October 31, 2026 – Yuba County District Attorney's Office officials announce that Ricky Singh Lasher, 41 of Yuba City, was sentenced Monday to serve 24 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter for the 2023 death of Amery Sweany, and a separate 2024 felony sexual battery. The sentencing marks the end of a difficult investigation and prosecution that strove to bring justice for Amery and several other women whose vulnerabilities Lasher exploited.

Yuba County Sheriff’s Detectives had little to work with in the early days of the investigation. Tire tracks through the grass in the orchard, as well as Amery’s injuries, suggested she had been run over by a vehicle. Investigators methodically photographed tire tracks and shoe impressions observed on a nearby dirt road that ran through the orchard. An autopsy later confirmed that Amery died from blunt force injuries consistent with being run over. Without any evidence pointing to a suspect, the case was growing cold.

The case likely would have remained unsolved but for a witness who came forward after seeing an article about the case in the Appeal-Democrat newspaper. This information led to Lasher's arrest in 2024-- a year after Amery was killed.

The witness described picking Amery up in Yuba City approximately a week prior where they hung out through the evening on April 26, 2023. After they parted ways that night at the Marysville Jack in the Box, Amery made her way to the Habit Burger parking lot just north of ampm in Marysville. Video surveillance showed that Lasher -- in a white Chevy truck -- pulled into the ampm and spoke to Amery.

Video showed that Lasher left and returned multiple times seemingly circling Amery, approaching her over and over again. Amery appeared increasingly agitated each time Lasher returned and eventually walked away from him and into the ampm. Lasher picked up Amery’s bag -- which held everything she owned in this world-- put it into the truck, and drove off. Amery remained between the ampm and Habit Burger for another 50 minutes, before walking down the alley and east on 8th Street. As she walked away, surveillance showed the white truck driven by Lasher driving west on 8th Street. That video was the last trace of Amery alive.

Investigators were able to review other evidence such as shoe impressions and tire tracks in the orchard road, tire markings on Amery's body, grass and debris found on Lasher's rented truck, video surveillance, and witness statements.

Prosecutors believe that Lasher eventually coaxed Amery into his truck by offering her drugs, just as he had done with other women in the past. He drove her to the orchard off Simpson Lane, where he attempted to sexually assault her, just as he had done to other women in the past. Evidence shows that Amery fought and ran, leaving a handful of shoe impressions behind in the dirt road in the orchard. The tire impressions and the tracks through grass suggest that Lasher followed Amery down the dirt road and then suddenly veered off the road, running her over between the rows of trees and leaving her for dead.

Despite extensive investigative work, significant gaps remained in the evidence. To this day, only Ricky Lasher knows exactly what happened to Amery Sweany after she left ampm. Amery’s family and prosecutors agreed to resolve the case for less than murder, recognizing the uncertainty of what a jury might conclude.

Lasher pled “no contest” to voluntary manslaughter on April 10, 2026, as part of a plea agreement with the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office. Lasher also admitted committing a sexual battery on one of the vulnerable women who came forward. He was sentenced to an aggregate term of 24 years in state prison and will be required to register for life as a sex offender, and his driving privilege in California will be suspended for life.

We thank the dedicated professionals who dedicated thousands of hours working to ensure justice for Amery: Yuba County Sheriff's detectives, deputies, and community service officers; DOJ analysts; CHP Valley Division's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team; victim advocates; and Yuba County Deputy District Attorneys and investigators who helped carry this case over the finish line, including Brandt Lowe, James Perin, Catherine Alestra, Brad Morrow, Caitlin Smith, and Adam Seraphin. And thank you to Yuba County Judge Julia Scrogin for ensuring Ricky Lasher won’t be able to harm more women for the foreseeable future.

Above all, we want to honor Amery and share these words from her sister: “Amery was compassionate, strong-willed, nurturing, and confident. She was someone who always stood up for others and for herself... I am deeply grateful to the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for all of their diligent work in bringing this truth to light, and especially to the other brave victims who had the courage to come forward and expose this pattern of behavior. I share this as a reflection of my sister’s dignity, her strength, and her potential. Amery was so deeply loved, and we are tremendously proud of her bravery.”

Source & photos: Yuba County District Attorney's Office