20/20 on ABC: Who was Cathy Swartz and what happened to her? Harrowing details of the 1988 murder, revealed 

The latest episode of ABC's 20/20, titled The Code Breakers, will revisit how advanced DNA technology in 2023 helped solve Cathy Swartz's murder in 1988, which remained a cold case for 35 years.

The official logline of the episode reads as follows:

"20/20 co-anchor David Muir reports on the murders of two young women — each unsolved for decades — and how they are linked by cutting-edge forensic DNA technology that cracked open the cases and led to long-awaited justice."

In December 1988, Cathy Swartz was found dead in her Michigan apartment, discovered by her fiancé. Her lifeless body was found amid a pool of blood, and her throat was slashed multiple times.

More on Cathy's cold case revisited on 20/20 on ABC in our story.

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Who was Cathy Swartz? Exploring her decades-long cold case in 20/20 on ABC

Cathy Swartz, an adventurous woman born in Massachusetts, moved to Three Rivers, Michigan, for school. She is described as an adventurous young girl with a penchant for camping and other activities.

After 19-year-old Cathy discovered she was pregnant, she dropped out of her final year at school to focus on motherhood. In 1988, her daughter, Courteney Swartz, was born, who is also featured in the latest episode of 20/20 on ABC.

Soon after her daughter's birth, Cathy met Mike Warner. The two became engaged and even moved into an apartment together.

On December 2, 1988, Mike returned home from his work to find Cathy dead in their bedroom amid a pool of blood. Her 9-month-old daughter, Courtney, was unharmed and lying in her crib upstairs.

Cathy's autopsy report revealed that she died of strangulation. Her throat and neck were slashed multiple times, and she also had defensive wounds on her forearms, suggesting there was assault and resistance before her death.

While the police found several DNA samples from a pink phone and a bloody shoe print from the bathroom, they could not narrow down on a suspect because of inadequate technology in 1988.

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20/20: The Code Breakers on ABC explores DNA technology used to solve Cathy's murder

20/20: The Code Breakers on ABC, presented by David Muir, explores the efforts of Othram Inc., a forensic lab near Houston, Texas, which helped solve the cold case of Cathy Swartz from decades before.

The lab's genetic genealogy team built Cathy's potential murderer's profile and family tree through the DNA provided by police from 35 years before. The police narrowed in on Robert Waters, one of four brothers identified from the DNA profiling.

While Waters had relocated to Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2023, he was brought in for questioning. The police found that he was an acquaintance of Cathy's fiancé and even visited their apartment once. The DNA found near Cathy's body also matched with Waters, and he was arrested.

However, five days prior to his trial, Waters took his life in his cell by hanging from his bunk bed. While Waters was never tried in court, Cathy's case was closed due to the evidence found against Waters.

Courteney reflected on her mother's death in an interview with Muir on 20/20 on ABC, saying,

"I'm 100% convinced she was trying to save her baby because I feel like she would've just ran outside and yelled . . . but I was upstairs and she wasn't going to leave that apartment without me,"

Catch the full episode on Hulu now.

Also Read: 20/20 on ABC: What happened to Michael Shaver?

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