Editor NOTE: This is one of our most popular posts so we are reblogging it.
(2011) You know everything happens for a reason. I just received the book “Sudden Fury” about an adoptee who killed his adoptive parents in Maryland. I opened to page 378 and saw this …"Early in 1989, Michael began searching for the natural parents and siblings he left behind when he was four. ‘I’d like to know where I’m from. All I know is I’m an Indian from somewhere.’” This book was published in 1989.
Michael’s adopted brother Larry confessed to murdering their parents alone and did not indict his adoptive brother Michael.
This is the news I found…
Cape St. Claire killer Larry Swartz dies at age 37
By ERIC HARTLEY, Staff Writer (2005)
Annapolis, Maryland - A man whose brutal slaying of his adoptive parents nearly 21 years ago became one of the county's most infamous murders, inspiring a book and a made-for-TV movie, died Wednesday night of an apparent heart attack, his former attorney said.
Larry Swartz, released in 1993 after serving nine years in prison, had moved to Florida, was married and had an 8-year-old child, said his longtime lawyer, Ronald A. Baradel. He was 37.
"It was like losing a son," Baradel said. "He and I had developed pretty much of a fondness. We'd been out of contact for a couple of years, but re-established contact a couple of weeks ago."
To protect the family's privacy, Baradel declined to say where in Florida Mr. Swartz was living.
On the night of Jan. 16, 1984, 17-year-old Larry Schwarz fatally stabbed his father Robert, a computer technician, in a downstairs clubroom. Kay Swartz, a teacher at Broadneck High School, was stabbed and bludgeoned with a splitting maul after being chased through the community. Her nude body was found next to the family's swimming pool.
County police arrested Larry, the oldest of the Swartzes' three adopted children, a week later after determining that his footprints were in the snow near his mother's body and a bloody handprint was his.
The police investigation found that Mr. Swartz suffered from a personality disorder and had suppressed his anger against his parents for years.
Robert and Kay Swartz were devout Catholics, and their household was described as one of strict discipline. Kay Swartz was unable to have children of her own, and her husband, an anti-abortion activist who picketed Planned Parenthood offices, was eager to adopt unwanted children.
Larry's sister Anne was at home during the murders, but his brother Michael had drug and behavior problems that had landed him Crownsville Hospital Center.
In 1990, Michael Swartz helped to murder a man for a jar of quarters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. (note: this is the adoptee who is Native American or perhaps not)
Larry Swartz finally snapped one night after drinking in his bedroom. He first stabbed his mother, then attacked his father, who tried to stop him. After pleading guilty to second-degree murder, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was released Jan. 23, 1993.
The case inspired a book, "Sudden Fury: A True Story of Adoption and Murder" by reporter Leslie Walker. It became a New York Times best-seller. A 1993 television movie based on the murders, "A Family Torn Apart," starred Neil Patrick Harris of "Doogie Howser, M.D." as Larry Swartz.
Mr. Swartz died without any warning, Baradel said. An autopsy was planned and funeral arrangements weren't available. Baradel said he was always confident that Mr. Swartz could have a normal life if given the chance. He never thought the murders reflected Mr. Swartz's true character.
"It's not the kind of person he was," Baradel said.
[source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi...5/01_01-03/TOP]
UPDATE to this post dated 1991: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-06-29/news/1991180034_1_michael-swartz-annapolis-stettler
If you do know where Michael Schwartz is, please leave a comment on this blog. Read this post to the end, as to his life in prison conviction.
(2011) You know everything happens for a reason. I just received the book “Sudden Fury” about an adoptee who killed his adoptive parents in Maryland. I opened to page 378 and saw this …"Early in 1989, Michael began searching for the natural parents and siblings he left behind when he was four. ‘I’d like to know where I’m from. All I know is I’m an Indian from somewhere.’” This book was published in 1989.
Michael’s adopted brother Larry confessed to murdering their parents alone and did not indict his adoptive brother Michael.
