Photo: Temple Police Department (2)
The bodies of a missing man and woman were found Tuesday after authorities spent several days searching a property in rural Oklahoma.
The remains are believed to be of Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin, who were last heard from on Jan. 4, according to theTemple Police Department.
Scott, 28, and Swearingin, 32, went missing nearly two weeks ago in Temple, Texas, while driving in a grey Hyundai Genesis, authorities said in astatementon social media. According to acommentfrom Swearingin’s mother on the department’s Facebook page, he suffered from a heart condition.
“The Scott and Swearingin families have been notified of this preliminary identification,” the police added inanother statement. “In order to protect the integrity of this ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time.”
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which assisted in the homicide investigation, will confirm the identity of the victims as well as their cause and manner of death following an autopsy.
Multiple outlets have reported that the bodies were found in a shallow grave at a home in Clearview, an hour south of Tulsa. According to local news outlet,News Now 25, authorities spent multiple days searching 100 square yards of the property, which no one is currently living in but also does not appear abandoned.
“We have two subjects, at this time, yes that we’ve recovered,” said Okfuskee County Undersheriff R.L. Wilbourn,according to Oklahoma’s News 4. “We had some information, and we started looking for a certain area. We were able to find it with help from other agencies.”
When contacted for comment, the Okfuskee County Sheriff directed PEOPLE to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which declined to comment.
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Last summer, Scott filed a protective order against her ex-boyfriend, Cedric Marks, who was arrested for burglary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Jan. 8, local news outletKWTX reported.
“He told me he had killed someone in Oklahoma, but that he was able to cover it up and that he could do the same here in Texas,” Scott said in the filing, according to News Now 25.
Cedric Marks.Kent County Jail
KWTX also reportedthat Marks, 44, is a person of interest in the March 2009 disappearance his ex-girlfriend, April Pease, with whom he shares a child.
The outlet stated that the documents allege that Marks is in “complete denial that he has issues around domestic violence.” It added that Pease was granted temporary custody; however, after she went missing, Marks was awarded custody.
Marks has not officially been named as a suspect in the disappearance of Scott and Swearingin.
Before his burglary arrest, he told KCEN that he did not harm Scott.
“Not only do I have no history of violence towards women or children, I teach free women’s assault programs,” Marks said.
source: people.com
