Overview of Margaret Sweet
It's been more than 13 years since Margaret Sweet was murdered after an altercation with an unidentified man while visiting her father’s home in Colorado Springs. Who killed Margaret?
Margaret “Mae” Sweet was a young, lively woman—she occasionally used the name Shelby Jamison—-loved live music. A lover of the outdoors, her family described Margaret as having an adventurous spirit who felt most herself when she was white water rafting in the mountains. She was a reliable and thoughtful person who always made herself available for a friend in need.
A few months prior to her murder
Margaret was living in Nashville, Tennessee when she met her boyfriend, Jere Dale Batts. Their relationship was often tumultuous despite Batts' claims of never physically harming Margaret. On May 13, 2008, Margaret had filed an order of protection against Batts after he had followed her across the country to Colorado Springs—on one occasion Batts left a teddy bear, a dozen red roses, and an engagement ring on her car.
The day she was murdered
On December 24, 2008, Margaret was home in Colorado Springs helping her father, James Egger, tend to her stepmother, Peggy who was recovering from surgery at a local hospital. Margaret and her father took turns visiting Penny. Around 11 pm, neighbors overheard a loud verbal argument between an unidentified man and Margaret followed by a gunshot at her father’s home. 911 was never called.
When Margaret’s father returned home the next day he noticed something on the white picket fence. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Margaret’s bloody body, with one leg in the basement well. She had been shot. When paramedics arrived on the scene, Margaret was declared deceased. Investigators ran a ballistic report and found the same gun was used to injure a man in a drug deal in 2007; the victim survived and no one was arrested. However, toxicology reports would show that Margaret was sober at the time of her death and there is no connection to the drug trade. Jere Dale Batts would tell police that he was on a date with another woman at the time of the shooting.
Where the case stands today
Margaret’s case remains unsolved, and there has been very little coverage of her case since her murder. Authorities are asking anyone with details about her murder to come forward.
Were you near 1300 Forsdick Circle the evening of Christmas Eve 2008?
If you have any information regarding Margaret Sweets please contact Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000 or email cspdcoldcase@springsgov.com with tips.