This is the news I found…
Cape St. Claire killer Larry Swartz dies at age 37
By ERIC HARTLEY, Staff Writer (2005)
Annapolis, Maryland - A man whose brutal slaying of his adoptive parents nearly 21 years ago became one of the county's most infamous murders, inspiring a book and a made-for-TV movie, died Wednesday night of an apparent heart attack, his former attorney said.
Larry Swartz, released in 1993 after serving nine years in prison, had moved to Florida, was married and had an 8-year-old child, said his longtime lawyer, Ronald A. Baradel. He was 37.
"It was like losing a son," Baradel said. "He and I had developed pretty much of a fondness. We'd been out of contact for a couple of years, but re-established contact a couple of weeks ago."
To protect the family's privacy, Baradel declined to say where in Florida Mr. Swartz was living.
On the night of Jan. 16, 1984, 17-year-old Larry Schwarz fatally stabbed his father Robert, a computer technician, in a downstairs clubroom. Kay Swartz, a teacher at Broadneck High School, was stabbed and bludgeoned with a splitting maul after being chased through the community. Her nude body was found next to the family's swimming pool.
County police arrested Larry, the oldest of the Swartzes' three adopted children, a week later after determining that his footprints were in the snow near his mother's body and a bloody handprint was his.
The police investigation found that Mr. Swartz suffered from a personality disorder and had suppressed his anger against his parents for years.
Robert and Kay Swartz were devout Catholics, and their household was described as one of strict discipline. Kay Swartz was unable to have children of her own, and her husband, an anti-abortion activist who picketed Planned Parenthood offices, was eager to adopt unwanted children.
Larry's sister Anne was at home during the murders, but his brother Michael had drug and behavior problems that had landed him Crownsville Hospital Center.
In 1990, Michael Swartz helped to murder a man for a jar of quarters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. (note: this is the adoptee who is Native American or perhaps not)
Larry Swartz finally snapped one night after drinking in his bedroom. He first stabbed his mother, then attacked his father, who tried to stop him. After pleading guilty to second-degree murder, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was released Jan. 23, 1993.
The case inspired a book, "Sudden Fury: A True Story of Adoption and Murder" by reporter Leslie Walker. It became a New York Times best-seller. A 1993 television movie based on the murders, "A Family Torn Apart," starred Neil Patrick Harris of "Doogie Howser, M.D." as Larry Swartz.
Mr. Swartz died without any warning, Baradel said. An autopsy was planned and funeral arrangements weren't available. Baradel said he was always confident that Mr. Swartz could have a normal life if given the chance. He never thought the murders reflected Mr. Swartz's true character.
"It's not the kind of person he was," Baradel said.
[source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi...5/01_01-03/TOP]
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| photos from book |
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| thanks to a reader we have Michael's info |
Lawrence “Larry” Swartz spent about 9 years in prison and was released in 1993. He got married and they had a child. He was doing really well. In December 2004, he had a heart attacked and passed away. From what I have read, the Swartz’ were very strict and sometimes abusive to their adopted children. I believe that for Larry, it got too much and he snapped. I do wish he had resolved it in a better way, but sometimes teenagers do not think before acting, especially when drugs or alcohol is involved (Larry was drinking a lot). I do not blame the victims. Larry made a choice, the wrong choice. But I do believe he snapped and he regretted it afterwards.
Find-A-Grave: Robert Lee Swartz
Find-A-Grave: Kathryn Ann Sullivan Swartz
Lawrence J. Swartz, 38, convicted in killing of parents
Second Swartz Murder Trial Opens
The second life of Larry Swartz: Florida friends remember murderer
Find-A-Grave: Lawrence “Larry” Swartz
Robert Austin Bell murder 7/9/1990 Crownsville, MD *Michael David Swartz and Ronald Lamar Scoates convicted, sentenced to LWOP* (Larry’s brother is Michael Swartz)
Larry Swartz – How it all Began
Books
Sudden Fury: A True Story of Adoption and Murder (very good book)
Movies/Documentaries
A Family Torn Apart
Killer Kids: Redemption
**
INMATE INFORMATION
Last Name: SWARTZ
First Name: MICHAEL
Middle Name: DAVID
Date of Birth: 03/05/1966
DOC ID: 219743
Roxbury Correctional Institution
Address: 18701 Roxbury Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21746
Phone: 800-464-0764
AMERICAN INDIAN ADOPTEES: Where is Michael Swartz?
