Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"This reminder that even when we had no following, the people who lived these stories would be listening to these stories. I never forgot her. I never forgot her mom." — Ashley Flowers
"The car being there almost feels like a setup, which maybe someone parked it in a place where he wouldn't see it for that reason, but it still blows my mind that it was there for months." — Britt
"The stories you tell that center abuse victims and talk about how hard it is to leave, I've heard them all and I never thought it was me." — Anonymous Listener (Good Day segment)
This episode delves into the cold case of Nikki McCown, who disappeared in 2001. Initially, the investigation focused on Nikki's fiancé, Bobby Webster, due to his immediate actions like returning her engagement ring and canceling wedding plans. Webster's alibi and a failed polygraph test kept him as a person of interest. The discovery of Nikki's car four months later in Dayton, Ohio, near an apartment complex where her ex-boyfriend, Steven Johnston, lived, shifted some focus, but Johnston was quickly cleared. The investigation then turned to Tommy Swint, a coworker of Nikki's, who had a reputation for being overly attached to her. Swint was later convicted of a separate 1991 murder, leading many to believe he was responsible for Nikki's disappearance as well.
However, the podcast argues that Swint's conviction was based on DNA and prints related to the Tina Ivory case, and direct evidence linking him to Nikki was less conclusive. The episode introduces new information and perspectives, including Nikki's sister's suspicions about Bobby Webster's behavior, which seemed inconsistent with genuine grief and suggested an unsettling fixation on a movie mirroring a disappearance. Furthermore, a witness later identified Bobby Webster as having been at the laundromat with Nikki on the day she went missing. The investigation also explores a coworker, Darlene Williams, who had a long-standing affair with Tommy Swint and was potentially the last person Nikki spoke to. Conflicting accounts and inconsistencies surrounding Nikki's final known movements and phone calls raise questions about both Bobby Webster and Darlene Williams' involvement.
The investigation re-examines evidence, including an anonymous letter implicating Nikki's prison warden, which was dismissed as a diversion. The episode also highlights the curious connection to the unsolved murder of DJ Kelly D. Wilson in the same apartment complex where Nikki's car was found, and Tommy Swint's known presence in that area. Ultimately, the podcast suggests that while Tommy Swint was a significant person of interest, the case may be more complex, potentially involving Darlene Williams and the possibility of assistance from Tommy Swint in disposing of Nikki's remains. The episode concludes by emphasizing the ongoing search for Nikki's remains and encouraging anyone with information to come forward, acknowledging the pain of her family and their desire for answers.