BG murder case on track for April trial date

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026

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Donald Swain

A jury trial remains on scheduled to begin next month for two men charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a Bowling Green man at his business.

Attorneys for Donald Swain and Darris Allen maintained Monday in Warren Circuit Court that they wanted the trial for their clients to remain on the docket for April 21.

Swain, 46, and Allen, 43, are accused of working in tandem to cause the death of Robert Dark, 39, who was shot and killed June 25 at Martin Auto Mart on the U.S. 31-W By-Pass.

Swain has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence, while Allen is under indictment on charges of complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence.

In court on Monday, Allen’s defense team of Steve and Jacob Romines indicated that they would be ready to proceed before a jury next month, though Steve Romines said that there is some DNA analysis that is outstanding in the investigation.

Warren County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Daniel “Tres” Miller said that he anticipated DNA testing to be completed around the end of this month or the start of next month.

Miller said that law enforcement has completed the interview process of the investigation, while Steve Romines noted that a man who the defense has identified as an alternate perpetrator was questioned by police in January and declined to voluntarily surrender his cell phone.

Allen and Swain, who are both being held in Warren County Regional Jail, are due back in court on March 30.

Authorities have largely relied on cell phone tower data and surveillance footage to connect Swain and Allen to the shooting of Dark, which was investigated by the Bowling Green Police Department.

Police believe that Swain was dropped off on East 10th Avenue just before the shooting on June 25 and is the man seen walking into Martin Auto Mart when the fatal shots were fired, before being picked up in the same silver 2014 Cadillac that dropped him off in the area and that was found that afternoon partially covered by a tarp at a residence on Plum Springs Road where Allen’s nephew lived.

Camera footage showed a Chevrolet Suburban leaving that residence early in the afternoon of June 25 and police believe a Chevrolet Cruze driven by Swain followed the Suburban to Interstate 65.

A cell phone belonging to Swain pinged off cell towers in the Bowling Green area the night before the shooting and during the next day, and a car registered to him was also captured on video cameras during that time, according to court records.

An affidavit for a search warrant sworn by BGPD Detective Kyle Scharlow said that Allen “helped out with” a business in which Dark invested, before Dark “pulled out of the business deal” while the other owners owed him money.