WESTPORT, Calif. – A Minnesota man known by the name Robert Wayne Sweet has been sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder of his half-brother Timothy Dalton Sweet on the coast of Mendocino, California. Mark David Schwinghammer, 41, was convicted of first-degree murder for the “willful, deliberate, and premeditated” killing that took place on September 12, 2021.
The victim’s cause of death was determined to be a stab wound to the neck, with ligature strangulation as a contributing factor. According to the Mendocino County Probation Department, Schwinghammer’s actions were described as “extremely callous” and have had a significant impact on the victim’s family, particularly his six-year-old son.
The evidence for the conviction was developed by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and the case was prosecuted by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Eloise Kelsey. Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Victoria Shanahan accepted Schwinghammer’s guilty plea and subsequently ordered the life sentence after hearing impact statements from the victim’s family members.
This devastating murder has left a lasting impact on the Mendocino County community. Schwinghammer’s sentence of 25 years to life serves as a reminder of the consequences of violent and heinous crimes in society. The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office worked diligently to ensure justice was served for the victim and his family, and the sentencing reflects the seriousness of the crime committed. The tragic loss of Timothy Dalton Sweet is a somber reminder of the devastating impact of senseless violence on families and communities.