VANDERCOOK LAKE, MI — A Jackson County jury has convicted William Deandre-Kashawn Smith, 36, for the premeditated murder of Shi’Ana Gittens, 31, the mother of his children. The killing occurred in January 2024 while some of their children were asleep nearby.
On Thursday, Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Smith to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge strongly condemned Smith’s actions, telling him he would “never have to worry about what a parole board will do” and that he will die in prison.
The Crime
The murder took place inside a home on East McDevitt Avenue in Vandercook Lake, roughly 40 miles west of Ann Arbor. Smith allegedly sneaked into the residence and shot Gittens in the right side of her head, with the bullet exiting through her neck.
One of the couple’s children, a 9-year-old boy, discovered his mother lying near the bed and frantically called his father for help. Smith did not respond. Later, the 6-year-old also found the victim, and the youngest child had been born just weeks before. Gittens was still recovering from a cesarean section at the time.
Evidence and Trial
Jurors were shown 22 minutes of surveillance footage documenting Smith waiting outside the residence before entering. Prosecutors highlighted the time Smith had to contemplate his actions, calling it a “painstaking” part of the case…