Father Seeks Justice
Over two months ago, construction workers found the body of 29-year-old Tad Swan face down in a ditch. The Harrison County coroner ruled that no foul play was involved in Swan’s death but a cause of death still has not been determined. News 25’s Shelby Myers sat down with Swan’s father, who is taking the investigation into his own hands.
Two months prior to his 30th birthday, Tad Swan was found shoe-less, sock-less and face down in a ditch just off of Three Rivers Road in Gulfport. Phillip Swan, the victim’s father, said, “He never walked without shoes and socks. He never was out without his backpack or his bicycle, so how did he end up where he ended up and they couldn’t give us any answer. Saying it was probably drugs.”
Phillip Swan admits Tad did struggle with alcohol addiction but does not believe his son was involved with hard drugs. Swan had recently started living in a homeless camp in the woods, just a mile from where his body was found. “How does a body end up a mile from where all of his personal things are? So I believe somebody knows something and somebody did something to him,” said Phillip Swan.
While an exact cause of death has yet to be determined, Swan hired his own private investigator to begin looking into the suspicious death. They started with questioning homeless people in the area who led them straight to Swan’s bike. Private Investigator Darrell Crawford said, “There it was, chained to a tree. There was a laptop, personal things around that we didn’t know if they were Tad’s or not, in a tent area that we later determined that in all likelihood it was and the case began to unfold.”
Darrell Crawford and Tad’s father believe someone in the homeless community is responsible for Tad’s death, or at the very least, they know more than they are saying. But Crawford believes the community is not going to tell police and it’s up to them to form the bond. “If anyone helps us to solve the case, it’s going to be from the homeless community itself. We want to sell ourselves to the community and that they take us in trust and we take them in trust.”
If you have any information, you’re urged to contact Private Investigator Darrell Crawford. The family is also offering a cash reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest in the case.
News 25 reached out to the Gulfport Police Department who said they had no comment at this time because Swan’s death is still under investigation.
Two months prior to his 30th birthday, Tad Swan was found shoe-less, sock-less and face down in a ditch just off of Three Rivers Road in Gulfport. Phillip Swan, the victim’s father, said, “He never walked without shoes and socks. He never was out without his backpack or his bicycle, so how did he end up where he ended up and they couldn’t give us any answer. Saying it was probably drugs.”
Phillip Swan admits Tad did struggle with alcohol addiction but does not believe his son was involved with hard drugs. Swan had recently started living in a homeless camp in the woods, just a mile from where his body was found. “How does a body end up a mile from where all of his personal things are? So I believe somebody knows something and somebody did something to him,” said Phillip Swan.
While an exact cause of death has yet to be determined, Swan hired his own private investigator to begin looking into the suspicious death. They started with questioning homeless people in the area who led them straight to Swan’s bike. Private Investigator Darrell Crawford said, “There it was, chained to a tree. There was a laptop, personal things around that we didn’t know if they were Tad’s or not, in a tent area that we later determined that in all likelihood it was and the case began to unfold.”
Darrell Crawford and Tad’s father believe someone in the homeless community is responsible for Tad’s death, or at the very least, they know more than they are saying. But Crawford believes the community is not going to tell police and it’s up to them to form the bond. “If anyone helps us to solve the case, it’s going to be from the homeless community itself. We want to sell ourselves to the community and that they take us in trust and we take them in trust.”
If you have any information, you’re urged to contact Private Investigator Darrell Crawford. The family is also offering a cash reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest in the case.
News 25 reached out to the Gulfport Police Department who said they had no comment at this time because Swan’s death is still under investigation.
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