Deputies: Man, woman tried to arrange killing of his estranged wife

A man and woman are accused of trying to have the man’s estranged wife murdered, among other acts, deputies said.

The Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Wednesday charged Terry L. Swofford, 60, with six counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and violating an order of protection.

Ruth A. Foster, 45, is charged with second-degree assault.

Confidential informants told police Swofford and Foster, who were having an affair, were seeking to hire someone to kill Swofford’s wife, Delores Swofford, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Bollinger County sheriff’s deputy Darren Bullard.

The informants told police Swofford and Foster discussed several ways to kill Swofford’s wife, including tampering with her medications and suffocating her, Bullard wrote.

Swofford also spoke with more than one person about “getting rid of his wife and had propositioned at least one individual and offered to pay them $250,000 from a life-insurance policy that Swofford had on his wife,” Bullard wrote.

Delores Swofford told police Foster and her husband stole a .22-caliber revolver from her during an incident in which Foster assaulted her May 10, Bullard wrote.

Terry Swofford, whose criminal history includes drug-related convictions, was barred from possessing firearms, according to the statement.

Swofford and Foster were arrested Tuesday at Foster’s residence on Bollinger County Road 510, after which police searched the residence, according to the statement.

Police found six firearms, including one matching the description of the gun taken from Swofford’s wife, pipes used to smoke methamphetamine and marijuana, an unspecified quantity of marijuana and ammunition, Bullard wrote.

Swofford denied having planned to murder his wife, but Foster gave police “detailed information about Swofford planning on having his wife murdered so they could be together. Foster described several methods they had discussed for committing the murder and identified persons that Swofford had spoken with about committing the murder,” Bullard wrote.

Swofford’s bond was set at $50,000 cash, with the condition he have no contact with Delores Swofford. Foster’s bond was set at $10,000 cash with the same condition.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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