TN TN - Karen Swift, 44, Dyersburg, 30 Oct 2011 - #2

[Here4myfriend]

Hmm ... Good Point. Has anyone said if she had a new man in her life? Or a Prospect? Maybe she went out to meet someone? ...

Neither my mom or I had heard of her on the dating scene. She texted my mom about 2 weeks before Halloween wanting advice. She said (I'm summarizing, of course) how my mom is older and wiser and wondered if she had a few minutes to talk. Karen then went on saying how her friends in Dyersburg were trying hard to fix her up or at least get her out on the dating scene. She said she just isn't looking for that. She said she wants to find a church and focus on that and her children. My mom gave her some words of wisdom and told her she needs to do what's in her heart. Karen was really looking forward to starting a new life with her children. My heart is breaking.

(My dad was her pastor when we all lived in Walnut Ridge, AR. She always looked to my parents as mentors and confided in my mom about her life. My mom is having a really tough time right now.)

I have no idea what happened and there are so many things that run through my mind, but my mom has had a gut feeling since the minute we heard she was missing. I really believe the LE are determined to solve this and after hearing about my mom's meeting with the investigator, I feel even more assured. She has even texted him some questions and he replies immediately.

 

[Here4myfriend]

<snipped for emphasis>

BBM - If this is true, it makes me still wonder if it is the husband. I am still on the fence, but I lean heavily towards his guilt for many reasons stated throughtout these threads.

I would imagine that they would want to build their case and be certain if it is him. They would not want to falsely arrest him and ruin his reputation / career / family life. They will want to be certain that they do not make an error, and they likely do not think he will run because of his family. IMHO

Yes, it is true that the investigator assured my mom that they will get this person. She said it was very easy to read between the lines while talking to him, but he of course could not say who they were making a case against.

FYI- The meeting with the investigator was for them to download texts between my mom and her the 6 weeks before the incident. These texts were mainly talking about the divorce plans and her plans for serving him, funds to be able to leave him, etc.

Oh, another bit of info... my mom said (I don't remember this because I was off in college at this time) that when Karen divorced him the first time, he cut her off and she was having trouble taking care of the boys by herself. She told mom she was going back to him for financial reasons. So sad.

 

[JBinPHX]

Here4myfriend,

Do you watch the Nancy Grace coverage? If so, what are your thoughts. Also, how is her family reacting? are fingers being pointed?

Thank you for taking the time to post here, it is appreciated.

 

[Kimmer]

Here4myfriend,

I was wondering if you could answer a few questions I have, if you are not able to at this point I completely understand..

Was Karens husband controlling and or the jealous type?

Are you aware if there was ever and domestic violence claims from Karen during there relationship, and I don't mean reported domestic violence to LE but just claims of him pushing her around or threatening to take the kids or anything else..?

Does he have a temper that you know of?

Do you know if he was ever verbally abusive and or spoke down to her in front of others?

I just want to say that I am so sorry for the loss of your friend..and I hope that you Mom is able to work thru this...I wish there was something I could do to take away your pain, and I also really appreciate you coming here to let us know more about who Karen was she seems like she was a wonderful Mother and friend..

I will be praying for all of Karens friends and fairly and especially her children.

 

[OldSteve]

Regarding the tire - strange the way the story has changed. I thought her model car has tire pressure sensors - no? So a leak from a nail/screw still in place should have allowed some amount of warning time....

 

[Here4myfriend]

I'm sorry, I can't be of much help regarding David. I do not know him only what I've heard. Yes, he was controlling. They fought a lot. While married the first time, he had an affair which resulted in a child that he gave up rights to. When she came to visit us a while back, Karen spoke of how unhappy she was in her marriage and has been for a long time. I don't think she wanted to remarry him, but felt she had to. This time she was preparing so she could live her life and take care of her kids independently.

I have watched the Nancy Grace show a couple times. I think she is more about sensationalizing this, rather than getting the facts. I do appreciate the media attention, though.

 

[MvD]

Just kinda jumping in the thread here.. But has it been mentioned how long Karen had been into fitness (running, gym, etc) ? I *thought* I heard her husband was jealous of her 'new body', which leads me to believe the fitness regime was relatively new.

 

[cluciano63]

How awful that finances caused Karen to go back to her husband and probably to stay with him as long as she did...until her death, in the end. It shouldn't be so difficult for women to get out of a marriage...JMO

 

[ThoughtFox]

I'm sorry, I can't be of much help regarding David. I do not know him only what I've heard. Yes, he was controlling. They fought a lot. While married the first time, he had an affair which resulted in a child that he gave up rights to. When she came to visit us a while back, Karen spoke of how unhappy she was in her marriage and has been for a long time. I don't think she wanted to remarry him, but felt she had to. This time she was preparing so she could live her life and take care of her kids independently.

I have watched the Nancy Grace show a couple times. I think she is more about sensationalizing this, rather than getting the facts. I do appreciate the media attention, though.

Hi ~ of course you know Karen better than any of us, but she must have had other reasons to go back beyond the money alone. She had two more children with him over quite a few years, and I don't think we can forget about that.

Marriage is a complex relationship ~ that's all I know after 26 years of it myself!

