Swanson was last seen last seen by his family members at approximately 7:30 p.m. in Aledo, Illinois, in the vicinity of the 1400 block of 120th Avenue. He left a note and a voice-mail message behind telling his family he would be safe and they should not worry about him. Later that evening, Swanson's dog was found tied up at a local convenience store. Two days after his disappearance, his vehicle was found abandoned and burned in Loran, Illinois. Swanson was possibly seen hitchhiking in the Bushnell area on May 29; he may also have been seen in the Greenview cemetery that day. These sightings have not been confirmed, however, and he has never been heard from again.

Swanson's mother says he was under a lot of stress at the time of his disappearance. His house burned down in March 2002, his fiancee left him in June of that year, and in September 2002 he was in a car accident. Because of these events he developed memory problems. Swanson is described as a religious, family-oriented man. His family says it is uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with a Chevrolet emblem. His case remains unsolved.