Plea entered for man accused of killing, stuffing man in toolbox

TROTWOOD — A plea has been entered for a man facing murder charges in connection to a 2022 death investigation.

Nicholas Swisher, 29, stood mute during his arraignment resulting in the court entering a not guilty plea, according to court documents.

Swisher was previously indicted on charges including murder, felonious assault, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse.

The charges are in connection to the death of John Mullins, a man whose remains were found near the 6500 block of Midway Avenue in September 2022.

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Days before his body was found, Swisher allegedly lured Mullins to his home on Lensdale Avenue and beat him to death, a Trotwood detective wrote in court documents. He then reportedly put Mullins’ body in a toolbox and “disposed of him in the woods.”

After Mullins’ body was found, police told News Center 7 that there were “suspicious circumstances” surrounding his death.

Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson told News Center 7 that detectives were able to “obtain some physical evidence” that linked Swisher to Mullins’ death the day his body was found.

Swisher was arrested when a U-Haul he allegedly stole was involved in a police chase and crash.

He is facing separate charges for that incident.

Swisher is being held in Montgomery County Jail on a $1 million bond.

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