In the early evening of January 25, 2016, a knock at the door of his residence in the 1000 block of Cherokee Street in Valdosta, Georgia, ended the life of 21-year-old Lenton Swint, an African American male. It was approximately 6:58 p.m. when officers from the Valdosta Police Department were called to the scene after a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Swint lying in the front doorway with a gunshot wound. He was rushed by EMS to South Georgia Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
A friend who was with Swint just before the fatal encounter told investigators that as they approached the home, they noticed two African American males in the yard who asked to speak with the resident. The friend reported hearing a knock on the door soon after, followed by the sound of a single gunshot, and then found Swint wounded. Authorities later determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence but was related to illegal drugs.
The investigation into Swint's death quickly led to the identification of four suspects. Within 48 hours, the Valdosta Police Department, with assistance from the Warner-Robins Police Department and the Houston County Sheriff's Office, had all four individuals in custody. The suspects were identified as Brian Sutton, 21, Johnny Slocumb Jr., 22, Kelvin Latchie, 19, and Daryn Wooten, 18.
Kelvin Latchie was identified as the shooter and charged with felony murder. Brian Sutton, Johnny Slocumb Jr., and Daryn Wooten were each charged with being a party to the crime of felony murder. In May 2016, a Lowndes County grand jury handed down an indictment against Kelvin Latchie for felony murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, aggravated assault, and criminal attempt to purchase marijuana. The other three men were also indicted on charges of being party to the crime of felony murder.
