FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — A Fort Wayne man charged in connection with a deadly shooting earlier this summer has agreed to a plea deal.
According to our partners in news at 21ALIVE, Chavez Gustin, 22, was initially charged with murder, felony murder and burglary in the death of 67-year-old Roger Marvin Swedzinski. Swedzinski was found shot to death inside his home in the 700 block of Hathaway Road after a friend discovered him and contacted authorities.
Court records show Swedzinski’s family identified several items missing from the home, including ten 2006 one-tenth–ounce American Eagle gold coins that the victim had listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Investigators say Gustin was captured on surveillance video selling the coins at a local pawn shop two days after Swedzinski’s death.
On Tuesday, Gustin agreed to plead guilty to felony murder. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the murder and burglary charges, as well as a sentencing enhancement for the use of a firearm during the crime.
The plea agreement calls for Gustin to serve 55 years in prison. It also requires him to cooperate fully with investigators and provide truthful testimony in any future proceedings related to the case.
Gustin is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 5 and remains held at the Allen County Jail.
