Family upset as GBI exhumes body of Georgia deacon murdered at church in 1985

CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. — Action News Jax is investigating a 35-year-old case following the body of a local deacon being exhumed as investigators look for new DNA evidence into the murder of the deacon and his wife.

Deacon Harold Swain and his wife, Thelma, were shot and killed in 1985 inside the Rising Daughter Baptist Church in Camden County.

“What’s it like to relive this 35 years later?” Action News Jax’s Ben Becker asked Charlie Swain, the deacon’s brother. “It’s awful,” Swain said.

The body of Harold Swain was exhumed on Wednesday from the church cemetery, as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation looks for new DNA evidence into the deaths of the couple.

Action News Jax first reported in July that Dennis Perry was released from prison 20 years after his arrest in the killings of the Swains. His convictions were thrown out when new DNA evidence was linked to a former suspect in the murders, Erik Sparre.

Becker confirmed with the Brunswick District Attorney’s office that the GBI conducted a DNA test on the hinge of a pair of glasses found at the murder scene, and the test showed the hairs were a maternal match to Sparre. GBI tells Becker that Sparre has not been arrested because the investigation is active and ongoing.

Becker went to Sparre’s last known address, but no one answered. Becker also called Sparre but the number was disconnected.

“They should have notified the immediate family,” said Swain about his brother’s body being exhumed.

GBI special agent Stacy Carson told Becker in a morning briefing that the family backed the decision and that they “support finding the truth.”

Becker called Carson later for clarification and connected her with Swain so the brother could get some answers.

After a 15-minute phone call, Becker discovered the GBI notified family members of the Deacon’s wife as a courtesy.

“We were working off a court order signed by a judge,” Carson told Becker.

“They (GBI) are out here trying to find evidence for who killed your brother,” Becker said to Swain. “I understand,” Swain answered. “It’s still harmful to not let me know you dug my brother’s body up.”

The GBI says it will take several months to process the DNA evidence.

Cox Media Group