 

[AmyMarie222]

Like Karen and David, my parents also married and divorced twice. I hate to say this about my own father because I love him so much, but it's true: he wanted to "teach my mom a lesson" about how difficult life would be without him. He wanted her to suffer financially so that she would need him. They lived a great life - big house, a few cars, trips to Europe and Hawaii, etc. He used to tell her "you would be on the streets begging for money without me." I have so many memories of him telling her that.

When she divorced him the first time, he completely cut her off financially and waited for her to come back begging. It worked the first time, and she remarried him. They had a miserable marriage and divorced for the 2nd time when I was in college. The 2nd time they divorced, my mom was the strongest she had ever been, and she never looked back. She rebuilt her life slowly, and never let herself consider going back to him. I know in my heart that Karen was probably so brave and so strong, and wouldn't let herself be controlled anymore. She was excited about starting a new life and providing for her children. I saw it in my own mom.

In my heart, I feel that 'somebody' decided that Karen wouldn't be allowed to move forward without him. All or nothing. Divorce can really bring out the nastiest sides of people. I saw sides of my father that I thought were impossible. To this day, I wish I could erase some of the memories of the way my own father treated my mom, because I love him so much and he's such a kind man otherwise, but I hated the way he tried to control my mom.

 

[otto]

The cross is 100 yards from where the body was, according to that article I posted.

http://www.stategazette.com/story/1793716.html

Let's put it another way - her body was as close to the cross as it could get from the graveyard side, considering all the kudzu. There was nothing but vegetation between her body and the cross.

This is the location where Karen was found. The cemetery is across the road and a little further down the road.

 

[otto]

BBM


Where did you see the information that the tire was shredded??? I don't ever recall seeing any information about the tire's condition other than it was flat up until the other day when Sheriff Box said a drywall screw was found in the tire. But still he never said the tire was shredded.

Sorry ... poor choice of words. I've read all sorts of descriptions of the tire, but I suspect that shredded is the wrong one. I was thinking that the tire would have been shredded or cut up on the inside after going flat, coming off the rim and driven on.

 

[otto]

Regarding the tire - strange the way the story has changed. I thought her model car has tire pressure sensors - no? So a leak from a nail/screw still in place should have allowed some amount of warning time....

It should have, but a few people are posting that the sensors are unreliable, with the light remaining on when the tire is not low.

 

[officer'swife 2010]

Just kinda jumping in the thread here.. But has it been mentioned how long Karen had been into fitness (running, gym, etc) ? I *thought* I heard her husband was jealous of her 'new body', which leads me to believe the fitness regime was relatively new.

The way Nancy Grace talked her husband was very jealous of her because she had lost weight and was mad at her for wearing a T-shirt and jeans??? But I do know she was an active runner, ran in marathons and such, so I kinda agree with what everybody is saying, the car being so close to her home she could have just jogged home in no time? I know I have ran over a nail and didn't know it and completely shredded the tire because i drove just a few miles on it. I guess not having any info makes this case so much harder to figure out. It's just waiting until we hear all the info and an arrest is made. I just feel so sorry for her children and family. I believe the Sheriff doesnt believe the husband did it because he is saying he is fully cooperating with police. JMO however
Merry Christmas!!:santahat:

 

[cocomod]

Here4myfriend :hug:

I can't imagine how hard this must be for you and your parents. I am glad to hear that LE investigators have been hard at work behind the scenes. I am certain that they want to dot their i's and cross their t's so that it does not appear that they made a rash decision or focused solely in one direction. They do have to go where the evidence leads them. It reasures me to hear you say that they can read between the lines and that they will catch this guy. It makes me feel that they have their POI in their sights, and we just need to be patient.

 

[Tyra1003]

It should have, but a few people are posting that the sensors are unreliable, with the light remaining on when the tire is not low.

Yes they are! Mine stayed on for weeks before I had a chance to go to the tire place for them to hook it up to the machine and reset them.

 

[otto]

Yes they are! Mine stayed on for weeks before I had a chance to go to the tire place for them to hook it up to the machine and reset them.

The only thing is that this was a 2004 vehicle ... so I'd be surprised if the warning light had not been repaired in all that time.

 

[passionflower]

Why did it take so long to find her car along the road???
Did I miss something? TIA

 

[FightTheOstrich]

The only thing is that this was a 2004 vehicle ... so I'd be surprised if the warning light had not been repaired in all that time.

Changes in temperature, new tire(s) etc can set it off. Nissans are apparently very sensitive according to my mechanic.

 

[LindaG]

Yes, it is true that the investigator assured my mom that they will get this person. She said it was very easy to read between the lines while talking to him, but he of course could not say who they were making a case against.

FYI- The meeting with the investigator was for them to download texts between my mom and her the 6 weeks before the incident. These texts were mainly talking about the divorce plans and her plans for serving him, funds to be able to leave him, etc.

Oh, another bit of info... my mom said (I don't remember this because I was off in college at this time) that when Karen divorced him the first time, he cut her off and she was having trouble taking care of the boys by herself. She told mom she was going back to him for financial reasons. So sad.

Thanks for confirming that. I head read the same from her friends' interviews. That she was forced to re-marry , pretty much against her will or better judgment. So sad, but she did it for her little boys. How could a father do that to his family?! I think about that now, how she is - was - in a much better place, with her plans for her future, but her plans were still de-railed.

Knowing that, I don't know how anyone can say that this divorce was amicable. He didn't want a divorce. He may have tried to prevent it this time, as well.

I think there is a side to him not many people have seen. moo