The attorney for a Mt. Morris man accused of shooting and killing his stepson after an argument in their Mt. Morris apartment in April received another continuance Wednesday, Oct. 29, to examine information given to him by prosecutors.

“I am still going through the discovery process,” Ogle County Assistant Public Defender Eric Morrow told Judge Anthony Peska.

Morrow represents Derek Swanlund, 45, who is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the April 21 death of Cameron Pasley, 25, also of Mt. Morris, in what police described as a “domestic” incident.

“There is a lot of discovery. I have made arrangements to meet with Mr. Swanlund in jail,” Morrow told Peska during the afternoon hearing.

Discovery is the pre-trial process where attorneys share information and evidence that they plan on using in the defense, or prosecution, of the defendant.

Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Voss did not object to the continuance.

Swanlund is facing three counts of first-degree murder and a misdemeanor charge of using a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun without having a Firearm Owner’s Identification card.

He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

During an April 30 preliminary hearing, prosecutors said the Mt. Morris Police Department responded first to the scene at an apartment complex at Ogle Avenue in Mt. Morris after receiving a 911 call at 4:59 p.m. from Pasley’s mother, in which she said her husband had shot her son.

When a Mt. Morris police officer arrived at the scene, she saw Swanlund walking away from the apartment complex while carrying a black and silver handgun in his right hand, police said.

Voss said a verbal argument inside the apartment evolved to “shoulder bumping” with Pasley, after which Swanlund shot him.

When more officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Pasley inside the apartment, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds, Voss said.

Pasley was pronounced dead at OSF Saint Katharine Medical Center in Dixon after being taken from the scene by Mt. Morris EMS.

Pasley’s mother told police she had entered a different room after arguing with Swanlund and after he “belly bumped” her into her son. She then heard Pasley say ‘He shot me,’” Voss told the court.

In earlier hearings, Morrow argued for his pretrial release, noting that Swanlund had no criminal history other than one misdemeanor charge for which he received and completed court supervision.

Morrow said Swanlund had bought the gun legally when he lived in North Carolina and had lived in Mt. Morris for 10 years. He said Swanlund cooperated with police when they arrived at the scene.

During an April hearing, Ogle County Detective Chad Gallick testified that autopsy results showed Pasley suffered four gunshot wounds to his torso, one to his abdomen and one to his hand before his death.

Gallick said Pasley had come to his mother’s apartment that day to visit his dog.

Peska set Swanlund’s next court hearing for 1 p.m. Dec. 10, and remanded him to the Ogle County Jail, where he has been held since his arrest.

Pasley was a 2018 graduate of Oregon High School and a full-time custodian for the Oregon School District at the time of his death.