While receiving treatment at a rehab facility, Gavin Smith met a seductive woman and quickly began an illicit affair with her. Although aware of the dangers of this relationship, Gavin could not break free from his beautiful mistress. And that mistake cost him dearly.
The Body in the Shallow Grave
While monitoring a drug case, police inadvertently discovered Gavin Smith’s black Mercedes he was last seen driving abandoned in a private parking lot in West Hills, Los Angeles. The car had its plates switched, but the distinct interior and paint transfer on the headlights matched the description provided by Gavin’s wife, confirmed by running the VIN. The vehicle’s condition led police to believe Gavin had been killed.
The parking lot belonged to John Creech, a drug kingpin. John was immediately brought in for questioning by police.
However, John adamantly claimed he did not recall the vehicle, as his lot acquired so many cars daily he couldn’t remember them all. With no further clues or evidence tying him to Gavin’s disappearance, police temporarily set it aside to continue building their drug case against John.
On October 26, 2014, a couple walking their dog in the Angeles National Forest inadvertently discovered a human skull and clothing protruding from the ground in a shallow grave. DNA testing confirmed the remains were those of Gavin Smith.
The Dangerous Relationship
Around this time, a man called the police saying he remembered seeing Gavin with a woman at a Morro Bay restaurant around when he vanished. The man said he distinctly recalled the scene because a waitress spilled drinks on the woman, causing a commotion that drew attention.
Reviewing the restaurant’s security footage from that timeframe, police identified the woman with Gavin as Chandrika Creech – the wife of drug kingpin John Creech.
Chandrika was immediately brought in for questioning. While denying seeing Gavin for months or knowing his whereabouts, police didn’t believe her story.
Though Chandrika didn’t provide information, police learned Gavin had previously attended rehab for substance issues where he first met the attractive Chandrika. Fully aware of the perils of an affair with a drug kingpin’s wife, Gavin couldn’t resist his beautiful mistress – a fatal mistake.
Police noted John had repeatedly sent threatening messages about Gavin to his wife, making him a suspect in the disappearance. At this point, a Chandrika acquaintance came forward telling police everything.
The Deadly Date
Accordingly, after learning of his wife’s affair with Gavin, John had secretly tracked her using a location app. On the night Gavin went missing, Chandrika and Gavin went on a date unaware that John knew their every move and was tailing them.
Initially, Chandrika and Gavin arrived separately in their own vehicles. At a secluded spot, Chandrika got into Gavin’s car to talk intimately. However, as soon as she sat in the passenger seat, John suddenly appeared, startling the lovers. John then dragged his wife out and repeatedly punched Gavin until he stopped breathing.
Witnessing everything, a terrified Chandrika feared she would be next, so she quickly drove off. A while later, John came home and told her he would spare her life if she helped him dispose of Gavin’s body. Left with no choice, Chandrika agreed.
John then called some associates to help conceal Gavin’s body. They rented a truck to transport the corpse to a remote forested area where John buried it in a shallow grave.
Gavin’s abandoned car was later driven by John to and left in a parking lot he owned.
When initially discovered, police found blood traces throughout Gavin’s vehicle. DNA testing matched samples to both Gavin and John.
The Surprising Verdict
John’s trial began on July 3, 2017, over 5 years after Gavin’s murder. Chandrika and John’s associates testified as witnesses about disposing of the body.
Prosecutors argued John killed Gavin out of jealousy. However, John claimed Gavin attacked first and he only fought back in self-defense, alleging Gavin wielded a hammer intending to assault him – though no hammer was found.
Ultimately, in a surprising decision, the jury rejected the prosecution’s argument that John murdered Gavin for being with his wife. They agreed John was guilty, but only of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter due to heat of passion and jealousy. Most jurors expressed sympathy for John, feeling the victim shared blame for his inappropriate relationship with John’s wife.
For the voluntary manslaughter conviction, the judge sentenced John to just 11 years in prison instead of the life term prosecutors sought.