**
Murder In The Family: Robert and Kathryn Swartz murder 1/16/1984 Cape St. Claire, MD *Adopted son Lawrence “Larry” Swartz convicted, sentenced to 20 years in prison*
Posted on December 10, 2012 by mylifeofcrime
Lawrence “Larry” Swartz spent about 9 years in prison and was released in 1993. He got married and they had a child. He was doing really well. In December 2004, he had a heart attacked and passed away. From what I have read, the Swartz’ were very strict and sometimes abusive to their adopted children. I believe that for Larry, it got too much and he snapped. I do wish he had resolved it in a better way, but sometimes teenagers do not think before acting, especially when drugs or alcohol is involved (Larry was drinking a lot). I do not blame the victims. Larry made a choice, the wrong choice. But I do believe he snapped and he regretted it afterwards.
Find-A-Grave: Robert Lee Swartz
Find-A-Grave: Kathryn Ann Sullivan Swartz
Lawrence J. Swartz, 38, convicted in killing of parents
Second Swartz Murder Trial Opens
The second life of Larry Swartz: Florida friends remember murderer
Find-A-Grave: Lawrence “Larry” Swartz
Robert Austin Bell murder 7/9/1990 Crownsville, MD *Michael David Swartz and Ronald Lamar Scoates convicted, sentenced to LWOP* (Larry’s brother is Michael Swartz)
Larry Swartz – How it all Began
Books
Sudden Fury: A True Story of Adoption and Murder (very good book)
Movies/Documentaries
A Family Torn Apart
Killer Kids: Redemption
**
INMATE INFORMATION
Last Name: SWARTZ
First Name: MICHAEL
Middle Name: DAVID
Date of Birth: 03/05/1966
DOC ID: 219743
Roxbury Correctional Institution
Address: 18701 Roxbury Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21746
Phone: 800-464-0764
May he finally rest in peace.
ReplyDeletebut is Michael still in prison??? this is unfair!! i saW the movie, today, on roku... those kids were conditioned to abuse!! i cannot find Michael, period
DeleteHe’s still in prison in MD., on a life sentence. Larry got free Legal Counsel by a reputable Defense Lawyer,& was given a ridiculously lenient sentence. His brother Michael, was not given that benefit. The same lawyer who represented Larry, declined to offer another pro bono defense for Michael Swartz. He got a worse sentence for a botched robbery of someone else’s devise, than his brother who killed both parents & raped his mothers corpse, postmortem. That shows you the value of a good Legal defense, or representation.
DeleteIt was two separate crimes.
DeleteI'm sorry but I am getting frustrated here. My older childrens Dad was conditioned to being abused and watching his mother being abused. I was conditioned to it as well. But it's never an excuse for abuse. He abused me for nine years until someone saved me. And being or seeing abuse never gives you the right to take a man's life over a jar of coins. A botched robbery if someone else's device? A innocent man is Dead and his family deserves a little more respect than to minimize his life like this
DeleteRon scoats is actually the one that stabbed Robert Bell. Michael was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
DeleteMay he finally rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said is so misleading... Kay died in the home and was not hunted and then murdered by Larry. All of us who lived in the area and knew the family heard and believed the horror story of Kay running through the wooded area behind her home being pursued by a knife wielding Larry-but that WASN'T what happpened. Kay was killed in her house. Something snapped that night. Larry was a gentle, troubled soul. This event has haunted all who knew the family. I met Larry while his mother was on leave due to a detached retina. He was a kind and respectful kid. His sister was a sweet child. I pray that Larry found peace and love once he was released from prison. May everyone involved be remembered with love, understanding and may those who love them find peace.
