Harold and Thelma Swain - wrong arrest/any updates? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

johnnyangel · 03-09-2021, 11:50 AM

Have their been any updates on this case?

I believe the latest one involved somebody had been arrested long ago, but it may be the wrong guy, and the correct person who has admitted to the killing still had not even been considered.

Thanks..

TheCars1986 · 03-09-2021, 12:01 PM

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/cr...1-929a68a134ec

^ That was the most recent article. Harold Swain's body was exhumed for DNA testing. My guess is that they are waiting on the DNA results to see if they can conclusively tie them to Erik Sparre.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/...double-murder/

^ That article was from summer of last year. They matched hairs found on the glasses at the murder scene with Erik Sparre by comparing them to a voluntarily given sample from his mother. Oddly, his mother was found dead a few days after providing her samples, and there has been nothing since about her death. I'm guessing that the GBI are waiting on the results of DNA testing on Harold's remains before officially charging Erik Sparre.

johnnyangel · 03-09-2021, 12:09 PM

Not to get too graphic, but how would DNA possibly turn up 35+ years after Harold died? I can't imagine his remains would be in great condition (if they were buried in a mausoleum type thing, perhaps diff story) - perhaps I am wrong tho.

RobinW · 03-09-2021, 03:37 PM

Since the DNA from the hair sample was compared with a hair from Gladys Sparre, it was technically mitochondrial DNA, which shows that it matched someone who was related to her, but not specifically Erik Sparre himself. I think the complication might be that Erik Sparre has a brother named Peter, so theoretically, the hair could belong to him instead, which is probably which they need a more direct DNA match to Erik.

Interestingly enough, Peter provided an alibi for his brother in regards to the death of their mother, claiming Erik was with him on the weekend Gladys died.

Hambone2421 · 06-02-2022, 11:34 AM

Still no updates on DNA testing of Erik Sparre. Sparre's boss originally called investigators (apparently Sparre was a suspect way back in 1985 for reasons unknown) to say that he was at work stocking shelves at Winn Dixie. Well, this article mentions that his boss never called investigators and that the call made was fake. That's a pretty big smoking gun pointing toward Sparre if he or someone he knew called investigators and lied about his alibi.

03-09-2021, 11:50 AM	#1
johnnyangel Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 329	Harold and Thelma Swain - wrong arrest/any updates? Have their been any updates on this case? I believe the latest one involved somebody had been arrested long ago, but it may be the wrong guy, and the correct person who has admitted to the killing still had not even been considered. Thanks..

03-09-2021, 12:01 PM	#2
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,606	https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/cr...1-929a68a134ec ^ That was the most recent article. Harold Swain's body was exhumed for DNA testing. My guess is that they are waiting on the DNA results to see if they can conclusively tie them to Erik Sparre. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/...double-murder/ ^ That article was from summer of last year. They matched hairs found on the glasses at the murder scene with Erik Sparre by comparing them to a voluntarily given sample from his mother. Oddly, his mother was found dead a few days after providing her samples, and there has been nothing since about her death. I'm guessing that the GBI are waiting on the results of DNA testing on Harold's remains before officially charging Erik Sparre.

03-09-2021, 12:09 PM	#3
johnnyangel Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 329	Not to get too graphic, but how would DNA possibly turn up 35+ years after Harold died? I can't imagine his remains would be in great condition (if they were buried in a mausoleum type thing, perhaps diff story) - perhaps I am wrong tho.

03-09-2021, 03:37 PM	#4
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	Since the DNA from the hair sample was compared with a hair from Gladys Sparre, it was technically mitochondrial DNA, which shows that it matched someone who was related to her, but not specifically Erik Sparre himself. I think the complication might be that Erik Sparre has a brother named Peter, so theoretically, the hair could belong to him instead, which is probably which they need a more direct DNA match to Erik. Interestingly enough, Peter provided an alibi for his brother in regards to the death of their mother, claiming Erik was with him on the weekend Gladys died.

06-02-2022, 11:34 AM	#5
Hambone2421 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 08, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,066	Still no updates on DNA testing of Erik Sparre. Sparre's boss originally called investigators (apparently Sparre was a suspect way back in 1985 for reasons unknown) to say that he was at work stocking shelves at Winn Dixie. Well, this article mentions that his boss never called investigators and that the call made was fake. That's a pretty big smoking gun pointing toward Sparre if he or someone he knew called investigators and lied about his alibi.