In the early morning hours of October 20, 2013, the life of 23-year-old Terry Emanuel Roni Swilling was tragically cut short in Newport News, Virginia. Police responded to reports of gunshots in the 1100 block of 31st Street around 3:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, a woman directed them to a house where the shooting had occurred. Inside, near the front door, officers discovered Swilling's body; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Known affectionately as 'Roni,' Swilling was a father to five children.
The investigation into the death of the male victim quickly led to the identification of three suspects who were known to Swilling. Within a week of the incident, authorities had apprehended all three individuals. Jonas Lawrence Rodgers, 29, was arrested at the Thr-Rift Inn Motel. Tansy Shavone Sulton, 28, was taken into custody at the police headquarters, and 30-year-old Carlos Emanuel Manson, Jr., was arrested during a vehicle stop.
All three suspects faced a litany of charges, including murder, burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. While police confirmed that the individuals involved were acquainted, the specific motive and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting were not immediately released to the public. The community mourned the loss of Swilling, who was remembered as a dedicated father, son, and friend during his funeral services at St. James Fellowship Church of God before he was laid to rest at Greenlawn Cemetery.