ReplyDeleteis Michael still in prison?? this is unfair.. those kids were conditioned to be ... well... i saw the movie today.. it is haunting me...:( it hurts!!!
DeleteJust because Michael had a horrible life doesn't mean that he should get a break from killing someone else. Especially when the victim never abused him. What if it was your loved one that was murdered for a jar of coins? Would you feel the same way about it?
DeleteRon scoats is the one that stabbed Robert Bell. Michael was just in the wrong place at the wrong time
DeleteI am not so sure that Larry is guilty. Highly suspect is the police interrogation; he was interviewed "long and intensively" after which he "finally" confessed, according to a show I've just watched on the case. Was an advocate present? False confessions happen more often than people would like to think under lengthy and harsh questioning by police. At the time of this case, little to no scrutiny was put to police and their methods of obtaining confessions, all the more sensitive when the suspect is a minor. Without an advocate present, I would not trust any result of an intense and determined "interview" of a minor. The proverbial red flag began to wave when it was revealed that Larry's flat affect after the killings was treated by police as a veritable guilty verdict. An abused child, it is entirely possible that Larry had trained himself to bury his emotions, particularly where his foster parents were concerned. Shock may also play a part in what may appear to others as an emotionless response. Even though he had confessed, Larry's account did not agree with that of the police. He remembers no chase through the snow in the woods, though the police assert this happened. Neighbors also have reportedly denied such a chase. How vigorously applied were the rules of forensics where those footsteps in the snow are concerned? Were they actually matched against Larry's or merely assumed to be his? How decisive is the palm print found on the glass door that was Larry's-- had he touched either parent after he found them? I would not rule out that he had. One's first instinct is to quickly check a person's responsiveness when you find them lying on the floor; Larry could easily have checked his foster father then touched the patio door. Finally, by all accounts Larry was the peacemaker of the family, shied away from violence, and was described as a gentle soul. The sudden onslaught of homicidal violence does not fit with his character. These are the questions that arise in my mind from just a brief glimpse of this case. I am sorry to hear that Larry is no longer with us. The only way a more satisfactory exploration of his possible innocence could be made is if he were still alive. This case does not rest easy in my discerning mind, and my scrutiny of it is not at an end.
ReplyDeleteLarry was never pushed by the police to confess. He gave 4 different stories within hours of talking to several people including the dispatcher on the 911 call. Forensic evidence proved it was his print on the door. He did not touch either of his parents after he said he found them dead. In one of the stories he told the police he said he didn't even know his dad was dead & that he only saw his mother out back when he looked out the dining room window, oh but wait, he said he saw her when he looked out the kitchen window-two different stories he told to two different people. And by proof of the layout of the house & where Kay's body was it was impossible for him to see her body while just looking out the kitchen the window without getting on the counter & looking directly below. And it was impossible to see her body at all from the dining room window. They found his clothes & shoes that had blood on them as well. It was the middle of the night, people were sleeping & Kay was unable to scream due to being stabbed in the throat prior to the chase so no one would have heard her. There's also plenty of physical evidence that proved there was a chase & it was not put into his head by the police. They found her hair & blood 1/4 mile from the house. Larry confessed that he committed the murders to his lawyer, yes, there was an advocate there. Also he confessed to numerous psychiatrists that worked with him. And he confessed in front of people when the arresting officer was placing the cuffs on him when he was officially charged for the murders. If you knew anything about what really happened you would know all this & also that he did not touch either parent when he "found them" as he said. Also if you knew anything about what abuse does to a person, a sudden onslaught of rage does & can occur. A typical murderer doesn't kill a person the way Larry did. The way they were brutally murdered is typical of a "personal" killing. Any crime show on tv nowadays talks about murders being personal because of the way the person was murdered. And Larry admitted me he had been drinking rum that evening in his room. That added to him being the way he was when he killed his parents I'm sure. Be sure you know your facts before you comment on things.
