Man Guilty in Beating Death of Girlfriend
- Share via
LANCASTER — Steven Swaim, accused of beating his 51-year-old girlfriend to death with a knife sharpener and pipe wrench before burying her in a septic tank with her crippled dog, was found guilty of second-degree murder Thursday.
A jury of six men and six women deliberated for a little over a day before concluding that the 42-year-old Swain knew that the pipe wrench with which he beat Barbara Weston several times on the head was a dangerous weapon.
Swaim testified he did not mean to kill Weston, but struck her while defending himself after she pushed him against the couple’s refrigerator.
But Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan Mills challenged Swaim’s story by pointing out to the jurors that he hid Weston’s body in a septic tank with that of her dog--which he also killed with the pipe wrench--because he knew his act wasn’t justified.
“Considering all the evidence, it was a just verdict,” she said.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 5 and Swaim could face a minimum of 16 years in prison, Mills said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
