WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY – A Mount Vernon man was recently sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of 28-year-old resident Kashawn Smith, according to District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah. John Bobbitt, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on February 7, 2023.
The murder took place on April 28, 2020, at around 10 p.m. following a dispute with Smith. Bobbitt used a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol to shoot Smith five times, resulting in injuries to the head, chest, torso, and back. Smith was transported to Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The Mount Vernon Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office all collaborated on the investigation that led to Bobbitt’s arrest in Newark, New Jersey, on July 13, 2020. He has since been returned to New York.