They Meet After Texting, Argued, Younger Guy Beats His Date to Death

22- year-old Cody Garman is now in the Elkhart County jail after police say he severely beat former Goshen City Councilman David Swartley and left him to die in his car. 

                                                                                                         

Police originally arrested Garman (right) on charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery after Swartley (left)died from head injuries.

Tuesday, Garman was charged with murder after investigators found out what happened.

It turns out the two knew each other. But not personally. 

Court documents say they met online after Garman saw Swartley's personal ad for a "casual encounter."

After responding to the ad, they texted for awhile. Police say they found a "significant amount of contact" between the two of them on Swartley's phone.

They planned on meeting up for sex on the morning of Thursday, May 25. Swartley drove to Garman's house where Garman got into his car. 

Garman told police they got in an argument. That's where things started going wrong. 

Charging documents say Garman claims to have punched Swartley at least two times in the head.

Garman then hopped in the front seat of Swartley's car, leaving Swartley in the back, naked and injured.

He drove about 5 minutes to Ne Ce Dah Avenue. During the drive, Garman says Swartley asked where he was being taken. 

Police say Garman got out of the car, took the keys and left Swartley in the car where police found him later that morning after a concerned neighbor called about an an abandoned car.

Police rushed him to the hospital, but he died from severe brain injuries later that night.

Garman was arraigned last Thursday. 

Swartley will be cremated after a memorial service Wednesday morning from 10 A.M to 11 A.M. At Faith Lutheran Church in Goshen.

More information after Arraignment:

Court documents reveal that Cody Garman admits to having met Swartley, 66, in the early hours of May 25, after responding to his personal ad for “casual encounters.”

Swartley told his roommates that he wouldn’t be able to provide them transportation before leaving his residence, at around 3 a.m., to drive to Garman’s house. Garman entered Swartley’s car, and at some point an argument ensued. He told police he hit Swartley in the head with a closed fist “at least two times.”

He then drove Swartley’s car, with him naked and injured in the back, to a secluded area. He took the keys and left Swartley in the backseat of his car, did not return to the area, and, as cellphone records show, did not call for help. He said he could hear Swartley calling for help from the car as he walked away.

Police found the 66-year-old unconscious and trauma to his head and face, at around 8:30 that same morning, after a concerned citizen called about a man unresponsive in the backseat of a vehicle. He later died as a result of those injuries.

Garman became a suspect after Swartley’s phone records showed he had been in contact with him right before he was found by police.

Garman, who was appointed a public defender, faces 65 years in prison if found guilty. His pretrial is set for June 29, and his trial is scheduled to begin on September 18.

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. (WNDU)