Background: News footage of Michael Wayne Smith being led into the court for sentencing on Feb. 11 (WCHS). Inset: Cheyenne Johnson (Facebook).
A West Virginia man who murdered a woman and dumped her body in a well has been sentenced to life in prison.
Michael Wayne Smith, 46, was convicted in October 2025 of murdering 35-year-old Cheyenne Johnson, and on Tuesday, he learned his fate. During a sentencing hearing covered by local ABC/Fox affiliate WCHS, a judge sentenced Michael Smith to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years as a repeat offender. On top of that, he was sentenced to 40 years for second-degree murder as well as shorter sentences for concealing a body, illegal possession of a firearm, and assault.
Michael Smith was convicted after his former girlfriend, 33-year-old Virginia Smith, to whom he is not related, 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 in December 2025 to life in prison with mercy.
As Law&Crime previously reported, 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 Smith and Virginia Smith had a verbal altercation with Johnson that day over an accusation that Johnson stole Virginia Smith”s car. The two women had a physical fight, and Johnson purportedly had a knife.
After Michael Smith threatened Johnson with a rifle, he ordered Virginia Smith to shoot Johnson, which she did. A juvenile witness testified to seeing Virginia Smith shoot Johnson. Michael Smith then disposed of her 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 statement on behalf of himself and Johnson’s father. One of Johnson’s friends said Michael Smith was a “hollow shell of a man.”
