Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ST. GEORGE — Children of Shawntell Smith thanked police officers, prosecutors, victim advocates, and others who have mourned with them and helped them grieve for their mom after their father, Steven Timothy Smith, was found guilty of murder.
"Shawntell will be remembered as a loving and caring person who loved her family and children dearly. We miss her very much," her children said in a statement.
A 5th District Court jury decided that Smith, 59, of Ivins, was guilty of murder, a first degree felony, after less than an hour of deliberations on Thursday. Smith was on trial for shooting and killing his wife on May 22, 2021, inside the family's home hours after she told him that she planned to leave him. Shawntell Smith was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
The Smith children also thanked the jury for making the "correct" verdict.
"Our mother was killed in a cold, callous and intentional manner. The perpetrator during this process has continued to try to play the victim and we are satisfied the jury saw through this façade for what he really is," the children's statement said.
Three of Smiths' four children were at home when their mother was shot; the youngest child was 14. They expressed in their statement that their mom continues to live, through them.
"Her light and love for us will never be forgotten," they said.
Steven Smith did take the stand to testify at his trial on Wednesday afternoon. One of his sons and one of his daughters also took the stand to testify Tuesday to describe how they were both were at the home and tried to help their mom after she was shot.
Smith will be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2022.
