In the early morning hours of Saturday, December 20, 2025, a violent disturbance erupted in the quiet streets of Cordele, Georgia. Just before 2:00 a.m., local law enforcement received urgent calls reporting a shooting in the 500 block of West 15th Avenue. Officers responding to the scene discovered a chaotic aftermath where three individuals had been struck by gunfire. Among the victims was 62-year-old Roger Swint, a male resident of the area known affectionately to friends and family by the nickname "Bay Bay."
Despite the immediate arrival of first responders and their attempts to administer lifesaving measures at the scene, Swint had sustained fatal injuries. The Cordele Police Department confirmed that he was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival. The violence of the night did not end with his passing; two other male victims who had also sustained gunshot wounds were treated at the scene and subsequently rushed to Crisp Regional Hospital for urgent medical care.
As the community grappled with the sudden loss, the Cordele Police Department requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to lead the inquiry into the homicide. Detectives and agents began processing the scene on West 15th Avenue, searching for forensic evidence that could explain the sequence of events leading to the tragedy. As of the initial reports following the incident, authorities had not announced any arrests or publicly named specific suspects tied directly to Swint's death. The investigation remained active, with officials urging anyone with knowledge of the shooting to contact the GBI Tip Line or the local police department.
In the days following the shooting, the local community began to mourn the loss of Swint. The Bentley-Carson Memorial Funeral Home in Cordele was entrusted with his final arrangements, announcing his passing with deep sadness and asking the public to keep his bereaved family in their prayers. While the investigation continued to unfold, friends and loved ones gathered to pay tribute to the man they knew, lighting candles and sharing condolences online as they awaited answers regarding the senseless violence that claimed his life.