On August 27, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Plano Police and Fire-Rescue personnel responded to a residence in the 4600 block of Bending Oak Trail in Plano, Texas, following a report of a deceased individual. Upon arrival, they discovered 69-year-old Patrick King from Elburn, Illinois, lying dead in the backyard. Emergency responders pronounced him deceased at the scene.
The following morning, on August 28, 2024, at around 5:30 a.m., authorities arrested 39-year-old Andrew James Swetland of Los Angeles, California, at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Swetland was charged with murder in connection with King's death. Investigators revealed that Swetland's sister is married to King's son, establishing a familial connection between the suspect and the victim.
Preliminary reports indicate that King suffered blunt force trauma, though the Collin County Medical Examiner's Office is responsible for determining the official cause of death. Police have stated that this was not a random act of violence; King and Swetland were known to each other. The exact motive remains under investigation, and authorities have not disclosed further details about the events leading up to the incident.
The residence where King's body was found is owned by Swetland's brother-in-law, and King was reportedly visiting at the time of the incident. Neighbors in the typically quiet Deerfield neighborhood expressed shock upon learning of the homicide. Police have reassured the community that there is no ongoing threat, emphasizing that the incident was isolated.
Swetland was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Collin County Jail, where he awaits arraignment on the murder charge. The investigation is ongoing as detectives work to uncover the circumstances and motive behind King's death.
