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Dyersburg State Gazette

Deputies arrest man accused of poisoning Swifts' dog

Saturday, November 5, 2011
Arrest made during search for Karen Swift
Hogshooter

Dyer County Sheriff's deputies arrested a suspect on an outstanding felony warrant for animal cruelty while searching for evidence in the Karen Johnson Swift case.

John E. Hogshooter, 39, 285 Pennell Lane, was arrested by sheriff's officers on Saturday for aggravated animal cruelty while performing their search of a wooded area on Harness Road in Dyer County. Hogshooter is accused of poisoning two dogs in the area, one of which belonged to the Swifts.

Swift's husband, David Swift, reported the incident to sheriff's deputies on Oct. 7. In the report, David Swift stated he observed his dog travel to 310 Harness Road, where Hogshooter had been staying, and it fell ill shortly afterward. Karen Swift was reported to have gone to the dwelling to speak to Hogshooter, but he was not there and she saw a blue rocky substance in a pan. The dog was taken to an animal clinic and was given medication to counteract the alleged poison, then was released after overnight observation.

A neighbor of the Swifts is also said by officials to have had their dog poisoned in the same incident and the dog had died.

Hogshooter's Harness Road address is approximately 50 yards from the Swift residence on Willie Johnson Road, and almost directly across the road from the address where the other dog was allegedly found poisoned.

Investigators signed a warrant for Hogshooter's arrest after results of the poisoning came back from the TBI's crime lab.

Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box stated Hogshooter was taken into custody when deputies saw him pull into the dwelling at 310 Harness Road.

"(Hogshooter's) arrest was based solely on the outstanding aggravated animal cruelty warrant and that is a felony," said Box. "We basically waited on the lab results to come back from the TBI on the poisoning and they confirmed it."

Box added the poisons used to poison the Swifts' and the neighbor's dogs were in Hoghooter's possession.

Hogshooter remains in the Dyer County Jail without bond until his appearance before a judge on Monday morning at the jail.

The Dyer County Sheriff's Department and Dyer County Animal Control jointly investigated the case.

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  • i understand it was poison to kill flies, and what was their dogs doing on his property anyway. You cant stop what the dogs are eating or drinking in someone elses property if you dont keep you eyes on your pets. Sounds like someone wanted to make an arrest because of swifts missing person report, wrong if so, shame on them.

    -- Posted by jc in dyersburg on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 5:42 AM

  • Unless there is evidence that you dont know about! And im sure it is!!!

    -- Posted by time2change on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 8:31 AM

  • his last name is Hogshooter. LOL

    -- Posted by Charlie Sheen on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 8:48 AM

  • I wonder if Mr. Hogshooter has a storage unit? Or if his employer has storage some place? I hope they find this lady alive. So freaking weird about her dog being poisoned and then less than a month later she disappears apparently not far from where he stays.

    -- Posted by LisaDe on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 8:52 AM

  • Ever heard of innocent until proven quilty there are children on both sides here that this is effecting so plz watch ur comments, some of these comments hurt the children. I know John personally and know he has done a lot of things but he would never have hurt Karen Swift...

    -- Posted by sheilawarden on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 9:27 AM

  • A person who is trying to kill flies with radiator fluid, something I've never heard of, would not put the liquid in a pan laying on the ground where any bird, dog, cat, rodent, etc. could drink it.

    It is my opinion this act was intentional. Granted, dog owners should be responsible and make certain they don't roam the neighborhood. However, deliberately poisoning/killing them is a felonious act and this man deserves to be charged and hauled into court to answer for his evil conduct.

    Facebook page for Karen Swift: http://facebook.com/find.karen.swift

    Karen Swift flyer downloads: http://tinyurl.com/karen-swift-flyers

    -- Posted by Maria Nelson on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 10:25 AM

  • A great example of bad timing.

    -- Posted by DCresident on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 10:26 AM

  • Hogshooter, heh, heh, heh...

    -- Posted by Dude2010 on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 10:46 AM

  • it was not radiator fluid, it was a blue checimal you mix with water and if the owners would stop their pet from crapping on his property, they might still be alive. He ask them to stop this, but they didnt care, so now that this lady went missing, everyone wants to start judging, be carefull whom we judge, for we will be judge also.

    -- Posted by jc in dyersburg on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 1:56 PM

  • This guy's mistake was poisoning the dog instead of just shooting it "in self defense".

    -- Posted by A Touch of Reality on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 3:07 PM

  • jc in dyersburg,

    I just want you to know, that your position would be so much easier to respect if you used grammar well. You kill my soul. That is all.

