In a tragic turn of events on a Friday night in August 2016, 20-year-old Noel Reed of Duluth was fatally shot at the Lake Sweetwater Apartments in an unincorporated area of Lawrenceville, Georgia. The incident stemmed from a prearranged marijuana deal that ultimately went awry. Reed had arranged to purchase a pound of marijuana from 17-year-old Tia Coleman.
Coleman, in turn, asked 23-year-old Sean Swanson to accompany her for protection, knowing he carried a firearm.
The initial meeting took place at a Waffle House, where Reed only had $600, significantly less than the agreed-upon price. Later, at the apartment complex, the exchange took a violent turn. After receiving the marijuana from Coleman, Reed reportedly produced a handgun in an attempt to rob them. In response, Swanson drew his own weapon and shot Reed twice. Following the shooting, Swanson and Coleman attempted to flee the scene but became lost within the apartment complex. They then made the decision to return to Reed's body to retrieve the bag of marijuana.
Law enforcement officials quickly apprehended five individuals in connection with the fatal shooting. Sean Swanson and Tia Coleman were subsequently charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Three other individuals, identified as Dominic Fullwood, Darquez Fullwood, and Terrell McCallum, who were in the vehicle with Swanson and Coleman, faced charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. McCallum also had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear.
In June 2017, Sean Swanson was convicted by a jury of felony murder and drug charges. Despite his claim of self-defense, the prosecution argued that this was not a valid defense as the shooting occurred during the commission of a felony. After a day and a half of deliberations, the jury found him guilty on all counts. A Superior Court Judge subsequently sentenced Swanson to life in prison. During the trial, Noel Reed's mother traveled from Tennessee and gave a statement in which she expressed her forgiveness towards Swanson. At the time of his death, it was reported that Reed was an expectant father.
