COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The man convicted of shooting and killing a Metro East woman in a murder-for-hire plot in 2025 will spend the rest of his life in prison.
In March, 46-year-old Gary D. Johnson was found guilty on both counts of first-degree murder in the death of Portia Rowland outside a Collinsville home in January 2025. On Thursday, he was sentenced to mandatory natural life in prison.
Johnson was one of three men accused of being a part of the murder-for-hire plot. Associate Judge Neil Schroeder previously said the evidence against Johnson was overwhelming. The judge also outlined forensic evidence linking Johnson to the killing…