WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, NJ – A Pennsylvania man convicted of fatally shooting his stepfather inside a South Jersey home during a heated family argument has been sentenced to 65 years in prison, closing a case that prosecutors said escalated from a dispute over a houseguest into deadly violence.
Christian Smith, 28, was found guilty in January of first-degree murder in the October 2021 killing of 43-year-old Dennis McKenzie Jr. This week, Gloucester County Superior Court Judge William Ziegler imposed the sentence, requiring Smith to serve at least 85% of the term before becoming eligible for parole.
The shooting unfolded on Oct. 9, 2021, at a family residence in Woolwich Township, where Smith had been temporarily staying with his mother and stepfather. Prosecutors said the confrontation centered on comments Smith made about his sister’s LGBTQ houseguest, which led to a confrontation that turned physical and then fatal.
Argument escalates inside family home
According to prosecutors, the dispute began when Smith voiced objections to the presence of his sister’s guest, citing his personal beliefs. First Assistant Prosecutor Dana Anton told the court that Smith “made it known to his stepfather that he did not approve of that person coming into their house” because, as Smith saw it, “their house was a house of God.”
Family members attempted to intervene as tensions rose. “Smith’s mother and sister attempted to diffuse the situation, with his mother putting herself between the two men,” prosecutors said. Despite those efforts, the argument intensified.
After Smith used an anti-LGBTQ slur, McKenzie struck him, according to the prosecution. What followed, authorities said, was a rapid escalation.
Prosecutors said Smith pulled a Glock 19 9 mm handgun from his waistband, reached over his mother, and opened fire. McKenzie was shot once in the face and three times in the back. Investigators said Smith later disassembled the weapon and recorded himself saying, “That’s what he gets.”
Trial arguments and jury decision
During the trial, Smith’s defense argued the shooting occurred during a struggle over the gun, claiming some of the shots were fired accidentally before Smith gained control and continued firing. Prosecutors rejected that account, pointing to forensic evidence and the sequence of events described in court.
“He took the gun out from behind him, reached over her, and fired three times,” Anton argued during a pretrial hearing. “You can’t accidentally shoot somebody three times.”
Jurors ultimately sided with the prosecution, convicting Smith of first-degree murder.
Sentencing and accountability
The sentence handed down this week reflects both the severity of the crime and the court’s determination that Smith acted with intent, according to officials.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s violent actions and ensures he will be held accountable for taking a life,” Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns said.
Smith will remain in state custody for decades, with parole eligibility only after serving the majority of his 65-year sentence.
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