MADISON COUNTY, Ill. (First Alert 4) - A trial date has been set for the man accused of paying to have his soon-to-be ex-wife’s girlfriend killed.

Sammy J. Shafer Jr. is facing two charges of first-degree murder and two counts of solicitation for murder-for-hire in the shooting death of Portia Rowland.

Previous Coverage Man at center of murder-for-hire plot denied pre-trial release Charges filed in murder-for-hire plot that left Collinsville woman dead Man accused of paying to have romantic rival killed pleads not guilty ‘Devastating’: St. Louis team remembers Metro East woman targeted and killed in driveway Police: 3 suspects in custody in connection to fatal shooting of Collinsville woman Attorneys for Madison County man accused in murder-for-hire plot seek to have trial mov

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