Six weeks later, the case shifted from a missing person investigation to a murder mystery when Karen’s body was discovered hidden beneath a tangle of vines near the Bladensburg Cemetery in Dyer County. An autopsy revealed that she had suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Despite the initial intensity of the investigation, the case went cold for over a decade, leaving the community unsettled and Halloween forever tinged with tragedy. On August 8, 2022, the long-awaited news broke as police announced the arrest of Karen’s husband, David Swift. Following a grand jury indictment, David was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The Shock of Arrest: Family and Community Response
The arrest sent shockwaves through many, including David and Karen’s then-20-year-old daughter, Ashley Swift. In a new interview with ABC’s “20/20,” Ashley expressed her bewilderment, stating, “I remember trying to understand the reason behind this. Why now, after so many years?”
David’s trial is set to commence on May 28, 2024, and community members are eager to learn what evidence will come to light after 11 years of silence surrounding the case.
On the first day of the trial, the prosecution warned the jury that they would not be presenting a DNA case, nor would fingerprint or ballistic evidence be a part of their main argument. Instead, District Attorney Danny Goodman depicted a troubled marriage, revealing that Karen had filed for divorce just three weeks before her disappearance. The couple had a history of separation, even reconciling in 2000 after a previous divorce, but the prosecution suggested that this time could be different.
On the night of Karen’s disappearance, she reportedly rejected David’s proposal for reconciliation over dinner. The state’s theory posits that this rejection may have driven David to violence, as Assistant District Attorney Tim Boxx indicated during the trial, suggesting that David realized Karen was truly leaving him—this time for good.
Defense Strategy: A Different Perspective
David’s defense attorney, Daniel Taylor, countered the prosecution’s narrative, arguing that David’s attempts at reconciliation should not be interpreted as signs of rejection but rather as hope for a renewed relationship. “Did David think they could work things out as they had before? Yes,” Taylor asked during the trial.
The prosecution further alleged that David had attempted to exert control and surveillance over Karen’s activities in the years following their marriage. However, the defense contested this notion, suggesting that David’s actions were not indicative of controlling behavior but rather concern for his wife.
Karen’s friends and family noted that in the period leading up to her death, she seemed to be forming a new identity, socializing with a new group of friends and indulging in more nightlife activities. David’s friend Kim Green remarked on the changes in Karen’s behavior, indicating that she chose to have fun rather than stay home with her children.
Complicated Allegations and Ongoing Legal Battles
Ultimately, David’s trial concluded on June 6, resulting in a not guilty verdict for first-degree premeditated murder and a mistrial for the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter due to a hung jury. The jury was also prevented from hearing about David’s prior charges of stalking in Jefferson County, Alabama, related to his ex-wife, Kelly Essman, whom he had met on a dating site three years after Karen’s death.
Essman, who had never publicly shared her story before, opened up in an exclusive interview, reflecting on how easily she trusted David based on what he told her. “I saw how easily I believed everything he said. How did I not see?” she pondered.
Footage obtained by “20/20” showed David allegedly lurking around Essman’s home late at night while they were separated. He was later charged with stalking in July 2023, though he has not yet filed a plea.
Despite the allegations against him, David’s friends and family continue to describe him as a kind-hearted person, with one friend stating, “David is a very kind person. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
Ashley Swift recounted moments that painted a different picture of her father, recalling instances when he generously helped a mother struggling with grocery bills during the holiday season, emphasizing the complexity of his character.
A New Trial on the Horizon
On October 15, the Tennessee Court of Appeals denied a motion from David’s defense team to dismiss the case connected to Karen’s murder, paving the way for a new trial regarding the voluntary manslaughter charge. David maintains his not guilty plea.
As the community of Dyersburg continues to seek answers in Karen Swift’s tragic disappearance and death, the enduring desire for justice remains palpable. “Ultimately, I know the truth about my family,” Ashley shared with “20/20.” “And I know my mother would want me to keep fighting for her.”
