TN TN - Karen Swift, 44, Dyersburg, 30 Oct 2011 - #3

[ThoughtFox]

The police knew where JH lived from the beginning, which is why he was an early suspect. But he was cleared - apparently he has an alibi for that night.

Mr. Lamb didn't do anything wrong - his farm is just across the street from where the car was abandoned. He "didn't think anything of it" because the car had a flat tire, and the Swifts lived just around the corner within easy walking/running distance. He had no way of knowing that possibly Karen had been killed. For all he knew, DS or one of the teenage sons might have been driving and just had a flat tire as they were coming home.

Police interviewed Lamb right away, and I think he was cleared.

All you can really say about those two guys is that they lived in the neighborhood. JH was only suspicious because of the quarrel over the dog, but that's only circumstantial. If they couldn't find anything connecting Karen's body or her car to JH, then it's a dead end.

 

[NC Analyzer]

Snipped for relevance...

Just realized that the above link lists an address for JH that is about 9 miles from the Swift residence which is obviously not the address JH resided at when Karen disappeared and was murdered because then he lived about 50 yards away from her since he was the "neighbor" who poisoned her dog and another neighbor's dog.

After doing a search, I discovered that JH moves around alot! He has had several different addresses in Dyersburg and other TN towns. Actually the address mentioned for JH in the link above is not far from The Farms where Karen attended the Halloween party a few hours prior to her disappearance.

Interestingly, JH lived between Karen's residence, abandoned car, and location where her body was found, but JH lived closest to Karen's residence and where her car was initially located (her residence) in the early morning hours of her disappearance.

On another note, the following quote pertains to a local who knew the Swift family and reportedly called DS the morning Karen disappeared to tell DS he saw Karen's abandoned car along the side of the road:

"Marty Lamb was driving to work around 5:30 AM Sunday when he found Karen Swift's car with a flat tire on Millsville Road in Dyersburg. He says he didn't call police because he didn't think anything of it."

http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-dyersburg-mom-missing,0,7442521.story

If he "didn't think anything of it"...why did he call DS to report it to him and why did he reportedly pull in behind the car to see if anyone was inside rather than just driving on by? Just some more thoughts...

As always, my opinions only...

Regarding your question about Mr. Lamb seeing Karen's vehicle. If you were driving to work and saw one of your neighbor's vehicles pulled off to the side of the road, wouldn't you just stop to check and make sure no one needed help? Just a "neighborly" thing to do, I would think.

Mr. Lamb and his wife had a personal relationship with the Swift's, so he would have known that Karen drove the vehicle and David had a leg injury.

Considering the vehicle was driven by Karen and the neighbor knew David was laid up with an injury, I think he probably called David to report it thinking maybe David might need some help to get the car (tire) repaired and the vehicle returned home. Again, just being a good neighbor.

 

[cluciano63]

Saying there are no suspects could just mean that they have not named any suspects, I suppose. Not that they don't have any. JMO

 

[Fishee]

Thanks to those providing summaries of "what we know."

It all looks like a lot, but evidence-wise, it ain't jack!

 

[otto]

I wonder if the autopsy results are withheld because they indicate some sort of weapon and police are still looking for that??

 

[OldSteve]

Guess this case won't be the slam-dunk I thought it would be. They're not cautioning women about going out at night, and they're not asking for help (correct me if I'm wrong on that) - so something must be going on behind the scenes.

 

[Some1Nose]

Regarding your question about Mr. Lamb seeing Karen's vehicle. If you were driving to work and saw one of your neighbor's vehicles pulled off to the side of the road, wouldn't you just stop to check and make sure no one needed help? Just a "neighborly" thing to do, I would think.

Mr. Lamb and his wife had a personal relationship with the Swift's, so he would have known that Karen drove the vehicle and David had a leg injury.

Considering the vehicle was driven by Karen and the neighbor knew David was laid up with an injury, I think he probably called David to report it thinking maybe David might need some help to get the car (tire) repaired and the vehicle returned home. Again, just being a good neighbor.

With all due respect, what I would do or not do is irrelevant here...and as far as I'm concerned, everyone, and I do mean everyone, is a suspect, unlike in a court of law where you're supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, until proven otherwise...I'm in no way saying that I believe Mr. Lamb did anything nefarious...I don't know much about him...just wondering about his reaction when questioned.

Sometimes (sometimes, more often than not), it is someone known by the victim who turns out to be the perpetrator of evil deeds....just putting it out there for discussion's sake, that's all....IMHO Anything is Possible!!

 

[Some1Nose]

The police knew where JH lived from the beginning, which is why he was an early suspect. But he was cleared - apparently he has an alibi for that night.

Mr. Lamb didn't do anything wrong - his farm is just across the street from where the car was abandoned. He "didn't think anything of it" because the car had a flat tire, and the Swifts lived just around the corner within easy walking/running distance. He had no way of knowing that possibly Karen had been killed. For all he knew, DS or one of the teenage sons might have been driving and just had a flat tire as they were coming home.

Police interviewed Lamb right away, and I think he was cleared.

All you can really say about those two guys is that they lived in the neighborhood. JH was only suspicious because of the quarrel over the dog, but that's only circumstantial. If they couldn't find anything connecting Karen's body or her car to JH, then it's a dead end.

I didn't read that JH had an alibi covering the time frame wherein Karen disappeared and was murdered. From some earlier posts, I was under the impression that LE hadn't necessarily cleared JH, yet.

