New ‘20/20’ Investigates the Case of a Woman Found Dead Near a Cemetery After a Halloween Party — Will the Alleged Killer Be Convicted at a Retrial?

When Karen Swift, a wife and mother, seemingly vanished after returning home from a Halloween party, friends and family are shocked when her body is discovered near a cemetery in the small town of Dyersburg, Tennessee, prompting local authorities to start searching for a possible killer. In an all-new “20/20,” “Nightline” co-anchor JuJu Chang investigates what happened to Karen on FRIDAY, NOV. 1 (9:01-11:00 p.m., EDT) on ABC and streaming next day on Hulu.

After Karen’s fateful night out, authorities found her abandoned car and smashed cell phone on the side of the road. Coincidentally, a few weeks before her disappearance, both Karen’s and her neighbor’s dogs are found ill from poisoning.

As police investigate, they learn Karen and her husband, David, were having marital issues, and he ultimately became their prime suspect. While at trial, a jury acquitted him of the most serious charges of murder and deadlocked on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, resulting in a mistrial. He is scheduled to be retried on that charge and has pleaded not guilty.

“20/20” features exclusive interviews with David’s ex-wife Kelly Essman and David’s friend Kim Greene, as well as interviews with Ashley Swift, Karen and David’s daughter; Danny Goodman, the district attorney general of the 29th Judicial District of Tennessee; Terry McCreight, chief investigator of Dyer County Sheriff’s Office; Daniel Taylor, criminal defense attorney; and Holly Sutton, Karen and David’s friend.

ABC News’ “20/20” is the No. 1 award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 45 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9:01-11:00 p.m. ET on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms and Hulu.

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