Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode: SOLVED – The Swain Murders 2

Host: Carter Roy
Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode concludes the two-part deep dive into the murders of Harold and Thelma Swain, a well-loved couple shot inside their church in Waverly, Georgia, in 1985. Host Carter Roy carefully reconstructs the decades-long pursuit of justice, which included false leads, a wrongful conviction, and, nearly forty years later, a breakthrough that finally brought the true killer within reach. The episode highlights systemic failures, race, community trauma, prosecutorial missteps, and the ultimate hope for some measure of closure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Frustration and Investigation Stalemate

• Initial Suspects and Dead Ends
  • In the months following the 1985 double homicide, Chief Sheriff's Deputy Butch Kennedy and GBI Agent Joe Gregory sifted through hundreds of fruitless tips ([06:16]).
  • A jailhouse tip pointed to Donnie Barentine, a Florida drug smuggler, but evidence and alibi issues halted progress despite suggestive circumstantial links.
  • Key witness Vanzola Williams could only tentatively identify Barentine by his shoes, and records suggested his alibi could have allowed for the crime ([16:48]).
• Lie Detection and Legal Roadblocks
  • Innovative (yet questionable) kinesic interviews and polygraphs suggested guilt, but the DA refused to proceed on such flimsy grounds ([16:48]).
  • “[The DA held firm, which left Kennedy and Gregory stuck in a holding pattern.]” ([17:42])

2. A New Suspect Emerges: Eric Spahr

• Tape-Recorded “Confession” and Forensic Curiosity
  • In 1986, a new witness handed over a recording of their son-in-law, Eric Spahr, allegedly admitting to the murders—prompted by his history of violence and racist beliefs ([20:02]).
  • Spahr's possible connection to welding glasses (and physical evidence never disclosed publicly) reignited hope, but his alibi—an overnight shift at Winn Dixie—checked out with the help of a supervisor and coworkers ([21:58]).
  • Investigation into Spahr fizzled due to lack of physical evidence, and he was dropped as a suspect ([23:47]).

3. Publicity and a Cold Case: Unsolved Mysteries and Dennis Perry

• Tips Spark Old Suspect
  • After a segment on “Unsolved Mysteries” (1988), two separate tips named Dennis Perry, a former Waverly resident and alleged drug dealer, as the possible killer ([25:34]).
  • Perry appeared to have a strong alibi—working in Atlanta, 300 miles away, on the night of the murders. Lead witness Vanzola Williams did not recognize him in a photo lineup ([26:53]).
  • With no evidence or identification, Perry was swiftly dismissed as a suspect and the case went cold ([27:50]).
• Quote:
  • “As far as Kennedy and Gregory could tell, Perry was about as far from a viable suspect as they could get. And just like that, the case went cold.” (28:14)

4. Politics, Corruption, and a Second Look

• Leadership Turnover
  • The murder investigation became ensnared in local politics and accusations of corruption, stalling for years ([28:56]).
• Sheriff’s Political Motivations
  • In 1998, up for reelection, Sheriff Bill Smith reopened the case mainly for PR reasons, hiring Dale Bundy as the new investigator ([29:46]).
  • Bundy was quickly pointed toward Dennis Perry by Jane Beaver, who claimed Perry threatened Harold Swain in February 1985 ([31:46]).
  • Bundy gathered questionable witness statements and convinced a grand jury to indict Perry in 2000 ([35:44]).
• Quote:
  • “Bundy pocketed [the photo], then brought it to the next witness…Vanzola Williams...She told Bundy, this man sure looked like the killer, but she couldn't say for certain. That was enough for Bundy, though. Dennis Perry was officially his main suspect.” ([33:55])

5. Trial and Conviction of Dennis Perry

• Weak Testimony and Overlooked Evidence
  • At trial in 2003, the prosecution’s star witnesses contradicted themselves and/or had dubious credibility ([38:18]).
  • Cora Fisher admitted another suspect, Donnie Barentine, looked like the killer and new diagrams showed she might not have seen the shooter at all.
  • “After reading Cora Fisher's testimony, the state brought Jane Beaver to the stand. She had also revised her story since speaking to Bundy.” ([39:16])
• Missing Physical Evidence and Prosecutorial Questions
  • Critical physical evidence (the glasses) was lost.
  • Nonetheless, Perry was convicted. The death penalty was dropped only if he agreed not to appeal ([40:45]).
• Quote:
  • “It seemed like the defense had successfully discredited the state's case. And yet the verdict came back...Guilty.” ([41:45])

