Lansing, MI — A Jackson County man is behind bars after being arraigned on Monday in connection with the brutal killings of his neighbor and mother. Forty-year-old Roger Schweda is charged with two counts of Open Murder and two counts of Felony Firearm following the deaths of 57-year-old Thomas Farnsworth and 70-year-old Shari Schweda.
The incident unfolded on Saturday, when Schweda allegedly killed his mother and then sent a chilling voicemail to Farnsworth, his neighbor. In the voicemail, Schweda claimed he could not enter his home because his mother was dead. Alarmed by the message, Farnsworth contacted authorities to request a welfare check on Schweda.
Farnsworth then walked to Schweda’s residence to obtain the exact address for the responding officers. While standing in the driveway, Farnsworth placed a second call to the police, reporting that Schweda was pulling into the driveway. Moments later, a gunshot rang out, and Farnsworth stopped responding.
When officers from the Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety arrived at the scene, they found Farnsworth’s lifeless body in the driveway. Inside the home, they discovered Shari Schweda’s body in a bedroom. According to the prosecutor, the scene inside the bedroom was described as “gruesome” in the police report, though further details on the circumstances surrounding her death have not been released.
At Schweda’s arraignment on Monday, Circuit Court Judge Allison L. Bates agreed to a request for a competency evaluation, but denied bond, citing concerns for public safety. Schweda is expected to return to court on January 3 for further proceedings.
The case has shocked the local community, raising questions about the events leading to such a violent outburst. Authorities have yet to disclose a possible motive for the killings, and Schweda’s mental state is expected to be a key part of the investigation.
As the legal process unfolds, residents of Jackson County and surrounding areas remain stunned by the tragedy.
