
