Crime & Safety
Livingston County, NY Murder Arrest: Woman, 42, Shot and Killed
Springwater, NY – A 42 year old woman was shot and killed outside her home in Livingston County late Sunday night, leading to the arrest of a 26 year old man who now faces multiple felony charges, inc
By Claire Benton · 2026-10-27T17:20:24.145Z
Springwater, NY – A 42 year old woman was shot and killed outside her home in Livingston County late Sunday night, leading to the arrest of a 26 year old man who now faces multiple felony charges, including second degree murder.
According to Livingston County Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty, deputies responded to a residence in the town of Springwater at approximately 11:07 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, after receiving a report of a person who had been shot.
When deputies arrived, they discovered a woman outside the residence who had suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the victim as Shannon Knapp, 42, who lived at the residence.
Investigators determined that an altercation had occurred outside the home involving three other individuals. During the confrontation, a 12 gauge shotgun was introduced and discharged, fatally striking Knapp, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies and investigators worked overnight and into Monday to reconstruct the events surrounding the shooting.
On Monday, Oct. 26, investigators located and arrested Christopher Smith, 26, of Springwater.
Smith was charged with second degree murder, first degree criminal use of a firearm and second degree menacing.
Following his arrest, Smith was transported to the Livingston County Jail for processing and arraignment.
He later appeared before Springwater Town Justice Johnson at the county's centralized arraignment court.
Smith was remanded to the custody of the Livingston County Sheriff's Office and ordered held without bail.
Investigators also recovered weapons believed to have been involved in the fatal shooting.
The sheriff's office confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing, with assistance from its Criminal Investigations Division, Patrol Division, Forensic Identification Unit and the Livingston County District Attorney's Office.
Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the confrontation or the relationships among those involved.
Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.