In the quiet neighborhood of Cheesman Park in Denver, Colorado, 67-year-old Michael Swinyard was fatally shot in his residence on December 27, 2021. His death was not an isolated incident but rather a targeted attack in a devastating shooting spree that gripped the Denver and Lakewood communities. The gunman, identified as 47-year-old Lyndon McLeod, was on a violent rampage that claimed the lives of five people and injured two others before he was killed by police.
McLeod's attack on
Swinyard was premeditated, with disturbing parallels found in a trilogy of books he had written under the pseudonym Roman McClay. In his writings, McLeod detailed the murder of a character named Michael Swinyard in a manner chillingly similar to the actual event. Authorities believe that McLeod targeted most of his victims, with whom he had prior personal or business relationships. In Swinyard's case, it's believed their connection stemmed from a past business dealing.
On that fateful evening, McLeod, dressed in tactical gear resembling a police officer, gained entry to Swinyard's apartment building. He went to Swinyard's unit and forced his way inside, where he shot and killed him. The tragic event left the community in shock and mourning the loss of Swinyard and the other victims of McLeod's calculated and brutal attacks. The shooting spree ended when McLeod was shot and killed by a Lakewood police agent.
