Convicted Drug Dealer Charged With Murder of Former Fox Exec Gavin Smith
By Alex Stedman
The convicted drug dealer who has long been a suspect in the death of former 20th Century Fox executive Gavin Smith has been charged with murder in the case, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
John Lenzie Creech, 42, will be arraigned Monday. He could receive an additional 25 years in state prison if convicted.
Smith went missing in May 2012, prompting a massive search that captivated Hollywood. His remains were found last November in a shallow grave on the south side of Palmdale, California, near the border of Acton in the Angeles National Forest area. At the time, L.A. County Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Dolson said the department was “confident” an arrest would be made in Smith’s murder.
Creech became a prime suspect when Smith’s black Mercedes-Benz was found in a storage unit connected to Creech in February 2013. Smith’s wife said he met Creech in rehab.
The distribution executive was last seen in the Southern California community of Oak Park on May 1, 2012. He was 57.
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