Overview of MISSING: Marilyn “Niqui” McCown
This Crime Junkie special revisits the 2001 disappearance of Marilyn “Nikki” McCown (first covered by the show in 2017) with newly obtained case reports and reporting. The episode summarizes the original investigation, re-examines long‑standing suspects (fiancé Bobby Webster and corrections officer Tommy Swint), introduces a previously underreported figure (co‑worker Darlene Williams), and lays out fresh leads — including canine alerts and forensic/circumstantial links to the Meadows of Catalpa apartments near Dayton, Ohio. Crime Junkie argues the case is far from closed and highlights unresolved evidence and unanswered questions that could still locate Nikki or explain what happened.
Timeline & key events
- July 22, 2001: Nikki attends church with fiancé Bobby Webster; later goes to Richmond Coin Laundry and nearby Village Pantry; last seen alive that afternoon (witnesses place her at laundromat ~3:00 PM).
- July 23, 2001: Family reports Nikki missing when she does not return to pick up her 9‑year‑old daughter or her apartment; initial police response reportedly treats the case as possible runaway/cold feet.
- Nov 3, 2001: Nikki’s fiancé’s 1990 GMC Jimmy is found at the Meadows of Catalpa apartments (Dayton area) — door ajar, ignition tampered with, stereo missing and a laundry basket with folded clothes left inside. Car location expands search jurisdiction into Ohio.
- 2007–2010: Tommy Swint becomes linked to preserved DNA evidence in an unrelated 1991 murder (Tina Ivory). DNA and a latent print eventually lead to his indictment; Swint kills himself in 2010 after being arrested in Alabama.
- 2017: Crime Junkie first retells Nikki’s story; daughter Peyton contacts the show seeking more attention to the case.
- 2022: Investigators search the property of Darlene Williams (consent search) with cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar; multiple digs return no remains, but dogs later alerted to woods adjacent to Meadows of Catalpa (warranting further search).
Primary persons of interest
Bobby Webster (fiancé)
- Returned Nikki’s engagement ring, sought refund for her unused tuition, and canceled wedding reception days after she disappeared — behavior family found suspicious.
- Took a polygraph early in the investigation; police reports indicate a fail on a relevant question (disputed by Bobby later).
- Provided an alibi placing himself in the laundromat area that afternoon; later-witness ID (years later) indicates he was seen talking to Nikki at the laundromat.
- Had erratic behavior reported by acquaintances (watching the film The Gift repeatedly, inconsistent explanations about Nikki’s rings).
- Died of a heart attack (shortly after contacting an acquaintance in 2021 who said he admitted following Nikki).
Tommy Swint (corrections officer, later indicted in 1991 murder)
- Worked with Nikki at the Montgomery Education & Pre‑Release Center; described alternately as protective or obsessive.
- DNA and a fingerprint later tied him to a 1991 murder (Tina Ivory); indicted in 2010, then committed suicide during arrest.
- Investigators believed Swint could be involved in Nikki’s disappearance; reports indicate he may have had help or known associates who could have assisted.
Darlene Williams (co‑worker and linked figure in new reporting)
- Identified in Crime Junkie reporting and case files as a friend of both Nikki and Tommy and the last confirmed person to speak with Nikki (a phone call the day she disappeared).
- Had an ongoing affair with Tommy according to investigative files and interviews.
- Called out of work the day after Nikki disappeared; Tommy also absent from work that day per records.
- Lived close to Meadows of Catalpa; investigators later searched her property (2022) and the woods behind it after canine alerts. No remains found in initial digs; the woods area was flagged for further searching.
New findings presented by Crime Junkie
- Access to Richmond PD case reports not previously public, revealing:
- A recorded witness identification (years later) who identified Bobby talking to Nikki at the laundromat.
- Multiple inconsistent alibis, shifting timelines and contradictory statements from people connected to Nikki.
- Evidence that Darlene was the last known person to speak to Nikki (call records/subpoenaed records referenced), and both Darlene and Tommy called out of work the day after Nikki vanished.
- Cadaver dog alerts and GPR results near Darlene’s property and the nearby woods at Meadows of Catalpa — areas that, according to Crime Junkie, warrant further searching.
- Anonymous tips and letters (some alleging a relationship with a prison warden, others pointing to illegal dump sites) that were investigated but unresolved.
Investigative actions, evidence, and gaps
- Vehicle evidence: GMC Jimmy showed signs of tampering; laundry basket and clothes left inside. Timing of when car arrived at Catalpa remains unclear.
- Forensics: Tommy linked to an earlier homicide via DNA and latent print; no definitive forensic tie to Nikki’s disappearance publicized.
- Searches: Family-organized searches early on; police-assisted aerial searches; later canine and GPR searches at Darlene’s property (2022) produced no remains but did produce additional canine alerts in adjacent woods that were not clearly followed up in the materials Crime Junkie reviewed.
- Unresolved leads: Anonymous calls pointing to illegal dump sites (call traced to trucking company in Nebraska but suspect not identified); anonymous letter implicating a warden (deemed not credible by investigators).
Outstanding questions & unresolved leads
- Where and when exactly was Nikki last alive? (Timeline shows conflicting witness statements and call times between 3:30–6:00 PM.)
- Who drove Nikki’s GMC to Meadows of Catalpa, and who had access/knowledge to park it there?
- Were the wooded areas behind Meadows of Catalpa fully searched after canine alerts? If not, why?
- Was Bobby formally cleared — and on what basis? Richmond PD reportedly told Dateline Bobby is no longer a person of interest, but Crime Junkie did not obtain documentation confirming how he was eliminated.
- What was Darlene’s precise role and whereabouts the day/night of July 22–23, 2001?
- Could connections exist between Nikki’s disappearance and other local cases (e.g., the 2000 murder of DJ Kelly D. Wilson) given overlapping locations and acquaintances?
Family perspective & appeals
- Nikki’s daughter Peyton and Nikki’s family have never accepted the case as closed; they seek answers, not vengeance.
- Peyton and family continue to press investigators and to ask the public for any information about movements of Bobby, Tommy, Darlene, or any sightings near Meadows of Catalpa in summer 2001.
How to help / Where to find source material
- If you have information about Nikki McCown’s disappearance (movements of Bobby Webster, Tommy Swint, Darlene Williams, sightings of the GMC, activity around Meadows of Catalpa in July–November 2001, or knowledge of the anonymous tip/call traced to the trucking company), contact the Richmond, Indiana Police Department (phone listed in public case materials; see local PD directory).
- Crime Junkie notes all source material used in the episode is available on their website (crimejunkie.com); listeners can follow Crime Junkie on Instagram @crimejunkiepodcast for updates.
Notable quote: Detective Redmond’s file said: “This case has been suspended until further information surfaces.” Family and the podcast emphasize: nearly 25 years later, “we’re not going to stop” — the priority remains finding Nikki or learning what happened.