Indiana man accused of murdering motorist after accident in Illinois now facing charges in separate murder, Man shot, killed after crash on highway, suspect charged with murder, police say, Woman Started Firing At Pool Party, Killing One And Injuring Two, Police Say, Subscribe to Front Page Detectives Newsletter. In addition to the offender being a male who had a relationship with one or more of the victims, Clemente thinks the suspect was from the neighborhood, theorizing that he hid the bodies in order to give himself enough time to establish an alibi. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. If the judge makes the decision to deny the state's request for dismissal, then Attorney General Tim Griffin will get a chance to respond to that decision. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. The police contended the tapes couldn't confirm this, with interference masking conversations. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. Talking with police and his lawyer present in the room, he would ignore advice from his counsel to remain silent and detailed how the West Memphis Three had abused and murdered the victims. eventAction: 'render' While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. When investigators found the boys bodies on May 6, 1993, they had been jammed into the muddy ground of the bayou, and their clothes had been submerged in the water with sticks. } During one visit to the station, officers used photographs of Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin for dart practice, having made their minds up about their guilt long before their arrests. Classmates at Weaver Elementary School, the three were active in their Cub Scout troop and responsible enough to be trusted to roam their neighborhood without Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." hitType: 'event', Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Curiously, most of the injuries suffered by Byers were to the lower body, whereas the damage inflicted on Branch and Moore was primarily to the upper body. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. ga('ads.send', { The 'West Memphis Three' were exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology (West Memphis Police Department) John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. However, the day afterward, Hutcheson would tell police that she, Echols and Misskelley had all attended a Wicca meeting in Turrell, Arkansas, where Echols became drunk and started to loudly brag about having committed the killings of Branch, Byers and Moore. ga('ads.send', { Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, and his legal team have hit another obstacle as they try to get the court's permission to test newly found evidence for DNA. While the stepfather initially denied it had ever been used, he later changed his story and said he had used it just once, to cut deer meat. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. },false) window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. Meanwhile, patrons at the Blue Beacon, a truck wash close to the scene, all had their credit card receipts collected, and the first suspects brought in were transients, with information being sought about two "dirty-looking" hitchhikers. He was 62. A self-identified white supremacist and freemason, his personality and affiliations led many to suspect that he was the kind of man who may have been involved in the killings. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. The alert was assigned to Officer Regenia Meek, who filled out reports and, with Officer John Moore, did a brief search, but nothing more expansive. Misskelley confessed during the interrogation but later took rescinded it, stating that he did it out our fear and intimidation. Yet, few could give details. Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. The West Memphis Three were the distinctive people in the town of West Memphis; however, there was little evidence suggesting they killed the three young boys. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal An attorney involved in the West Memphis Three case, in which three teenagers were convicted of killing three boys in 1993, is claiming that evidence related to the case that was believed to be lost or destroyed has been located at the West Memphis Police Department, local CBS affiliate WREG reported.Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. When he was informed that the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, he claimed he had no idea how the blood might have gotten on the knife before suggesting he might have left it out accidentally. eventAction: 'load' Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. On one occasion after the killings at Robin Hood Hills, he had beaten Pamela so severely that she told the family that she thought her jaw was broken, prompting them to drive to the Hobbs home to confront him. Prosecutors would only give up harassing Misskelley for his testimony when I threatened to hold a press conference and disclose their efforts to entice his testimony." However, this approach was countered by other officers who believed firmly the occult must be involved at some level, looking immediately toward Damien Echols, who had built a reputation in the local community. Now, the attorneys are responding in court. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. "We are trying to find the real killers. It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. pg.acq.push(function() { All three were convicted, not based on evidence but by a "twisted portrayal of their character", given sentences varying from death to life in prison, and then eventually exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology. The belief in a Satanic aspect to the crime was aided by Vicki Hutcheson and her son, when after discovering the bodies, Aaron claimed he'd witnessed the killings. If the offender came across the boys as they were doing something wrong or misbehaving, it would have been even easier to control and reprimand them, said Clemente. "I think maybe for the general public it's not quite as scary to believe that blood-thirsty Satanists were out murdering children as it is to believe that parents are actually murdering their own children. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), If they thought they could trust the person who was the actual threat, then that person could get close enough to them to control them so that they couldn't run away," he told Ruff. hitType: 'event', Attorney General Griffin expects Echols' legal team to refile in Craighead County, but he said that it won't make a difference in the long run. An investigation of the murders looked into several suspects, including the stepfather of Steve Branch as well as two teenage boys who had abruptly fled to California shortly after the bodies were discovered. Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. },false) I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. }); John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. The police were called, but he had left by the time they arrived, and nobody from law enforcement entered the bathroom until the next day after the discovery of the bodies. An attorney involved in the West Memphis Three case, in which three teenagers were convicted of killing three boys in 1993, is claiming that evidence related to the case that was believed to be lost or destroyed has been located at the West Memphis Police Department, local CBS affiliate WREG reported.Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents "We feel strongly that we are in the right. The first of that evidence emerged during the filming of HBO's 1996 documentary on the case: 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills.'. While they showed the bravado and sense of adventure associated with many scouts, they were still innocent, with Byers said by his mother to still "[believe] in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.". She would state that her son had strangely said "I love you, mom" repeatedly on the way home from school on the day he vanished. WebDevil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three is a 2002 true crime book by Mara Leveritt, about the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old children and the subsequent trials of three teenagers charged with and convicted of the crimes.The names of the three teens convicted - Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley - would come to be MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician told a Tennessee board Friday that officers impeded patient care by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols ' handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check his vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police. Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". Steve Edward Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were all good kids. Driver was the kind of individual who saw Satanism in every corner, blaming campfires, dead animal carcasses and pentagram graffiti on the dark arts. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. The three men spent nearly 17 years in prison before being released in 2012 after entering an Alford plea, pleading guilty while maintaining their innocence. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. While Morgan, Holland and "Mr. Bojangles" already seem to have more against them than Echols, the police were now focusing solely on the one angle and one suspect, getting Vicki Hutcheson to agree to have her home wired. However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. However, her description of the boy she nearly hit was inconsistent with either Branch, Byers or Moore, and it was, in fact, a fourth boy by the name of George Taylor. Here's when clocks will 'spring forward' in 2023, Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice announces departure from WM3 case, West Memphis Three continue fight to get DNA tested. Terry Hobbs, meanwhile, still believes in the guilt of the West Memphis Three, telling Memphis ABC affiliate WATN in 2019 that "I still believe in my heart that Jessie, Jason, and Damion Echols are responsible for what happened to our children.". How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. All three had been stripped naked and shackled with their shoelaces their right ankles had been tied to their right wrists behind their backs, with their left ankles to their left wrists behind their backs as well. Explaining why the test may have indicated this, Martin suggested he believed "the father of Steve Branch killed the boys" and that he suspected shoelaces would have been used to tie up the victims, as "logic tells him that the killer would use something already there." Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. If some stranger who looked very threatening approached these three boys, I think the first reaction of these boys would be to run away, to look for help. While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. At the scene, Steve Jones, assistant juvenile probation officer, openly speculated that Echols was capable of the crime, saying, "it looks like Damien Echols finally killed someone.". ADVERTISEMENT A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". Echols interest in the occult as an outlet led him to Wicca, and he was a reader of Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey and English occultist Aleister Crowley. However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. Until 2007, when the discovery of new forensic evidence reopened the case and a new statute permitting post-conviction testing of DNA evidence came about. All Rights Reserved. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. Both had histories of drug offenses, and Morgan claimed to police he suffered from memory loss and blackouts, stating he "might have" killed the three boys. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. In 1997 Byers had all his teeth removed, claiming both that medication he was taking caused gum disease and he'd planned to remove them as he had suffered dental problems for years. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. pg.acq.push(function() { There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" When they didn't, the first phone call would be made to police not long afterward, John Mark Byers raising the alarm with police close to 8 p.m. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. At the trial, the prosecution continued the claims of Satanic overtones, calling Dale W. Griffis of the unaccredited Columbia Pacific University distance learning school as an "expert" witness to affirm the killings were definitely occult related. The 'West Memphis Three' were exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology (West Memphis Police Department) John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. But their innocence did leave investigators back at square one. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician told a Tennessee board Friday that officers impeded patient care by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols ' handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check his vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. This is the world where fist meets face. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} One of the charges of making terroristic threats was connected to a domestic dispute between him and his first wife, Sandra Byers, who accused him of threatening her life and assaulting her with an electronic stunning device. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. An attorney involved in the West Memphis Three case, in which three teenagers were convicted of killing three boys in 1993, is claiming that evidence related to the case that was believed to be lost or destroyed has been located at the West Memphis Police Department, local CBS affiliate WREG reported.Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. A formal interview on May 9 led to further suspicion against the young man when he mentioned the damage to Byer's genitals, something seen as incriminating. Quoted by WMC-TV in 2013, Jacoby said, "They said close to the crime scene because at one time I did walk near where they had found the kids with Terry Hobbs, his father-in-law, his wife," adding. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Jul. On Feb. 8, Misskelley claimed he had been drunk at the time of the killings and was drinking Evan Williams whiskey, claiming that he had thrown a bottle away under a bridge in West Memphis, swearing on the Bible as to the truth of his latest claims. WebDevil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three is a 2002 true crime book by Mara Leveritt, about the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old children and the subsequent trials of three teenagers charged with and convicted of the crimes.The names of the three teens convicted - Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley - would come to be A polygraph indicated some level of deception in his statements to police, yet it should be noted that a heart condition may have affected the results. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. After 3 years of fighting to get new evidence tested for DNA, the state says the WM3 petition should be tossed out and now, the attorneys are responding in court. The new documentary focused on the bite marks, with the prosecution arguing that the marking seen on Christopher Byers' face in photographs is from a belt buckle and not teeth. To understand the story of the West Memphis Three, it's important to remember the cultural atmosphere that was prevalent throughout America in the mid-1990s. Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. All three bodies were immediately removed from the water before the coroner arrived, meaning that they were exposed to sunlight and insects before judgments could be made surrounding rigor mortis and the time of death. The men garnered national attention due to a series of documentaries and books that questioned their convictions as well as the vocal support of numerous celebrities. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Despite claiming to know Echols well, she denied knowing his close friend Baldwin. Tape recorded, Misskelley would claim that "When the boys came up, Damien grabbed one of them, I don't know which one and the other two tried to get Damien to stop, and then me and Jason come out and started grabbing them, started hitting them." Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. Writing under penalty of perjury to the United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas, Pamela would say that he ex-husband kept dentures in a lock-box. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. If they thought they could trust the person who was the actual threat, then that person could get close enough to them to control them so that they couldn't run away," retired FBI Supervisory Agent Jim Clemente saysin "The Forgotten West Memphis Three.". Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. What came after the arrest is quite well-documented. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open.