SAN ANTONIO, TX – A young Texas woman was ordered to serve 40 years in prison for fatally shooting a Sonic Drive-In manager after an attempt to use counterfeit money spiraled into violence last summer.

Nineteen-year-old Adiah Roberson learned her fate Friday after accepting a plea bargain that saw her plead no contest to murder, assault causing bodily injury, and forgery. The court handed down a 40-year sentence for the murder charge and 20 years for assault, with both terms set to run concurrently.

The deadly confrontation unfolded on July 7, 2024, at a Sonic restaurant on Babcock Road in San Antonio. Police said Roberson and two friends had attempted to pay for food using fake bills before being approached by the restaurant’s 33-year-old manager, Daniel Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury, a longtime employee remembered fondly by colleagues and his family, confronted the group after their failed attempt to pass off counterfeit cash. Although they eventually paid for their food with legitimate money, tension continued to escalate as Roberson reportedly stole money from a tip jar on their way out.

As the group prepared to leave, Shrewsbury followed them into the parking lot, taking a photo of their vehicle’s license plate. According to authorities, the driver, identified as Joshua Joseph, admonished that Shrewsbury was “about to get shot” moments before Roberson stepped out of the car, drew a firearm, and fired.

Shrewsbury staggered back inside the eatery but succumbed to his injuries on scene, police said.

Family tributes describe Shrewsbury as someone who loved working at Sonic and brightened the restaurant for his employees. His mother remembered him as “a jokester who made everyone he worked with happy.”

In the wake of the shooting, investigators quickly identified Roberson and Joseph as suspects, issuing arrest warrants for murder and forgery of a government document on July 16, 2024. Joseph was apprehended roughly a month later by U.S. Marshals, while Roberson evaded authorities and landed on the Texas Department of Public Safety’s “Most Wanted” list.

Roberson was eventually tracked to an apartment complex in Dallas—nearly 300 miles away—where she was arrested in October. She was only 17 years old at the time of the killing.

After his arrest, Joseph issued a public statement expressing remorse for the incident, claiming the fatal outcome was not something he condoned. Ultimately, prosecutors dropped all charges against him.

During Friday’s sentencing, Bexar County Judge Benjamin Robertson expressed reservations over the length of Roberson’s sentence, suggesting in open court that it may not reflect the severity of the crime. Nevertheless, the judge accepted the plea agreement between prosecutors and the defense.

Roberson was not given a separate sentence on the forgery count as part of the deal. She will serve her time within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, eligible for parole consideration after serving at least half of her sentence.