Swaim Gets 16 Years to Life in Prison for Killing Girlfriend

Steve Swaim, who was convicted last month of second-degree murder for beating his girlfriend to death with a pipe wrench and then burying her in a septic tank with her crippled dog, was sentenced Thursday to 16 years to life in prison.

Before he was sentenced by a Lancaster Superior Court judge, the 42-year-old Swaim read a statement apologizing to his family, some of whom attended the session, and the family of the victim, Barbara Weston, 51.

During his trial, Swaim had maintained that he had no intention of killing Weston, but struck her with a pipe wrench while defending himself after she had pushed him against the couple’s refrigerator during a quarrel.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan Mills argued that Swaim knew his act was not justified and his attempt to hide Weston’s body in their septic tank with that of her dog was proof. He beat the dog to death with the same wrench after killing Weston, the prosecutor said.

The body was found after neighbors grew suspicious because they had not seen the dog, which moved with the aid of a distinctive wheeled apparatus that functioned as its rear legs.

Saying she was satisfied with the sentence, Mills predicted that Swaim would serve more than the minimum 16 years.