Arlington grandmother Leona Swafford's slaying remains unsolved 10 years later
ARLINGTON (CBSNewsTexas) - Ten years ago this week, Arlington great grandmother Leona Swafford was kidnapped in her driveway and murdered.
Law enforcement officials are still searching for the 83-year-old's killer, having made no arrests in the years since.
Swafford had returned to her Arlington home June 4, 2013 when a man approached her, according to police.
They said he beat Swafford before forcing her into her car and driving off. She was later found with a fatal bullet wound to the head. Not long after finding Swafford's body, police found her abandoned car at a nearby apartment complex.
CBS News Texas interviewed Swafford's daughter Judy Mitchell in 2013, who said when she found out about her mother's murder, she "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 and told her the news.
"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 also spoke to CBS News Texas shortly after Swafford was killed. He said he 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 her car.
"You know all the time you think, maybe I could have done something different? Maybe I should have done something different?" questioned Lucero at the time.
Now, in 2023, questions remain; much as they did for Swafford's loved ones ten years ago.
"He killed her for nothing. He didn't take the car, he didn't take money. What did he gain?" shared Judy Mitchell.
Arlington Police Sgt. Ben Lopez commented on motive at the time of the murder.
"Why would the suspect target her of all people?" asked Lopez about her death, which was classified as a random attack with sero known connections.
"You don't wake up and do this kind of stuff. And you probably don't stop," said Lucero in 2013.
