On January 7, 2026, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, arrested Tony Elias Swaney in connection with the murder of Bethany Lee Brown.
On April 10, 2022, at approximately 9:50 a.m., the mother of Bethany Brown reported her missing to the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office. At that time, Bethany Brown was living at 81 Caldwell Drive, Taylorsville, North Carolina, with Tony Swaney. The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the SBI, conducted numerous interviews and searched multiple locations in an effort to locate Bethany Brown, but those efforts were unsuccessful and the case eventually grew cold.
On January 13, 2025, hunters discovered skeletal remains in proximity to 81 Caldwell Drive in Taylorsville. On December 18, 2025, the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, with assistance from the North Carolina SBI Crime Lab, positively identified the remains as Bethany Brown. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound. This determination provided investigators with the information needed to move the investigation forward and seek criminal charges. While no outcome can undo the loss suffered, investigators hope this arrest brings a measure of closure to Bethany Brown’s family and loved ones.
Tony Elias Swaney, white male, age 37, of Taylorsville, has been charged with one count of murder. Swaney is currently being held at the Alexander County Detention Center without bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on January 12, 2026.
