All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. 1." Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. eventAction: 'view' Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. He was interrogated for 12 hours with only two segments running to 46 minutes being recorded, and although he was read his Miranda rights, he later said that he hadn't understood them. In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. To this day, it is still unclear who is responsible for the brutal murders, and in hopes of uncovering new potential leads, investigative podcaster Bob Ruff reexamined the case in The Forgotten West Memphis Three, streaming now on Oxygen. Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. YoutubeMugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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. 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. Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. Jul. West Memphis police brought Terry Hobbs in for questioning in June 2007, and coverage soon led to a widespread examination of the original verdict, with Hobbs even telling police that some of his relatives suspected him in the killings. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. The following morning, May 6, a far more thorough search throughout West Memphis began, Crittenden County Search and Rescue personnel leading the effort, including the use of a helicopter. 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.". "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". Toggle dark mode 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. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. Efforts to release the West Memphis Three would be aided in 2003 when Vicki Hutcheson ultimately recanted her testimony, telling the "Arkansas Times" that everything she told police was a lie. The Supreme Court ruled that a defendant would be deprived of his rights if a confession was introduced in a joint trial under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment, stating that "in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the rightto be confronted with the witnesses against him." The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. 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. They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. },false) After being told that she was questioning his involvement, Hobbs is alleged to have replied, "I could skin a man alive, I could cut him up.". 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. Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. }); The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". Now, the attorneys are responding in court. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. }); Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. In many respects, the reaction to these new youth movements was nothing new, with the metal bands of the 1970s and 80s having faced similar condemnation as "the Devil's music." Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. }) Jul. The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. At one point, he told locals he obtained superpowers from consuming human blood and was often seen to have sharpened his fingernails and drawn deliberately provocative tattoos on himself. The story will be familiar to many working-class American youths, with Echols' poverty and mental health struggles disconnecting him from society, writing that "As I grew older I learned to be ashamed of being poor, too. He had an extensive collection of animal skulls, including dogs and cats and local rumors said that he had killed a dog, while no evidence was ever provided. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. Who killed Stevie Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend Byers. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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(), },false) "Even if he files within the right court, there is no body that's required under habeas corpus because he's released," said Attorney General Griffin. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". She also revealed Terry hadn't informed her that her son was missing until she finished work, having significant concerns over his whereabouts on those days. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. 'Feels Like Home:' electrical failure from a light fixture caused December fire that killed 1, Shelby County reporting an increase in drug-related overdoses, largely due to fentanyl, Severe weather threat is over | Prepare for a sunny weekend, Daylight saving time starts soon. 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.". Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. He was 62. Byers submitted dental records that showed the marks on the body didn't match his original teeth and subsequently passed a polygraph during the documentary's filming. They seem to me to be more practical ligatures, Clemente said. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. The state of Arkansas was hoping to do like they do in so many other cases with poor people, with people who are powerless to defend themselves. Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents defendant Damien Echols, wrote in a Wednesday statement that he located evidence from the case after being granted access to the police department through an Arkansas state court order, according to WREG. The chief of police was not truthful. However, a hair "not inconsistent with" Steve Branch's stepfather, Terry Hobbs, was found, and crucially it was tied into the knots of the bindings that had hogtied one of the children. hitType: 'event', Who killed Stevie Yet, while Arkansas certainly has problems seen throughout the South, such as poor wages, West Memphis was then a city of 30,000 with a wide variety of cultures. }) This would give him no time to meet his Echols and Baldwin, get drunk as he claimed, and then kill three children in an extended attack in the woods. WebThe West Memphis Three are three men convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. Moore. Toggle dark mode 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. ET. Medical examiners were split on whether the three boys died the night they went missing or the morning after, and the bite marks wouldn't even be noticed until photographs were examined years later. 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. Baldwin meanwhile has ambitions to become a lawyer and began work for a construction company, with Misskelley getting engaged to his high school girlfriend and training as a mechanic. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. To this day, it is still unclear who is responsible for the brutal murders, and in hopes of uncovering new potential leads, investigative podcaster Bob Ruff reexamined the case in . He was also charged in 1990 for stealing $65,000 in jewelry from a store where he previously worked, and in 1992 for "conspiring to sell cocaine and with carrying a dangerous weapon.". All Rights Reserved. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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." Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. ga('ads.send', { The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. 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 } How the three died wasn't the same, with Moore and Branch being killed by multiple injuries and then drowning, with Byers dying of blood loss and not being drowned. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. Pamela Hobbs gave numerous interviews to the press where she spoke about the knife, the DNA, and the events of May 5 and 6, 1994. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. He was called a 'baby killer.'. The elder Byers admitted he whipped Christopher with a belt shortly before he went missing. In 2010, the West Memphis Three were granted to appear before the Arkansas Supreme Court based on the new DNA evidence and potential misconduct by the jury. With the addition of a 10-year suspended sentence, a probation type sentencing which meant if they did anything illegal they would be put back in jail, the West Memphis Three were sentenced to time served. ", 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, Horror at Larchwood Care! However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. }); 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. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. 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. The West Memphis Three are Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., whoas teenagerswere convicted in 1994 of triple murder in West Memphis (Crittenden County). 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. Benca said he hopes the evidence can be tested for DNA to help clear the name of his client, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. was convicted of murder as a teenager in 1994. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. Serving as professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California, it was expert testimony. It is easy for many to look at the South as hillbilly central, full of prejudice and backward attitudes, with somewhat elitist attitudes often prevalent when discussing the case. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. Neither Climer nor Bly would be considered competent witnesses at the eventual trial. Their trial, which included He explained that the particular petition they filed is not up for interpretation and ultimately is not within their rights. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. Who killed Stevie Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. }); Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. Then read about the woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. Baldwin would later say that he had been resistant to the plea as a matter of principle, but turning it down would have kept Echols on death row. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. WebWest Memphis Three, three American men who in 1994, while teenagers, were found guilty of murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, allegedly as part of devil worship. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." A subsequent search quickly found the bodies of Branch, Byers and Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. They allowed police and other workers to walk through the creek, trampling possible evidence such as footprints, and equally failed to drain the water quickly to preserve other evidence. WebWest Memphis Three, three American men who in 1994, while teenagers, were found guilty of murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, allegedly as part of devil worship. It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. Starting in the weeks that followed the killings, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky began to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case for their film "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills," airing in June 1996 on HBO. 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
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