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

[cocomod]

Thinking about Karen! Wishing that there was justice - still hoping that it comes soon!

:rose: :rose: R.I.P. Karen :rose: :rose:

 

[NC Analyzer]

Got to wonder what happening with this case... figured by now there would be a press conference or news release. If it was a random or serial attack, wouldn't they say something about being on the lookout, or being careful?

They ruled out serial killing/random attack. Crime is not connected to any other missing/murdered women cases. This was announced shortly after her body was found.

 

[OldSteve]

They ruled out serial killing/random attack. Crime is not connected to any other missing/murdered women cases. This was announced shortly after her body was found.

Yes, I remember that, which led me to think they knew who did it, and so I thought this case would move forward quickly once the medical reports were released to LE.
But now with it taking so long for anything new to be mentioned I'm wondering if they still believe it was not random.

 

[otto]

Yes, I remember that, which led me to think they knew who did it, and so I thought this case would move forward quickly once the medical reports were released to LE.
But now with it taking so long for anything new to be mentioned I'm wondering if they still believe it was not random.

I've been concerned from the beginning that this case would be very slow like the investigation into the murder of Michelle Young. Her husband was recently convicted of 1st degree murder after 6 years. I think the investigation is seriously complicated if the murder occurred in or close to home and the husband is the most likely suspect.

 

[Nana46]

I posted quite awhile back that I was going to the area of where Karen lived and where her car was found. I finally had a chance late this afternoon and my husband took me out there as he knows the area well. As luck would have it, we turned onto the road that the large cross is on and down away you could see the cemetery and I believe there was still some crime scene tape up and I know there were some other items such as cherubs or something like that. You have to understand the hilliness (is that a word?) in this area...the roads curve in a maddening arc one after the other. We went by the cemetery and could look down and see it from the main road. It did not look as I thought it would after seeing the photos in our paper. Anywho, we went on until we actually could see her home on a slight hill way before we got to the road she lived on.....we turned onto that road and I assume it was her hubby mowing the yard. I would not stare and we drove on past the house. We passed several more beautiful large new homes on the road. We turned around at about the 4th or 5th house as I wanted to go back out the way we came in order to see where her car was found. We came up on her area so quickly that I could not take everything in....suffice to say there are numerous homes within a few feet of her home....very very populated. I was surprised at that. It is not off and deserted by any means. We came up on the area I believe where her car was found and it truly was not far at all. I could have run that easily and I am no runner by any means. I had envisioned the home being fairly isolated since it was in the country but that is not so. As I said there are numerous homes all around....I would have felt as safe there as I do in my own home in town. It all came almost full circle to me after seeing her home and her hubby mowing the yard. I do hear from this family from time to time as I know people who know them but I don't know her family.I can only imagine living day to day if you are innocent thinking that any day someone could come and arrest you for something you did not do. I suppose if you are guilty you have the same fear. I hope I never know what that is like.
Anyway, I told you all I would go out there and I finally did. But I will go again as there was one home I was not sure of and I want to see the distance of that home to hers. If it is the one I think it is it is very close indeed. HTH.

 

[Fishee]

There was a lawn to mow?

 

[Nana46]

There was a lawn to mow?

Yes why? LOL
We mowed here Thursday:rocker:

edit: we mowed Friday.

 

[OldSteve]

Thanks for you post Nana46 -

I posted quite awhile back that I was going to the area of where Karen lived and where her car was found. I finally had a chance late this afternoon and my husband took me out there as he knows the area well. As luck would have it, we turned onto the road that the large cross is on ..........................

Was wondering how fast your husband was driving? The picture of the area that you paint is much different than I had thought - the key areas sound much closer. Not sure if that makes a difference in my thinking... wonder what others think?

 

[Nana46]

Thanks for you post Nana46 -



Was wondering how fast your husband was driving? The picture of the area that you paint is much different than I had thought - the key areas sound much closer. Not sure if that makes a difference in my thinking... wonder what others think?

Not fast at all...I don't think anyone would drive fast on that road but who knows? I remember looking at the maps here that someone posted...and told my husband 'as the crow flies it is not that far from her home'....meaning the cemetery where the body was found...maybe it was just me but it seemed farther....so I kept looking and looking for her home and then the hubby said there it is and we could see it in the distance on a slight hill. I will try to go back and maybe get some photos. If nothing else I want to check the mileage from the cemetary to her home.HTH.

