Texas Teen Sentenced to 40 Years for Fatal Shooting of Sonic Manager in Counterfeit Bill Dispute
SAN ANTONIO — A Texas teenager has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 2024 killing of a Sonic Drive-In manager, a fatal escalation that began with a dispute over suspected counterfeit money and ended with gunfire in the restaurant's parking lot.
Adiah Roberson, now 19, pleaded no contest last week to murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the death of 33-year-old Daniel Shrewsbury. State District Judge Benjamin Robertson imposed the maximum sentence under the plea agreement, a term he said he delivered "reluctantly" after previously questioning whether a 40-year cap was sufficient.
The July 7, 2024, shooting unfolded at the Sonic on Babcock Road. According to police and court testimony, Roberson, then 17, attempted to pay for an order with what employees believed was fake currency. When Shrewsbury, the manager on duty, followed her outside to photograph her vehicle's license plate for a police report, Roberson exited the car and shot him.
Shrewsbury stumbled back into the restaurant and collapsed in front of colleagues. "I flipped him over and I heard his last breath," testified Carlos Encino, a fellow manager who had worked alongside Shrewsbury that evening. "His face was blue, his lips were blue … I just don't understand why people would play God and try to take someone's life."
Roberson fled the scene with an alleged accomplice, Joshua Joseph, who was later arrested but saw his murder charge dropped. After a months-long manhunt that placed her on Texas's Top 10 Most Wanted list, Roberson was arrested at a Dallas apartment complex in October 2024.
The sentencing hearing laid bare the tragedy's lasting toll. Shrewsbury's mother, Peggy Cofield, opposed the plea deal, telling the court, "The only thing I have of my son is his picture on the wall and his ashes on myself — I'll never get him back."
Meanwhile, members of Roberson's family asked for mercy, describing her as a smart young woman who made a catastrophic mistake. The case highlights the volatile and often deadly intersections of petty crime, accessible firearms, and impulsive youth decisions.
Community Reaction
Michael Torres, 42, local small business owner: "This is a gut punch for our community. A man just doing his job, trying to protect his business from counterfeiters, and it costs him his life. The sentence is just, but it doesn't bring Daniel back. It makes you question the value we place on service industry workers."
Dr. Lena Mitchell, 58, criminal justice professor: "This is a profoundly sad case on all fronts. A young woman's life is essentially over, and a family has lost a son. It underscores the need for better interventions for at-risk youth before a single, terrible decision leads to irreversible consequences. The plea likely reflects evidential challenges, but the outcome is no less devastating."
Ricky "Ace" Johnson, 35, community activist (sharper tone): "Forty years? For a 17-year-old over what started as fake money? The system would rather warehouse a Black teen for decades than address the root causes—poverty, lack of opportunity, a culture that glorifies violence. Where's the driver's sentence? Where's the accountability for a society that fails its kids? This isn't justice; it's a life swap, and we all lose."
Susan Carter, 61, former retail manager: "As someone who's had to deal with counterfeit bills, I feel for Mr. Shrewsbury. You're trained to be vigilant, but you never expect it to turn violent. His family's pain is unimaginable. While I have sympathy for the teen's family, the sentence sends a necessary message: if you choose to use a gun, you must face the severest consequences."