If Mr. Lamb and JH were in fact both cleared, who does that leave?

 

[cocomod]

Sheriff's Dept awaits autopsy report

http://www.stategazette.com/story/1822215.html

Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box and his investigators continue to wait on Karen Swift's final autopsy report from the Shelby County Coroner's Office before they enter the next phase of their investigation.
On Friday, Memphis media stated the autopsy report was complete. However, Box said his department has not received it.

In a court order dated on Dec. 21, 2011, Moore ordered the "autopsy report not be subject to disclosure as a public document and shall remain confidential pending the indictment and arrest of all subjects in the underlying homicide or pending the closure of the investigation into the underlying homicide."

 

[cocomod]

I wonder if they think that there are mulitiple "perps" in this murder investigation?

 

[Tabb]

My question now has been answered now. I have been keeping up with this case from the beginning an have been checking daily almost for the autopsy results an any new indo regarding this case. Bt i just read someone say there had been a court order to not release the results. I'm disappointed that it seems as tho this case has stalled. I knew le had to know the results by now. Its March! I'm sure le has their reasons for not releasing them bt for those of us that have been following this case for months its a let down. I wonder have they @ least shared the results with the family? I'm sure they r very anxious to know what happened to her an get some answer's an c justice served for their mom. Imo i feel that Karen's husband is responsible for her murder. I would love to b wrong tho. So many things point to him! I really thought once the autopsy results were n there would b an arrest made. Bt i c that hasn't been the case. I hope an pray that this case doesn't turn cold. What a terrible injustice that would b to Karen! Someone took a mother away from her children for no reason @ all other than just pure evilness! She didn't deserve to b murdered an dumped like trash!! So many unanswered questions i hope we will get answers to very soon!!

 

[OldSteve]

I wonder if they think that there are mulitiple "perps" in this murder investigation?

Wow! Had not thought of that - would explain why it's taking time and that would certainly add a tricky twist to this case.

 

[NC Analyzer]

With all due respect, what I would do or not do is irrelevant here...and as far as I'm concerned, everyone, and I do mean everyone, is a suspect, unlike in a court of law where you're supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, until proven otherwise...I'm in no way saying that I believe Mr. Lamb did anything nefarious...I don't know much about him...just wondering about his reaction when questioned.

Sometimes (sometimes, more often than not), it is someone known by the victim who turns out to be the perpetrator of evil deeds....just putting it out there for discussion's sake, that's all....IMHO Anything is Possible!!

With all due respect if you're just wondering about Mr. Lamb's reaction when questioned I don't believe the answer would come from anyone on this forum. That would be a question that only LE would be able to answer.

My original reply was only to suggest that Mr. Lamb's behavior wasn't suspicious to me, and apparently it wasn't suspicious to LE considering there are no reports that his home or vehicle were ever searched.

There are links at the bottom of this page that will provide news accounts to the arrest and subsequent searches of JH's home and vehicle. After finding no evidence to suggest foul play, LE did clear him at that time.

 

[NC Analyzer]

I wonder if they think that there are mulitiple "perps" in this murder investigation?

JMO, but I would tend to believe that the reporter wrote perp's vs perp to negate any possibility of error considering there are no named suspect(s).

 

[lauriej]

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/17071264/karen-swift-autopsy-complete-but-cause-of-death-withheld

Karen Swift autopsy complete, but cause of death withheld

The cause of death has been determined, but they said they are not authorized to release the document or any information inside.


"Currently we are not naming any suspects and will not name anyone until we feel it will benefit the case," said Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box.

 

[panthera]

I wonder if they think that there are mulitiple "perps" in this murder investigation?

The wording in the document appears to be "legalese" to cover all the bases.

MOO

 

[officer'swife 2010]

To me it's obvious who did it, but I'm not LE and everybody is innocent until proven otherwise. We know she had texted saying she wasn't having a good time at the party, but do we know why? I also find it weird that DS had leg surgery a while before this and he was still on crutches?? Did he hurt it again? It's a small town and I grew up in a town like this and if you have money and power certain things get shoved under the rug whether LE wants it to or not. I think pressure needs to continued on LE so they will make an arrest. Somebody killed her and that person has to live w it everyday. Lets just hope they get caught ASAP!

 

[Some1Nose]

certain things get shoved under the rug whether LE wants it to or not. I think pressure needs to continued on LE so they will make an arrest. Somebody killed her and that person has to live w it everyday. Lets just hope they get caught ASAP!

Respectfully snipped by me for relevance

Let's hope that isn't the case here in regards to 'things getting shoved under the rug'.

And a big AMEN to your last sentence!

 

[officer'swife 2010]

I really hope so too. Not just for Karen but her children too I just can't imagine the pain her family feels and never want too

 

[OldSteve]

To me it's obvious who did it, but I'm not LE and everybody is innocent until proven otherwise. We know she had texted saying she wasn't having a good time at the party, but do we know why? I also find it weird that DS had leg surgery a while before this and he was still on crutches?? Did he hurt it again? It's a small town and I grew up in a town like this and if you have money and power certain things get shoved under the rug whether LE wants it to or not. I think pressure needs to continued on LE so they will make an arrest. Somebody killed her and that person has to live w it everyday. Lets just hope they get caught ASAP!

Could it be that they just don't have anything conclusive enough to go forward? I'm wondering if whatever was being tested or checked into just didn't pan out.