In the early morning hours of January 17, 2018, the life of 24-year-old Jawuan Swift, a Black male, was tragically cut short in his Tacoma, Washington apartment. Swift was at home with his girlfriend and her 5-year-old child when two armed men kicked in their door in the 600 block of South Steele Street at approximately 2:30 a.m.
Startled by the commotion, Swift went to investigate and was met by the intruders.
He was shot in the chest and died at the scene, despite paramedics' efforts to revive him. The assailants, who wore ski masks, then demanded money from Swift's girlfriend, who gave them around $2,000 before they fled. Initially, the Tacoma Police Department had few leads, and the seemingly random and brutal nature of the crime left Swift's family and the community in shock.
For nearly a year, the case remained a painful mystery. However, investigators were diligently working behind the scenes. A significant breakthrough came when Swift's girlfriend, despite the trauma she endured, recalled the distinctive eyes of one of the intruders. She later found a picture of a man on Facebook who she believed to be one of the assailants and identified him to law enforcement. This man was later identified as Da'ron Lemar Jackson-Warren.
Further investigation, including the review of surveillance footage from near the apartment building, allowed detectives to identify a suspect vehicle and its license plate. By examining cell phone records and social media activity, police were able to connect both Jackson-Warren and a second suspect, Perris-Karlton L. Daniel III, to the scene of the crime on the night of the murder.
In December 2018, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Daniel, who subsequently turned himself in to the police. Jackson-Warren was already incarcerated on unrelated charges. Both men were charged in connection with the home invasion and Swift's murder. In November 2021, Perris-Karlton L. Daniel III pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and two counts of second-degree assault. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Da'ron Lemar Jackson-Warren also pleaded guilty to the same charges.
