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Kidnapping of Amber Swartz-Garcia

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Amber Jean Swartz-Garcia
Born
Amber Jean Swartz

(1980-08-19)August 19, 1980
DisappearedJune 3, 1988 (aged 7)
Pinole, Contra Costa County, California, U.S.
StatusMissing for 36 years, 5 months and 20 days
NationalityAmerican
Parents
  • Bernie Swartz (father)
  • Kim Swartz (mother)

The kidnapping of Amber Swartz-Garcia (born August 19, 1980)[1] occurred on June 3, 1988, in Pinole, California when she was seven years old.[2][3] She had been playing jump rope in her front yard when she was abducted. Curtis Dean Anderson, a convicted kidnapper, confessed to kidnapping and killing Swartz-Garcia shortly before his 2007 death, but doubts remain about his involvement.

Disappearance and possible killer

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Amber was the daughter of Bernie Swartz, a police officer, and Kim Swartz. Her father was shot and killed four months before her birth, and her mother then lived with Al Garcia, and Amber took his last name.[3] Over the years, the police announced that suspects, including a volunteer who helped search for missing children[3] and a defrocked priest had been questioned intensively in the kidnapping.[4]

In 2009, Pinole police and the FBI announced that her killer was convicted murderer Curtis Dean Anderson, who died in prison in 2007 one month after confessing to her kidnapping and murder.[5][6] Anderson had a long criminal record and had been convicted of kidnapping and murdering Xiana Fairchild of Vallejo, California, who was also seven years old, and also of kidnapping and sexually assaulting another girl, who escaped. He had bragged about kidnapping eleven girls.[7]

Investigation and aftermath

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Anderson told FBI agents that he sedated Amber while he drove to Arizona to visit his aunt. He said that he killed Amber in a motel room near Tucson, Arizona and disposed of her body near Benson, Arizona.[5][6] No human remains or credible evidence of Amber's death has been found, other than Anderson's confession. As a result of his confession the case was declared closed. Kim Swartz was convinced that Anderson was lying to get attention. In 2013, after a petition campaign, the Pinole police agreed to re-open the case.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Doe Network: Case File 124DFCA". www.doenetwork.org. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  2. ^ John Philpin (October 21, 2009). Stalemate: A Shocking True Story of Child Abduction and Murder. Random House Publishing Group. pp. vii, 59, 61, 183, 227, 229. ISBN 978-0-307-57400-8. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Hallissy, Erin (June 22, 2002). "Keeping watch / She doubts her daughter will ever come home, but Kim Swartz is a hard-charging advocate for other missing children". SFGate. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  4. ^ Bailey, Eric; Glionna, John M. (June 7, 2002). "Ex-Priest's Yard Dug Up for Clues in Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Ishimaru, Heather (July 9, 2007). "Police solve Amber Swartz-Garcia kidnapping and murder case". abc7.com. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  6. ^ a b McLaughlin, Ken; Fischer, Karl (July 7, 2009). "CASE CLOSED: Police conclude that now-deceased Curtis Dean Anderson killed Amber Swartz". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Fagan, Kevin (July 7, 2009). "Portrait of 'an absolute monster'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  8. ^ "Pinole Police Re-Open Amber Swartz Garcia Case". NBC Bay Area. San Jose, California. October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
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