    -- Posted by Escaped on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 3:09 PM

  • Well he is a miserable person that hates life. Crackhead has owed me 1500$ for several years. I hope they give him the chair!!!!!!!! Never amounted to anything. Jail does people like him no good at all . Fry him get it over with!

    -- Posted by Hogghater on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 8:18 PM

  • Sheila you of all people know he's a sorry excuse of a human

    -- Posted by Hogghater on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 8:22 PM

  • I hope that they find this woman safe even tho time is ticking and if this guy had nothing to do with her disappearance that he will sue the one that is making statements on here this is for Adult's not topic and you can be traced to the computer where you make these post.I thank the State Gazette for keeping us private to the degree they do.May God be with both these families ....

    -- Posted by Citizen 1960 on Sun, Nov 6, 2011, at 11:02 PM

  • escape your so funny, hahahahahahahahahaha how about that grammar

    -- Posted by jc in dyersburg on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 9:48 AM

  • is it against the law to keep blue chemicals on your front porch? how about the back porch? how about: yellow, green, orange, black, white, brown chemicals??? to name just a few. maybe he was trying to kill mice that were infecting his home/place where he hangs his head. why is the sheriff's department being so easily disgracted from what they should be doing in that area? two dogs, who were not being kept properly, went up on this guys porch and ate some chemicals he was storing on his front porch ate some of his chemicals. why aren't the dogs owners being cited for neglect of their animals? do all the people in that area let their animals trespass on their neighbors property? did the sheriff's department cite other folks for allowing their dogs to run-loose, crap on their neighbors property (probably turn over their trash cans, as well). has the sheriff's department made any headway on the missing lady?

    of course, i suppose the d a will offer the guilty in this case a lollipop, and let it go. in the meantime, the accused in this matter sits in jail. dyer county justice at its best!

    -- Posted by closerlook on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 12:58 PM

  • so true

    -- Posted by jc in dyersburg on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 8:51 PM

  • to hogghater, I know John has done a lot of bad things n his life to a lot of ppl including me and my family, but I have known him for over 20yrs. and I know deep n my heart he did nothing to hurt Karen..he is out of jail and is only facing animal cruelty charges which I agree with I have 3 pets and wouldn't want anyone hurting them so yes he deserves what he gets for that, but that does not mean he did anything to Karen..PPL should ask theirselves y her husband refuses to answer any questions when it comes to her disappearance, John had nothing to hide he answered all the questions the police asked him...

    -- Posted by sheilawarden on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 9:57 PM

  • So i kmow first hand what my brothers goin thru with the dyer co tactic of investigastion which is shoot first ask questions later. & anyone tht knows john at all knows he aint got the know how 2 hide his own keys from himself & as for the investigators tht come bk 2 my house help urself to a few donuts on my porch! With love, Hoglover!

    -- Posted by memememememexxx3 on Tue, Nov 8, 2011, at 2:35 AM

  • Jackson your crazy lol

    -- Posted by jc in dyersburg on Tue, Nov 8, 2011, at 8:36 AM

  • Anyone who hurts an animal like he did should be "hog" tied and beat!

    -- Posted by peoples advocate on Tue, Nov 8, 2011, at 8:39 AM

  • did anybody see him feed the dog(s)? or did anyone even see the dogs eat this mans so called chemicals? almost everyone in the county has some kind of chemical(s).

    -- Posted by closerlook on Tue, Nov 8, 2011, at 1:26 PM

  • He's worthless always has been. Give Him the CHAIR!!!

    -- Posted by Hogghater on Thu, Nov 10, 2011, at 11:05 AM

  • Everyone missed the real point. We have someone missing from our area who probably has some terrified family and friends. Worst of all they are having to depend on Dyer County police to find them! I pray for her return and for the broken hearts of the family and of course for Dyer Co. Police to quit trying to pin it on someone,anyone to get on T.V and concentrate on finding her. They can play the blame game later!

    -- Posted by NEWSLIES on Wed, Nov 16, 2011, at 11:24 PM

  • if he had problems with dogs on his property, he should did what everyone in the city dose an call the dog catcher! Then the owners would have topay the shelter to get the pets back I dont know about most people but my dog s part of my family an i dont let him run loose,to do so is stupid!! I also think that this man has nothing to do with Kraren's dissaperants i think the law is just in a hurry to arrest someone to make everyone feel safer! maybe they should focus more on her husband whom she is getting a divorce from an claimed he last seen her in the stairwell,even though also she was suppose to be sleeping with her daughter...Some how or another the truth has not been told!People should think before they start pointing there fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to much gossip going on here! Besides a good mom would be home with her kids at that time of the morning not running up an down the roads!!

    -- Posted by HARDTOLUV on Tue, Nov 22, 2011, at 6:31 PM
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