Jul 31, 2025 By Garrett Neese 3 min read

A Waynesburg woman charged with criminal homicide in a 2022 killing will spend 10 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to lesser charges.

On Monday, Shawna Smith, 26, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, kidnapping, tampering and obstruction in two separate cases. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several other charges, including two counts of criminal homicide lodged against her in the shooting deaths of Judy Hunter, 57, and Kevin Wiliford, 54.

The bodies of Hunter and Williford were found at a South Morris Street apartment in Waynesburg on Feb. 14, 2022.

State Deputy Attorney General Kara Rice, who was prosecuting the case, said both sides had agreed the resolution was “just and fair.”

“We would like a lesser sentence, but this is what we’re getting, and we’re accepting it,” said Smith’s attorney, Thomas Farrell.

Smith had originally been set for a joint trial with Cortland Rogers, 31, of Waynesburg, who was sentenced to life in prison for the shootings earlier this year.

Their defenses differed on key points. Rogers told police Smith had killed Hunter and Williford, with whom they once lived. Farrell said if the case had gone to trial, Smith would have contested that, saying the decision to shoot them had come from Rogers.

During discussions before his sentencing, Rogers had also indicated there had been no intent to kill Williford and Hunter before they arrived, Rice said.

Ultimately, Rice said, “There was not the evidence for us to present to the jury that she had any specific intent to commit murder that day.”

The tampering and obstruction charges related to Smith removing items from the house after the shooting, including bullet casings.

On the same day the bodies of Hunter and Williford were discovered, Smith and Rogers had already been arrested for assault and kidnapping.

Jacqueline Rutan and her roommate, Bruce Bundy, testified during an April 2022 preliminary hearing that they had been visiting Smith and Rogers and smoking methamphetamine at a Wood Street home in Waynesburg. During that visit, they said, Rogers had confessed to the shooting and showed them Williford’s driver’s license.

At some point during the visit, Rogers bound Rutan’s hands and feet and tied a rope around her neck, while Smith repeatedly assaulted her, Rutan said at the preliminary hearing.

Smith declined to make a statement at Monday’s sentencing. Farrell said he had no doubt of Smith’s ability to knowingly waive her right to trial, saying she had asked “relevant, intelligent questions” throughout.

He and Judge Lou Dayich repeatedly questioned Smith about her plea. Farrell mentioned one of the defenses they had planned to use at trial — that Smith had been acting under duress from Rogers.

“We talked about duress,” Farrell said. “We talked about all the facts — your previous life, your treatment by Cortland Rogers, the fact that he had a gun. You understand you’re waiving that defense.”

“Correct,” Smith said.

Smith, who has been in custody since February 2022, also received credit for time served.