Youell Swinney
Youell Swinney | |
|---|---|
| Born | Youell Lee Swinney February 9, 1917 |
| Died | September 15, 1994 (aged 77) |
| Known for | Sole suspect of Texarkana Phantom Killer |
| Spouse | Peggy Swinney |
| Criminal charge | Auto-theft |
| Penalty | Life in prison (released, 1973) |
Youell Lee Swinney (February 9, 1917 – September 15, 1994) was an American criminal and the only major suspect in the
Life
Swinney grew up in rural
Suspected as the Phantom
Swinney was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case. He was linked to the crimes by detailed descriptions of the Booker-Martin murders from his wife and accomplice, Peggy, who refused to testify against him in court.[4] Investigation into his involvement in the murders eventually faded. The case remains unsolved, and physical evidence is virtually nonexistent today. Swinney died in a Dallas nursing home in 1994.[5]
Two of the lead investigators in the case, Max Tackett and Tillman Johnson, believed for the remainder of their lives that Swinney was guilty of the murders. A 2014 book, The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders by Dr. James Presley claims that Swinney is the culprit of all five Phantom attacks.
References
- ^ U.S. Census, January 1, 1920, State of Arkansas, County of Cleveland, enumeration district 25, p. 2-A, family 27.
- ^ Ex parte Swinney, 499 S.W.2d 101, 102 (Tex.Cr.App. 1973).
- ^ Ex parte Swinney, 499 S.W.2d 101 (Tex.Cr.App. 1973).
- ^ "Phantom Killer Attacks: PART II". texarkanagazette.com. 14 April 2016. Retrieved Dec 12, 2020.
- ^ "Phantom Killer's last alleged victim shot to death 70 years ago today". texarkanagazette.com. 3 May 2016. Retrieved Dec 12, 2020.
External links
- Unsolved Murders
- Suspects
- Swinney Testimony at the Wayback Machine (archived October 26, 2009)
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