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John M. Smallwood, 44, told police his boyfriend Shawn Andrews, 41, wanted to buy more drugs while he didn’t want him to. An argument ensued March 24, 2012 and soon Smallwood stabbed him seven times and smacked him in the face about 24 times with an iron inside Andrews’ South of South home.
A jury convicted Smallwood of first-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime July 26, according to court records. He was sentenced to life without parole.
Smallwood used a kitchen knife to stab Andrews seven times in the face, neck and back, including a blow to his carotid artery in the residence on the 700 block of South 19th Street, Assistant District Attorney Peter Lim said.
“He was going to die after being stabbed with the knife,” Lim said.
However, after Andrews fell to the ground, Smallwood hopped on top of him and repeatedly beat him with an iron.
“There were a total of — I want to say 24 linear abrasions to the victim’s face that were all consistent to the edge of that iron,” Lim said of the iron that he used with such force that the metal bottom cracked and fell off and then the plastic inside shattered into pieces.
Smallwood then rolled up the body in a rug and put it in the closet, Lim said.
While it is unclear when the homicide occurred, it is believed to be at least a few days prior to authorities’ gruesome discovery.
“I know that the defendant said it happened early in the morning Thursday [March 22]…. The reason that I find that odd is that the victim was supposed to meet his best friend Wednesday night [March 21]. They were supposed to go out,” Lim said.
Andrews was not characterized as someone who would abandon plans with no notice, so his best friend became worried. After failing to contact him, he began to look for Andrews by asking around and contacting area hospitals.
The friend checked his apartment that Saturday. Although he didn’t find Andrews’ body, he spotted blood inside the residence, which prompted him to contact police. Investigators made the friend wait outside while they searched the place, soon uncovering the body that had been stashed in a closet for at least two days.
“The police officers said when they opened that closet door, it was a bad stench,” Lim said.
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