The disappearance of Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin in 2019 quickly turned into one of the most disturbing murder investigations in Texas history.
Police were first called to a home in Temple, Texas, on January 4, 2019, after an alarm was triggered. When officers arrived, both Scott and Swearingin were missing without explanation.
Investigators later found Swearingin’s vehicle abandoned nearly 70 miles away in Austin. According to detectives, the inside of the vehicle appeared to have been cleaned with bleach and hydrogen peroxide, immediately raising suspicions of foul play.
Cedric Marks Quickly Became a Suspect
Friends and family members quickly pointed investigators toward Cedric Marks, Scott’s ex-boyfriend and a mixed martial arts fighter with a violent past.
Scott and Marks reportedly met through a dating app in 2015 and had an unstable relationship for several years. According to investigators, the relationship eventually became abusive.
Police said Scott previously accused Marks of assault and choking her. In 2018, she tried to obtain a protective order against him, but the request was denied by a judge.
Months later, Marks was charged with breaking into Scott’s home before fleeing to Michigan.
Girlfriend Claimed She Witnessed the Murders
The case took a dramatic turn after police arrested Marks in Michigan the day after Scott and Swearingin disappeared.
Authorities also questioned Maya Maxwell, who was pregnant with Marks’ child at the time.
During police interviews, Maxwell claimed she witnessed Marks murder both victims.
According to Maxwell, Marks forced her to travel with him from Michigan to Texas. She said he instructed her to buy large trash bags before allegedly bringing Scott and Swearingin to a house while they were handcuffed.
Maxwell told investigators that she watched Marks strangle Swearingin before later killing Scott.
She later helped police locate the victims’ bodies buried in Oklahoma.
Maya Maxwell Accepted a Plea Deal
Maxwell eventually agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and testify against Marks in exchange for a plea deal.
She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and later became eligible for parole.
Maxwell claimed she stayed with Marks because she feared for her life and believed she could not escape him safely.
Investigators Connected Marks to Another Missing Woman
As news of the double murder case spread, investigators in Minnesota began reexamining another missing persons case connected to Marks.
Police suspected Marks may also have been involved in the disappearance of April Pease, who vanished in 2009.
Like Scott and Maxwell, Pease had reportedly met Marks through a dating app and had also filed a protective order against him before disappearing.
Investigators later received statements from another woman connected to Marks who allegedly claimed she was present during Pease’s murder as well.
Cedric Marks Sentenced to Death
In 2023, Cedric Marks went on trial for the murders of Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin.
Marks chose to represent himself during the trial. Prosecutors argued that he killed Scott because she could have sent him to prison for a long time.
The jury ultimately found Marks guilty of capital murder, and he was sentenced to death.
Investigators described him as manipulative and dangerous, claiming he used fear and control against women in his relationships.
Meanwhile, the investigation into April Pease’s disappearance remains ongoing.