 

[Nana46]

Today's post from our sheriff:

Sheriff Jeff Box
The Sheriff's Office and District Attorneys office have reviewed the results of autopsy which is sealed under a court order while we conduct the ongoing investigation. This Investigation has been a very detailed, complex and intense investigation from the start which has developed much evidence that required lab work. We have received lab results from much of the evidence submitted but are still awaiting DNA processing and results of additional evidence that has been sent to the TBI Crime Lab. We do feel we have recovered evidence that will be beneficial in completing the investigation. While we await the processing of additional evidence, our agency working along with the TBI will continue the investigation to attempt to gather all possible evidence that will be beneficial in seeking arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this homicide.
If you have any information about this case you may call the Dyer County Sheriff's Office at 731-285-2802, email: [email protected] or contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
20 minutes ago ·

This is from Facebook today.

 

[cocomod]

I have been busy with my life, but I think about Karen's case daily. My mom had surgery on Thursday, and as I waited for the doctor to come out, I thought about Karen and her mom. I know that Karen will not be there to help her mom as she grows older. Karen will not see her daughters or sons walk down the aisle. I am so very sad that her life was cut short by someone that was self-centered and self-absorbed. There was NO reason to take this woman away from those that love her.

 

[OldSteve]

Not fast at all...I don't think anyone would drive fast on that road but who knows? I remember looking at the maps here that someone posted...and told my husband 'as the crow flies it is not that far from her home'....meaning the cemetery where the body was found...maybe it was just me but it seemed farther....so I kept looking and looking for her home and then the hubby said there it is and we could see it in the distance on a slight hill. I will try to go back and maybe get some photos. If nothing else I want to check the mileage from the cemetary to her home.HTH.

Thanks Nana46 for all the interesting and detailed info you've given us!

 

[MagnoliaMom]

Very glad to see Box address Karen's case even if it isn't exactly what I want to hear. I want to hear someone has been arrested.

There was truly such a short time frame to find her body in that Kudzu. We had such a mild winter. Is it growing yet Nana46?

 

[Nana46]

Very glad to see Box address Karen's case even if it isn't exactly what I want to hear. I want to hear someone has been arrested.

There was truly such a short time frame to find her body in that Kudzu. We had such a mild winter. Is it growing yet Nana46?

It still looked very dead to me MagnoliaMom....as I said I hope to go back and take my time including even going down into the cemetery itself...don't want to go where she was found I just want to see the entrance and outlying areas. I just have to believe that the perp has to know this area like the back of his or her hand. To even think of disposing a body there just gives me chills. I can't believe the perp is a woman because of the carrying of her body,etc. I feel it is someone fairly strong. But I guess if you are cruel enough to murder someone you can manage a feat of body disposal fairly easily. God I hope I never know.

 

[otto]

Not fast at all...I don't think anyone would drive fast on that road but who knows? I remember looking at the maps here that someone posted...and told my husband 'as the crow flies it is not that far from her home'....meaning the cemetery where the body was found...maybe it was just me but it seemed farther....so I kept looking and looking for her home and then the hubby said there it is and we could see it in the distance on a slight hill. I will try to go back and maybe get some photos. If nothing else I want to check the mileage from the cemetary to her home.HTH.

I put some maps together early on. Here is one: 3 miles from location where Karen was found to her home.

This one shows the locations for Karen, home and car with and without the property lines.

 

[otto]

It still looked very dead to me MagnoliaMom....as I said I hope to go back and take my time including even going down into the cemetery itself...don't want to go where she was found I just want to see the entrance and outlying areas. I just have to believe that the perp has to know this area like the back of his or her hand. To even think of disposing a body there just gives me chills. I can't believe the perp is a woman because of the carrying of her body,etc. I feel it is someone fairly strong. But I guess if you are cruel enough to murder someone you can manage a feat of body disposal fairly easily. God I hope I never know.

This is how the kudzu looked when she was found.

 

[ThoughtFox]

Nana46: Thanks for your great notes on Karen's neighborhood and proximity to the graveyard.

Yes, it's very close when you see it on Google Earth, and it's residential/rural but not that remote, and her car was found close to home, while her body was just a few miles down the road.

Here are the statues at the cemetery where they found Karen. You can see that the Swift house is sort of up on a hill and the land then slopes towards the river from there.

Otto posted these great maps a while back and I made copies of them:

 

[otto]

Here's one more that shows the location where Karen was found in relation to the road and the cross.

 

[Nana46]

Here's one more that shows the location where Karen was found in relation to the road and the cross.

With all due respect Otto, and I know nothing about maps, but that makes it look like it is just a short distance when in reality it is not. I was there. It is quite a way to the cemetery.

 

[otto]

With all due respect Otto, and I know nothing about maps, but that makes it look like it is just a short distance when in reality it is not. I was there. It is quite a way to the cemetery.

I realize that it's very hilly. That's apparent in the google earth maps, but it's not really possible to demonstrate the terrain using google earth. I thought the maps might help you identify where Karen was found, which was some distance from the cemetery. Karen was found about 100 yards from the Tornado Memorial Cross near the road that goes to the cemetery.

I did post this one earlier ... which shows the terrain as well.