Barefoot Leake County man busted for burglary by deputies

A Leake County man known to walk around barefoot was arrested and charged in connection with several vehicle break-ins reported at a residence last week near Four Corners in the northwest part of the county, Sheriff Eric Clark said.

The man, Richard Scott Swager, 39, of 79 Green Road, Carthage, was arrested and charged with burglary of a motor vehicle, the authorities said.

Jail records show he released on a $10,000 bond Aug. 12.

Clark said the incident was reported on Tuesday, August 9, at a residence on Road 169 at Four Corners where the borders of Neshoba, Leake, Winston and Attala counties meet.

Clark said a wallet and $600 in cash were reported taken from a Ford truck parked at the residence.

“A number of vehicles were rummaged through but the wallet and money are the only things that were reported taken,” Clark said.

Clark said that it had just rained and that they were able to follow bare footprints that circled the vehicles and went up a dirt road away from the property to a pair of tire tracks that went toward the Leake County line. 

After a search, deputies found several items from the wallet discarded along the roadway as well. Clark said they were all found on the left side of the road indicating that the driver of the vehicle went through the wallet.

Clark said they were able to lift good tire tracks, barefoot prints and fingerprints from the scene and the vehicles.

Clark said an investigator who lived in the community began to call neighbors and other members of the community looking for tips.

“He talked to someone who said they knew a guy who they would see walking around barefoot and lived just across the border in Leake County,” Clark said. “That was our first bread crumb and we were able to piece it together from there.”

Clark said they were then able to identify and interview Swager who confessed to the crime and said he acted alone.

Leake County deputies assisted in the investigation.