Teenager to Be Tried as Adult in Shooting Death of His Father
A former Villa Park High School football and baseball star accused of shooting his father to death should be tried as an adult, a Riverside County juvenile court judge ruled.
Matt Swearingen, 18, allegedly shot his father and left the body in the garage of their Norco home for six days while he attended a graduation party, worked out and visited friends.
The body of Robert L. Swearingen was found June 17. Matt Swearingen was 17 years old at the time, and the case was placed in juvenile court.
But Judge Christian Thierbach ruled that Swearingen, now 18, should be tried as an adult because he was not fit for juvenile court. He was transferred from Juvenile Hall to the Riverside County Jail, where he was held on $350,000 bond.
Swearingen pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge of murdering his father, who was an Orange County probation officer.
Defense attorney Richard Augustine said the elder Swearingen physically and sexually abused his adopted son.
Matt Swearingen said Thursday that on the night of the shooting, his father had given him “the worst beating” of his life and had attempted to sodomize him.
Investigators have said the elder Swearingen was shot with his own .38-caliber service revolver.
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