Sherman Dewalt pled guilty earlier this week to murder and burglary first degree as his trial was about to begin in the Fairfield County Courthouse.

Dewalt was accused of killing Davita Roseboro, his former girlfriend approximately five years ago. The relationship ended two weeks prior to the incident.

He pled guilty as charged without any plea negotiations and received a sentence of life in prison on the murder charge which was suspended to the service of 30 years to be followed by five years of intensive probation. He received a concurrent sentence of 30 years in prison on the burglary charge.

At approximately 4:45 a.m. on July 21, 2003, Dewalt forced his way through the front door of Roseboro’s Chappell Town Road home and through her locked bedroom door. Inside the bedroom, Roseboro and her three children, ages 5. 10, 12 were asleep in the same bed.

After an exchange of words between Dewalt and Roseboro, he shot her once in the head and she died at the scene.

The children, who were witnesses to the crime, ran to their grandmother’s house which was nearby and summoned help.

Dewalt was arrested later that day in Newberry County. A Prosperity resident, he turned himself in to Newberry authorities approximately four hours following the Roseboro shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Sixth Circuit Solicitor Doug Barfield. Dewalt was represented by Jack Swerling.