Member-only story
South Carolina Man Arrested For Brutal 1988 Murder in Michigan
Investigators are confident they now have the killer of 19-year-old Cathy Sue Swartz.
It was less than a month away from Christmas in 1988, and 19-year-old Cathy Sue Swartz from Three Rivers in Michigan was excitedly preparing for the holiday season with her fiancé. Their daughter Courtney was nine months old, meaning this would be her first festive season — and her devoted young mother was determined to make it a great one.
They already had the decorations up on the cold morning of December 2nd when her fiancé headed out to work, leaving Cathy at home in the apartment with the baby. However, no one could have guessed that the cosy family home was about to become the scene of one of the most frightening murders Three Rivers had ever seen.
Brutal murder — and speculation about the evidence
Cathy’s fiancé returned to the apartment on East Hoffman Street later that afternoon and was alerted to the fact that something was very wrong by signs of a struggle downstairs and blood on the floor.
He followed the trail to the bedroom, only to discover Cathy lying dead on the carpet with baby Courtney unharmed in her crib not far away.