DeleteAll of the comments above are correct; they did have his shoes and clothes. He had tried to wash them but blood on them was still traceable. His story also changed multiple times. All of his friends in high school were very shocked he had done it. It's also sad that they were trying to pin this on Michael at first. Larry "was" a gentle soul and a what seemed like a sweet guy. Heck he signed my yearbook, sat next to me in class and asked me out but I was afraid of boys back then. He was dating a friend of mine when the murder occured. It's all just really sad.
DeleteMy heart breaks for these poor boys. They didn't stand a chance with these people. They had no idea how to raise young boys, and seemingly saw every "flaw" as a reflection of their poor parenting skills. I feel badly for Michael. Is he still in jail?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLarry died in 2005 of a heart attack in Florida. Michael is deceased as well. No one knows what happened to Annie.
Deleteicannot find MichAEL either!! i saw the movie, today!! why do we not know where he is!!! is someone covering up his info>???? all inmates info should be freely seen!!! is he alive???
DeleteIt’s right above! He’s in a correctional facility in MD,& will in all likelihood be there til he dies. Living out his Life Sentence with no possibility of parole. It says it literally right above, at the end notes of the story.
DeleteWhy? Do you feel for the victim that was murdered for a jar of coins? I'm sorry but I like many others had a hard childhood but it doesn't mean that he shouldn't pay the price for killing someone. This person had nothing to do with his childhood abuse. He died for a jar of coins. How do you feel about his family and loved ones and how it's effecting them? His childhood was very sad but not an excuse. Larry was a different story and different circumstances
DeleteIs there anything about Larry's neighbors helping him cover up the chasing and killing Kay outside of the home. I heard that they felt sorry for Larry because they knew the Swartz's were not very nice too those children and they went to the police about all that they knew, and part of it was that Larry did actually chase his mother and finally end her life outside where she was posed. The neighbors helped convince the Judge and lawyers that Putxent Institution was for the BEST. Anything on that storyline.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Dale, I wish I did know more about the outcome and any further investigation. If you do find out more information, we'll post it! Trace
DeleteI was in prison with michael swartz, at roxbury, from 2013-2017... he is a good man, and a good friend. I hope he gets released someday. He doesnt deserve the life he lives now.
ReplyDeleteI think of Michael. I hope to get a mailing address for him so I can mail him a letter.
DeleteI was wondering if you keep in contact with Michael. I'm sure he would like to have someone to write to. I hope he gets a chance to get out and live a normal life too.
DeleteI am the blog editor and have not written Michael. But I should.
DeleteDo you want his inmate # I have it I have been writing him
DeleteYes I do! Email me: laratrace@outlook.com
DeleteI think he has much more to talk about. I will ask.
Address it like this if you want to write Michael.
DeleteMichael David Swartz
1084004/219743
Roxbury correctional institution
18701 Roxbury Rd.
Hagerstown MD.21746
Got it! Thank you!
DeleteYou're welcome
DeleteI mailed Michael a letter today. I hope he gets it soon.
DeleteDid you hear back from Michael
DeleteI mailed a letter to him on August 6 and no reply, not yet. I hope he answers.
DeleteMichael is serving life for murdering a man over a jar of coins
ReplyDeleteThank you. I don't understand how people don't get this. His bad childhood may have been a factor in his behavior but not an excuse to kill a innocent person who had nothing to do with it. I feel for the family of the man that was killed for a jar of coins
DeleteStephanie Barr Michael Swartz is NOT deceased. He is still in jail to this day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for clarifying on Michael. We need to know how he is doing.
DeleteWhere is Annie?
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteAnnie was subsequently adopted by a new family so she will be unable to be traced, Michael is still currently in prison at Roxbury correctional institute in Hagerstown MD. Anyone wanting to write to him can do so by locating his information through vinelink and inputting his name. I pray he one day is released and can try to live some semblance of a normal life.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if this is the same Mike Schwartz that lived in Platters boys home on long stretch MD. If its the same person I know he has a good heart.I would really like to find out.