6. The Georgia Innocence Project and the Role of Investigative Journalism

• Years of Advocacy
  • Perry’s family enlisted the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP) who, with the help of the podcast “Undisclosed,” explored the wrongful conviction ([43:00]).
• Prosecutorial Misconduct
  • Journalist Susan Simpson discovered prosecution had paid witness Jane Beaver $12,000 after conviction—a fact withheld from the defense ([44:35]).
• Alibi Deconstruction and New DNA Science
  • Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Joshua Sharp found that the manager who vouched for Eric Spahr’s alibi likely never existed ([46:00]).
  • DNA from hair on the glasses matched Spahr’s mother, Gladys, confirming a biological connection ([48:28]).
  • GIP leveraged this to overturn Perry’s conviction.
• Quote:
  • “When Innocence Project ran Gladys Spahr's sample, it was a match. Perry's team took all of this new evidence to the district attorney...” ([48:43])

7. Exoneration & New Prosecution

• Overturning Conviction & Perry’s Release
  • In July 2020, Dennis Perry’s conviction was overturned due to withheld evidence and new DNA findings ([50:02]).
  • Perry was released after 20 years in prison, and all charges dropped by a new DA in 2021 ([51:30]).
• Pursuit of the True Killer: Eric Spahr
  • GBI renewed investigation focused on Spahr, ultimately arresting him in 2024. However, his first trial ended in a mistrial in late 2025 ([52:20]).
• Quote:
  • “After 21 excruciating years, Perry was given back his innocence. But while Perry finally received justice, the Swains still had to wait for theirs.” ([52:00])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the fallout of a wrongful conviction:
  • “In their rush to get a conviction, they may have gotten the wrong man. Which meant that in the end, there was no justice. Not for Harold and Thelma, and not for the person who was wrongfully imprisoned.” (Host, [00:43])
• On community trauma and systemic failures:
  • “Their case is about powerful forces like race, politics and justice. And while all of that is certainly important, it can lead us to forget that at the heart of it all is really the story of two people. Harold and Thelma Swain were pillars of their community. They dedicated their lives to uplifting those around them and being forces for good. And in their honor, we should all strive to do the same.” (Host, [53:41])
• On the investigation breakthrough:
  • “When Innocence Project ran Gladys Spahr's sample, it was a match.” ([48:43])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 06:16 | Initial investigation, jailhouse informant, and Donnie Barentine lead | | 16:48 | Polygraph tests, DA blocks charges, case stalls | | 20:02 | Eric Spahr emerges as a suspect | | 23:47 | Spahr’s alibi and dropped as suspect | | 25:34 | “Unsolved Mysteries”, Dennis Perry tips | | 33:55 | Bundy targets Perry, photo evidence surfacing | | 38:18 | Perry’s trial begins, prosecution’s weak witness testimony | | 41:45 | Guilty verdict and plea deal offer | | 43:00 | The Georgia Innocence Project gets involved | | 44:35 | Discovery of witness reward payment and defense not being informed | | 46:00 | Spahr’s alibi re-investigated, manager’s identity doubts | | 48:43 | DNA evidence linking to Spahr | | 50:02 | Conviction overturned, Perry released | | 52:20 | Eric Spahr arrested, mistrial, charges pending | | 53:41 | Reflection on the case and Swains’ legacy |

Tone and Language

The narrative weaves fact with empathy, sometimes wry or incredulous at investigative missteps, always honoring the human cost of injustice. Carter Roy’s commentary is reflective, compassionate, and focused on both the failures and hopes that define the Swain case.

Conclusion

This immersive episode reveals how a botched investigation, personal motives, and political ambition can derail justice for decades—yet also how tenacious advocates, journalists, and new forensic technology can right old wrongs. The Swains’ murder resonates as both a tragedy and the catalyst for overdue accountability, with the final chapter still unwritten as a long-delayed trial approaches.