A Redding man convicted last month of shooting, torturing and burning to death a member of a prominent local family was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Shasta County Superior Court Judge Jody Burgess handed down the sentence to Steven Schlapia, but also told the 60-year-old man he has seen few, if any, criminal cases more “grisly” and “evil” than the one he committed.
Burgess said that he was haunted by what happened to 47-year-old Jimmy Schwerdt in March 2022 and wondered whether Schlapia also was troubled by the memories of what he did.
“I could be doing something random and begin to think of what you’ve done,” Burgess said. “I don’t understand it. I can’t make sense of it.”
At one point Schlapia, who sat in a wheelchair, shook his head, but Burgess stopped him and told him, “I don’t want you to talk.”
What happened the day of the murder, according to law enforcement and court statements, was that Schwerdt went to Schlapia’s house northeast of Redding to collect a motorcycle taken from him.
Burgess said Schlapia shot Schwerdt three times as he walked up the driveway to Schlapia’s house. After the shooting, Schwerdt pleaded for his life.
A friend told sheriff’s deputies he heard Schwerdt yell out, “I can’t feel my feet! What are you doing, bro?”
And then a reply from Schlapia, “Does it feel good, bro? I’m going to kill your family!”
After the shooting, Schlapia lit Schwerdt on fire, attacked him with metal a pipe and then slammed a door on top of him, Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel said during the trial.
Members of Schwerdt’s family said in court Monday that the killing left them shattered.
Schwerdt’s parents, Jim and Nancy Schwerdt, were heavily involved at Enterprise High School for many years.
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Jim Schwerdt was a teacher at the school, where he coached several sports and was at one time the school’s athletic director. Nancy Schwerdt worked in the health and counseling department at the school for decades.
The Enterprise High School basketball court is named after Jim Schwerdt. Jimmy Schwerdt and both of his parents graduated from Enterprise.
After she found out about her son’s death, Nancy Schwerdt said friends came to visit at her home.
“I couldn’t stop crying. After I began to hear a few of the details of Jimmy’s death, I told my husband I felt like I was watching a horror movie, but I was right in the middle of it,” she said in court Monday.
Many of those friends, as well as members of Schwerdt’s family, filled the courtroom Monday for the sentencing. Jim and Nancy Schwerdt and their son’s wife, Faith, read statements about how the killing affected them.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about Jimmy, miss his beautiful personality and wish he was still here so I could tell him how much I love him. You took him away from me and I don’t think I can ever forgive you for that,” Nancy Schwerdt said in court, speaking directly to Schlapia.
At times, as family members read their statements, Schlapia dabbed at his eyes and appeared to cry. But Burgess said he did not believe Schlapia had any remorse for killing Schwerdt.
The judge said Schlapia was the opposite of remorseful, noting that his attorney, Michael Borges, argued during the trial that his client acted out of “self-preservation” because he thought Schwerdt was armed and was intent on using a weapon against him.
In addition to life in prison without parole, the judge also sentenced Schlapia to an additional 27 years and another 5-years-to-life sentence, according to the district attorney’s office.
Jim Schwerdt said in court Monday he felt the shooting went far beyond self-defense.
“Did he fear for his life when he tortured, beat him (Jimmy Schwerdt) and verbally threatened to kill him and his family while he lay paralyzed on the ground? Was he threatened for his life when Jimmy pleaded with him to stop? Threatened with his life when he shot him in the back of his head, poured gasoline on him and lit him on fire and put a door on his body that said ‘F— you a–hole?” Jim Schwerdt said in his court statement.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at [email protected] and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding man gets life in prison in shooting, beating and torture death
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