CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. — The body of a man murdered 35 years ago is now being used to help solve the crime.
Investigators exhumed the body of Harold Swain Wednesday in Camden County from the small cemetery behind the church where he and his wife, Thelma Swain were killed.
Officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation hope it provides new clues in the case after the man previously convicted for killing the couple had his conviction overturned based on DNA evidence.
Not everyone is happy about the path the investigation is taking.
The brother of Harold Swain drove from Jacksonville to Camden County, saying he was sad to learn the GBI exhumed his brother’s body.
Charlie Swain says he didn’t know what investigators were doing and questioned if the DNA could’ve been obtained another way.
“It hurt me to dig my brother’s grave up without me knowing, yes I want to know who killed my brother,” Charlie Swain said.
“I feel bad right now because I feel as though GBI should’ve notified immediate family who should’ve signed off on this. Who is the immediate family other than us?” Charlie Swain said he is one of six brothers and sisters of Harold Swain.
Charlie Swain remembers how upset he was with how the police initially handled the investigation when his brother was killed.
“I went around the side of the [church], I’ve seen prints. I can tell when someone was walking. They cut the telephone wire with a clean knife, it wasn’t raggedy," Charlie Swain said. "We looked the next day police say they stayed here all day, they did not. That [next] morning I got back here, all the blood was cleaned up from the church."
Charlie Swain questions the validity of the DNA evidence that freed their accused killer, Dennis Perry after 20 years in prison.
Charlie Swain says it's difficult for him and his family not having closure.
“I know young Perry wanted to be free. I know I want to see who did kill my brother, yes. But be fair, let the family know what you’re doing,” Charlie Swain said.
The GBI says DNA evidence reliably linked another man, Erik Sparre to the scene of the crime.
Sparre has not been arrested or charged, but his mother Gladys Sparre was found dead inside her home hours after Perry’s conviction was overturned.
“It’s awful to hear any of your loved ones get killed over foolishness,” Charlie Swain said.
“The young man who they say did it, they got now. I got papers that said he was a suspect at that time, I got papers from that year. And that he was a suspect but they ruled him out. Why? I can’t tell you,” Charlie Swain said.
The GBI says their investigation is active and ongoing. They encourage anyone with information about the murders to contact them at 1-800-597-TIPS.