ReplyDeleteYes it is the same person it state's that he was placed in that group home in the book.
DeleteAfter watching a documentary on the ID channel, I'm wondering if Larry murdered the parents so his little sister would be taken out of the house. Depending on what the true story actually is but if Larry cared for gis sister & both Michael & Larry would no longer be around Larry may have worried Annie would be the only one left & he would rather go to prison than have Annie left alone with them
ReplyDeleteIf only we could ask Michael, who is still alive if this actually happened... if only... Children who are in an abusive situation often do protect their younger sibling(s).
DeleteI feel for these people for what they went through as children. I have personally experienced a few things that I prefer to keep private from my time in foster care. But I am wondering why so many of the people on here seem to care less about the victim that Michael killed for a jar of coins? He was a true victim and Michaels sad childhood is no excuse. My condolences to the family of Michaels victim. And there's a lot of children right now that are being abused so it would be better to reach out to help them so they don't go down the wrong path. See what you can do for them in your community. They would appreciate it and it will also let them know that they are cared about. There's a lot of children that go hungry every day like I used to and I know that I would have grown up to be more confident if people would have shown me that they cared about it. There are consequences for a persons actions and Michaels is paying for his. I hope that he's learned from it and gets a second chance but remember that his victims family will never have a opportunity to let him know how much they loved him
ReplyDeleteI hope that what I have posted is approved. I only have 1/16 of Cherokee Indian in me as my grandfather was 1/2 and the other 1/2 was Asian. Also my half brothers dad was a full blooded Apache that was adopted andwand weren't able to find out who his birth parents were. My brother passed away two years ago and his daughter looks just like him and I really wish that I could help her find out what tribe that they belonged to. Any advice on how to do so would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi Unknown, if you want to email me, I have some suggestions. DNA is usually where people start when parents are adoptees. (EMAIL: laratrace@outlook.com)
ReplyDeleteThe televangelist Robert Schuller once told a story about a reporter who went to interviews a prison inmate.
ReplyDeleteThe inmate said that he had been in and out of prison his whole adult life. Feeling sorry for himself, he blamed his choices on his abusive father, who regularly beat him, his mother, and his brother.
"Your brother," asked the reporter, "can I have his address? I'd like to interview him also."
When the reporter found the brother, he was surprised to find a successful man, who was polite, and who was a standout community leader. The reporter asked how he ended up being such a decent man, given the abusive father that he had. The bother said "Yes, my father terribly abused my whole family constantly. But why would I choose to emulate someone like that? I strive everyday to be exactly the opposite!"
Washington Post
ReplyDeleteRelative Ends Custody Battle Over Child Of Slain Md. Couple
The sister of an Anne Arundel County woman who was murdered along with her husband by their adopted son has given up her custody battle for the couple's 9-year-old daughter.
Helen Rodden of Indianapolis withdrew her objections last week to family friends of Kathryn and Bob Swartz becoming Ann Swartz's legal guardians.
The Swartzes had listed Rodden as the girl's legal guardian in their 1982 will. But after the parents were axed and stabbed to death in their Cape St. Claire, Md., home on Jan. 16, 1984, by Larry Swartz, then 17, a judge named James and Eileen Smithmyer as the girl's temporary guardians. The Smithmyers, who live on the Eastern Shore, were close friends of the Swartzes.
The Smithmyers sought permanent custody, saying that Ann considers herself part of their family of seven children and should not be uprooted.
Rodden did not explain in the brief court document why she withdrew her objection to the Smithmyers gaining custody of Ann. She had earlier argued that her sister's will should be followed.
The final decision of whether to award the Smithmyers permanent custody of the girl rests with Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge James C. Cawood.
Larry Swartz pleaded guilty April 18 to two counts of second-degree murder and is serving a 12-year sentence at the Patuxent Institution in Jessup.
According to another source, (krazykillers.wordpress.com) he was part Eastern Indian, not Native American. You might want to clarify that with them, or maybe check your own facts?
ReplyDelete