Teenage Brothers To Stand Trial For Murder Of Metro Mother, Third Suspect Arrested Out-Of-State

Two teenage brothers charged with murder will go to trial for the shooting death of a metro mother.

Cherri Brooks, 36, died in March after being shot twice at a motel in northeast Oklahoma City.

Thursday the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office said a third suspect was arrested in California and awaiting extradition. The two brothers currently in custody at the Oklahoma County Detention Center were bound over for trial during their preliminary trials last week.

Five months have passed since Janet Brooks lost her daughter, who was also a mother of three.

“It’s hurtful for my grandchildren,” said Janet Brooks, the murder victim’s mother. “It’s the first child I have lost.”

Brooks spoke to News 9 the day after police were called to the Relax Inn in northeast Oklahoma City for the deadly shooting. 

“She was still living when she made it to the hospital, being prepped to go into surgery when her heart stopped,” said Brooks.

Brooks said her daughter bled to death from the gunshot injuries. Brooks learned the three suspects were half her daughter’s age.

“As the day went on Cherri’s youngest daughter informed me, she knew the boy,” said Brooks. “Said they lived in Edmond where they were caught.”

Court documents showed police arrested 19-year-old Zaviare Swain and his younger brother Demarion Swain, 18, two hours after the shooting. A third suspect 20-year-old Michael Gaunt fled the state and was later captured in California.

Brooks was devastated saying the motive could have been robbery.

“Cherri didn’t have nothing for them to rob besides her life and they did that,” said Brooks.

The three suspects were charged with first-degree murder and now two of them will go to trial. Brooks says she will be there and prays for justice.

“My thought is I’m not nobody’s judge or jury,” said Brooks. “God is the maker of us all and I have no say.”

The brothers are each being held on $10,000,000 bonds. Their formal arraignments were set for September 4. A trial date has not been set.