EP24 | Different
John Swain lived for adventure, chasing life with a joy hard-won from childhood battles—until the calls stopped and silence took its place. What followed was a brutal truth no family could have imagined, and a haunting reminder that evil doesn’t need a reason.
Bonus Content
John Swain believed in adventure. He was 18 years old; life was fresh, exciting, invigorating. He skied, played soccer, taught others, and enjoyed making others laugh. John fought for his life as a child, so he threw himself excitedly into every opportunity. He moved away from home to Bismarck, ND, insistent on thriving there despite the worries of his family.
John assured those he loved that he was fine…until one day, he stopped messaging. He stopped calling. A day here, a day there, then weeks went by with no contact from John. Fear gnawed at the spines of John’s adopted mother, father, and siblings.
Police warned the family that absolute silence was not a good sign, but nothing prepared them for the chaotic and brutal truth of how John’s life was taken. How could a life so desperately desired and fought for be stolen so easily? What enemies did John have? Had an adventure spun out of control into something dark?
In this episode of Sword and Scale, we follow a family still grieving, detectives dedicated to following every lead, and we eventually learn what evil John faced in his final moments. We also face a greater truth: that evil has no reason.
Crew
Host - Mike Boudet
Creator & Director - Ash Patiño
Directors of Photography - Jordan Young & David Patiño
Cinematographer - Zack Placencia
On-Side Producer: Chelsy Ciavarella
Producer - Tyann Sells
Sound & Music Credit - Zapsplat
Additional Crew Listed on Episode