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Accident – Death – Obituary News : Investigators believe that an Arizona man, Devante Swaby, who has been charged in the murder of a Bloomfield father, Timothy Ross, followed the victim after he dropped off his children at a local school. Swaby allegedly approached Ross’ vehicle on foot less than a mile away and fired multiple gunshots at him. The motive behind the slaying remains unknown, as the 11-page affidavit supporting Swaby’s arrest does not shed any light on it.
During Swaby’s arraignment in Hartford Superior Court, Judge David Gold ordered him to be held on a $3 million bond, which can only be posted at the courthouse. Swaby, who has no criminal record, has been living in Connecticut for about 25 years before becoming a truck driver and residing in Peoria, Arizona, for the past four months.
State prosecutors revealed during the hearing that investigators believe Swaby may have been following Ross before the fatal shooting, but there is no indication of any prior connection between the two. Swaby, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants, did not speak during the proceeding and did not enter a plea to the charges against him.
Swaby was apprehended in Arizona on December 15 by the U.S. Marshals Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force and extradited to Connecticut this week. The Bloomfield Police Department believes that Swaby fled to Arizona following the homicide.
A public defender temporarily representing Swaby stated that he waived extradition in Arizona and maintains his innocence. Swaby is due back in court on January 25, when the judge will determine if there is enough probable cause for the murder charge to proceed. Swaby has 60 days to decide if he wishes to hire a private attorney or use a public defender.
The affidavit details the events leading up to the shooting. A Bloomfield police officer, who was investigating an unrelated complaint, encountered Ross at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Cottage Grove Road. Ross had blood on his face, neck, and clothing, leading the officer to initially believe he had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. However, a witness approached the officer and stated that they had witnessed Ross being shot.
According to the witness, Ross was stopped in his Toyota Camry on Bloomfield Ave. when a man in a white SUV behind him got out, approached Ross’ vehicle, and fired multiple gunshots. Ross received medical attention at the scene but was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.
Police found two shell casings and evidence of gunfire on Ross’ vehicle at the scene. Dashcam footage from the officer and other motorists captured the shooting on film. The footage shows the suspect approaching Ross’ vehicle on foot, manipulating a firearm, firing three rounds, and then returning to a Hyundai Tucson before leaving the area.
Investigators discovered that Ross had dropped his children off at the CREC Museum Academy just before the shooting. Surveillance footage from the school showed a Hyundai Tucson matching the suspect’s vehicle driving in the school’s lot while Ross escorted his children inside. The vehicle left the lot before Ross, raising suspicion.
Shortly after the shooting, video surveillance from a nearby Jewish Community Center captured a Tucson driving into the entrance and then continuing to the Hebrew Center. The footage showed a motorist parking near a dumpster, exiting and reentering their vehicle before driving away. A search of the dumpster revealed an Arby’s bag, a 9mm Ruger handgun magazine, an empty ammunition box, a black iPhone, and a gas station receipt from Secaucus, New Jersey.
A search of the surrounding area led investigators to find Swaby’s passport and social security card inside a black duffel bag. A Hartford Police Department K-9 unit located a black jacket, a 9mm Ruger handgun magazine, and a Kel-Tec collapsible rifle nearby.
However, the ballistics test showed that the gun found in the wooded area did not match the firearm used in Ross’ killing. Four days after the shooting, a recruit from the Orange Police Department discovered a 9mm Ruger handgun that matched the bullets found at the homicide scene.
Authorities learned that Swaby had purchased both the Ruger and the Kel-Tec gun in Arizona in June 2021. The phone found in the dumpster near the Hebrew Center was also linked to Swaby, as several notifications addressed to “Devante” appeared when the phone was powered up.
Receipts from a gas station transaction and an Arby’s food order, recovered from the dumpster, showed that the suspect’s vehicle matched the one used in the killing. Video surveillance from the gas station and a manager at the Arby’s rest stop in Grantsville, Maryland, corroborated the suspect’s resemblance to Swaby.
As the investigation continues, Swaby remains in custody, and the motive for the murder remains unknown. The next court hearing on January 25 will determine if there is enough evidence for the murder charge to proceed. Family members and supporters of Timothy Ross attended the proceedings but declined to speak with the media..
