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Dateline NBC is bringing back the brutal murder of Fox executive and actor Gavin Smith. The case went through a series of twists and turns related to facts and revelations before the authorities rounded up the murderer, John Lenzie Creech, whose wife Gavin was having an affair with. The case gained a lot of media attention and, in time, was considered a high-profile case.
Before Gavin's body was found in a remote area by some hikers, authorities had already declared him dead, owing to the car that they found in a storage facility in Simi Valley, California. The suspicion soon fell on John Lenzie Creech after authorities on further investigation deciphered the connection between John Creech and Gavin Smith—Chandrika Cade-Creech, John Creech's wife.
After being acquitted of first-degree and second-degree murder charges, he was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. He is currently serving time at Folsom State Prison in Represa, California. He is scheduled for parole in January 2025. Read on for more details about Gavin Smith's murder.
Who is John Lenzie Creech and what did he do?
John Lenzie Creech was a convicted drug dealer who also became the prime suspect in Gavin Smith's murder investigation. When Gavin was a recovering addict, he met Chandrika Cade-Creech at a drug rehabilitation facility in 2008. Since then, they continued their on-and-off affair for the next four days.
Gavin was initially assumed missing. After a lengthy search that yielded no results, authorities followed a tip to reach a storage facility in Simi Valley, California. They found Gavin's car in one of the lockers. The car had Gavin's dried blood on the inside. This led the authorities to start investigating the case as a homicide. After further investigation, police narrowed down John Creech, who was serving time after pleading no contest to one count of selling and transporting cocaine.
After the authorities uncovered a solid motive, they charged John Lenzie Creech with murder. According to sources, John Creech followed his ex-wife to a rendezvous point where she was supposed to meet Gavin. There, he allegedly beat Gavin to death with his bare hands, all the while Cade was begging him to stop. She recalled the brutal attack, saying:
"Honestly, too many times to count. More than a dozen,...He wasn't fighting back or anything. He wasn't even pushing away. He wasn't moving at all..."
Cade testified under a grant of immunity. She also revealed that Creech later burned off his clothes and then enlisted friends to hide Smith's bloody car and his body.
What punishment did John Creech get for murdering Gavin Smith?
After the prosecutors alleged that Creech purposefully killed Smith after he discovered his wife's affair, the defense alleged that the altercation was mutual and Smith's death was accidental. The defense also pleaded self-defense in the death of Gavin Smith.
After deliberating during his trial, the jury acquitted John Creech of the most serious charges, including first-degree and second-degree murder. Instead, he was found guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the charges, in addition to the eight years he was already facing for a drug conviction. He is currently serving time at Folsom State Prison in Represa, California. He will be eligible for parole in 2025.
Dateline NBC will cover this story in detail.
