On January 23, 1981, Gordon "Butch" Swindells, aged 34, was found dead in Columbus, Ohio. His body was discovered early in the morning by a neighbor outside his home on Medina Avenue in the North Linden area. Swindells had sustained a gunshot wound to his chest, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The neighbors reported hearing a gunshot around 1:00 a.m. that morning, but the circumstances leading up to his death remain unclear.
Gordon Swindells worked as a meat cutter for Big Bear, a former supermarket chain in Columbus, and was active in a local dart league. He was described by those who knew him as someone with a vibrant social life. However, in the days before his death, his wife had filed for divorce and a restraining order, adding a potential element of domestic conflict to the investigation.
The Columbus Police Department has not made any arrests in this case, and Swindells' murder remains unsolved more than four decades later. Central Ohio Crime Stoppers continues to offer a cash reward for information leading to the arrest or indictment of the person responsible for his death. Despite the passing of time, authorities hope that someone may come forward with new information to help bring closure to Swindells' family and justice to those responsible for this crime.
