According to the Three Rivers Police Department, the man arrested for the 1988 murder of a Three Rivers woman was discovered deceased in his cell.
The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office reports that Robert Waters was arrested for the murder of Cathy Swartz on April 30 after investigators traveled to South Carolina, made contact with Waters, and discovered probable cause to hold him for open murder.
Through DNA testing, biometrics, and additional interviews, the police were able to identify Waters as the suspect 35 years later.
According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were in South Carolina attempting to return Waters to Michigan.
In 1988, Cathy Swartz was discovered deceased in her apartment on East Hoffman Street.
Her body was found with traces of a violent beating and sexual assault, according to the investigators, and she had been stabbed more than a dozen times.
The Three Rivers Police Department reported on Saturday that the Beaufort County Detention Center informed investigators that Waters was discovered deceased in his cell.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is currently investigating the fatality that occurred in custody.
Before making a statement, the Three Rivers Police Department is awaiting results from the coroner’s office.
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