Port Arthur man sentenced for 2020 homicide

Published 2:44 pm Wednesday, January 25, 2023

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A Port Arthur man who pleaded guilty to a 2020 homicide was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison.

Darian Petry appeared in the 252nd District Court, where he was sentenced by Judge Raquel West.

On Aug. 17, 2020, Petry was arrested following the shooting death of Kenneth Swallow.

Darian Petry, left, is placed in a police vehicle outside the Port Arthur Police Department in 2020.

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Police were called to the scene in reference to an unresponsive person and found the 30-year-old’s body on the front porch of a residence in the 3100 block of 10th Street.

The victim had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Petry voluntarily turned himself into police.

A potential motive was not disclosed at the time of Swallow’s death.

On Wednesday, the Port Arthur Police Department released the following statement: “We want to acknowledge the hard work and cooperation of responding patrol officers, detectives, ID specialists and Assistant (District Attorney) Phillip Smith.”