#4 The Missing Pieces: Vanished Without a Trace - The Disappearance of Niqui McCown (Part 3 of 3)

What really happened to Niqui McCown, who vanished just weeks before her wedding in July 2001? As we wrap up our series on her mysterious disappearance, we're left grappling with a tangled web of suspects and unsettling circumstances. Bobby Webster, Niqui's fiancé, quickly called off their wedding after she went missing, raising eyebrows and suspicions despite his insistence that stress skewed his failed polygraph test. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend was quickly dismissed as a suspect, but the unresolved placement of Niqui's SUV in Dayton, Ohio, a significant drive from her home, only adds to the mystery.

Join us as we explore the shadowy figure of Tommy Swint, a former corrections officer who was once Niqui's co-worker, and whose DNA later linked him to a separate murder in the same city where her SUV was abandoned. Swint's suicide before his arrest leaves us questioning if he took crucial secrets about Niqui's fate to the grave. Over two decades later, Niqui's family still seeks answers and justice, and we examine the lingering theories and potential for resolution in this captivating case.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Missing Pieces podcast, where we go beyond the headlines to understand the people, places and mysteries that leave families searching for answers. This is the final installment of Vanished Without a Trace the Disappearance of Nikki McCown. In the first two parts of this series, we uncovered the events leading up to Nikki's disappearance, the discovery of her abandoned SUV in Dayton, ohio and the suspicious actions of her fiancé, bobby Webster. We then took a deep dive into Tommy Swint, a former co-worker of Nikki's, who would later be linked to another violent crime. But despite all the suspicion surrounding Swint, nikki's case remains unsolved. Today we examine the most likely theories of what happened to Nikki, whether there's anyone else who should be considered a suspect and if, after more than two decades, there is still hope for finding answers. Nikki McCown disappeared on July 22, 2001, after visiting a laundromat in Richmond, indiana. That simple errand, something millions of people do without a second thought became the last time anyone saw her. The fact that she was just weeks away from getting married immediately raised questions. Was she having second thoughts? Did she leave on her own? That theory, however, was quickly dismissed. Nikki was a devoted mother to her nine-year-old daughter, peyton, and, by all accounts, she was excited about her future, even if she had voiced some concerns about her upcoming wedding. She had family, she loved, a steady job and no signs that she was planning to disappear. More importantly, if she had left on her own, why was her SUV found abandoned in Dayton with her laundry still inside? If she had chosen to leave, she would have taken her belongings. Someone else had to be responsible. One of the earliest theories was that Nikki's fiancé, bobby Webster, knew more than he was saying. The first red flag was his decision to cancel their wedding just days after she went missing. The first red flag was his decision to cancel their wedding just days after she went missing. Instead of holding on to hope, instead of waiting for any possible news, he started calling vendors and getting refunds. It was an action that struck many as odd, especially her family. Then there was his polygraph test Reports suggested that he failed it, though Bobby disputed the results, saying stress caused him to react badly. But here's the problem Failing a polygraph doesn't mean guilt, and passing one doesn't prove innocence. Polygraphs aren't foolproof, but the fact that he was willing to cancel the wedding so quickly, while Nikki's family was still desperately searching for her, was something people couldn't ignore, even if his actions were cold, there was no physical evidence linking Bobby to her disappearance. If something had happened between them, if there had been an argument, there was no crime scene, no sign of struggle, nothing to suggest she had been harmed at home. If Bobby was involved, investigators couldn't prove it. Then there was the discovery of Nikki's SUV in Dayton, ohio, three months after she vanished. Police found her car abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot not far from where her ex-boyfriend lived. This led investigators to consider whether he had anything to do with her disappearance. But he had a solid alibi and passed a polygraph test. He was quickly ruled out, leaving the biggest question of all who left the SUV? In Dayton? It was 45 minutes from Richmond. If Nikki had gotten into someone's car, willingly or unwillingly, why was her SUV found there instead of somewhere closer to home?

Speaker 1: 3:44

This is where the suspicion around Tommy Swint began to grow. Tommy Swint had worked with Nikki as a corrections officer and some people believed he had feelings for her. Whether those feelings were mutual, we may never know. What we do know is that years later, swint was linked to the brutal murder of a woman named Tina Ivory Swint was linked to the brutal murder of a woman named Tina Ivory. Tina's body was found in Dayton. A new DNA evidence in 2007 pointed directly to Swint when police finally had enough to arrest him in 2010, swint took his own life before he could be taken into custody. He avoided facing justice for one crime, but did he also take the truth about Nikki McCown with him?

Speaker 1: 4:24

The fact that Nikki's SUV was found in Dayton, where Swint lived, made it impossible to ignore the possibility that he was involved. The pattern was disturbing Two women, both from the area, both with a possible connection to Swint, both disappearing under suspicious circumstances. But here's where the frustration of this case really sets in. If Swint was responsible, why hasn't Nikki's body ever been found? If this was a crime of passion, if he had hurt her in a moment of rage, then there should have been some trace of her left behind a struggle, a piece of clothing, something. But there was nothing.

Speaker 1: 5:02

If he had planned this in advance, if he had stalked her and waited for the perfect moment, then it's possible he had the ability to cover his tracks. Maybe he knew places no one would search. Maybe he had access to things the average person wouldn't. But the lack of physical evidence makes this even harder to prove. So where does that leave us? If Swint was the one responsible for Nikki's disappearance, then the chances of finding out what happened to her died with him. But is it possible that there's someone else who knows something, someone who might still be alive today If Swint had help?

Speaker 1: 5:38

If there was another person involved, then that person has been silent for over twenty years. And in all that time no one has come forward. No one has confessed. That silence is either a sign of someone getting away with a crime or it means the truth is even more complicated than we think.

Speaker 1: 5:57

For Nikki's family, the pain never goes away. Her mother, barbara, has spent more than two decades searching for her daughter, holding on to hope that one day she'll have the answers she deserves. Her sister, michelle, has worked tirelessly to keep Nikki's story alive, refusing to let her name be forgotten. For them, closure isn't just about knowing what happened. It's about bringing Nikki home. It's about giving her daughter, now an adult, the answers she has spent her entire life without. It's about making sure that, even if justice was denied with Tommy Swint's death, nikki's case isn't lost in time.

Speaker 1: 6:38

So what now? As technology improves, as investigative methods evolve, there's always the possibility that a new lead could emerge. Maybe someone somewhere knows something they've never shared, maybe a piece of overlooked evidence will be tested again, or maybe, after all these years, someone will finally break their silence Because someone out there knows the truth, someone saw something, and after all this time, nicky McCown's family still deserves answers. If you have any information about the disappearance of Nikki McCown, please contact the Richmond Police Department. This is the Missing Pieces Podcast. Stay safe, stay aware and never stop searching for the truth.