Former Lewiston resident remembered as ‘a saint’

Tina Swor, a former Lewiston resident who was murdered by her boyfriend one year ago in Spirit Lake, Idaho, was remembered this week as “truly a saint amongst us” by a friend.

Christine Fiorentino, who felt an “instant connection” with Swor when they met in 2016, was closely watching the sentencing of John Dalton last week in 1st District Court in Coeur d’Alene. Dalton, 56, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March, was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.

Swor, 57, was found dead in her Spirit Lake home in August 2021, when friends and family requested a welfare check after not hearing from her for several days. Dalton was arrested and charged with murder two days later.

Fiorentino and her husband moved to Spirit Lake six years ago and met Swor and Dalton. In a written message to the Tribune, Fiorentino said Swor was “the sweetest soul you ever met.”

“She did so much to better the days of her family, friends, and the communities in which she lived,” Fiorentino wrote. “We are forever changed just because she loved us. It’s truly sad that we have yet to see true remorse from John Dalton Jr. for what he did to our beloved Tina. I am not sure that John will ever change and for that, I hope he stays put in prison for all of his days. For those of us who were lucky enough to know Tina, we will continue to honor her memory and speak out against domestic violence. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”

Swor lived in Lewiston from about 2004-14. During her time in the valley, she and others owned a candy store in downtown Clarkston called the Sugar Shack.

Dalton was sentenced last Friday at Coeur d’Alene. Some of Swor’s family members spoke during the hearing.

“Our family is forever ruined,” Swor’s brother was quoted as saying by KREM TV. “John didn’t just take my sister’s life, he took all of ours. I don’t think you can ever be rehabilitated, I hope you (Dalton) can make peace with yourself.”

According to the Coeur d’Alene Press, Dalton was charged with domestic battery, a misdemeanor, in Kootenai County in early 2020. He later pleaded guilty to an amended charge of disturbing the peace and completed a domestic violence offender intervention program in March 2021.

Five months later, he killed Swor.

Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262. Follow him on Twitter @MattBaney_Trib.