Arlington Woman's Killer Remains A Mystery
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ARLINGTON (CBS11) - Kidnapped from her own driveway and later found murdered, Arlington Police are still searching for a gunman four years after Leona Swafford's death.
Investigators say Swafford, 83, had returned to her Arlington home June 4, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. when a man forced his way inside her car.
They say he beat Swafford and eventually took off with her inside.
After a search, police found Swafford shot in the head.
Her car was later discovered at a nearby apartment complex.
The killer remains a mystery.
The moment will forever stain the memory of Swafford's daughter Judy Mitchell.
"Roy walked in the house and I was facing the door. He didn't have to say anything," said Judy Mitchell. "I didn't know I could scream that loud. I didn't know I could hurt that bad."
Her husband Roy Mitchell, an Arlington police officer, was on duty.
"It's hard to think about it… and I've seen a lot of murders and a lot of deaths in my career," said Roy Mitchell. "They don't measure up to this one."
Neighbor Doni Lucero was on his morning walk when he saw the gunman struggling with and hitting Swafford.
"I could see her face was bloody at this point and that's when I took off running," said Lucero.
He said he tried stopping the killer, but lost his grip as the man drove off with Swafford inside.
"You know all the time you think, maybe I could have done something different? Maybe I should have done something different?" questioned Lucero.
Despite several tips, police have to identify a suspect or motive.
"He killed her for nothing. He didn't take the car, he didn't take money. What did he gain?" questioned Judy Mitchell.
The "why" is what makes the case so hard to solve for lead detective Ben Lopez.
"Why would the suspect target her of all people?" asked Det. Lopez.
Investigators classify it as a random attacked with zero known connections.
"You don't wake up and do this kind of stuff. And you probably don't stop," said Lucero.
Judy and Roy Mitchell try to focus on the better times with Leona. They find it impossible sometimes with the killer still possibly a free man.
They feel someone has to know something.
"I don't know how they could keep that information to themselves and still live with themselves," said Judy Mitchell. "He needs to be punished for what he did. But all the punishment in the world is not going to bring back mom back."
Anything with information surrounding the case should call Arlington Police.