who killed the west memphis three
They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. 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. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. It wouldn't be the only evidence that linked Hobbs to the murders, with his wife Pamela finding a knife that her son had carried with him in her husband's nightstand. hitType: 'event', So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. },false) Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. ADVERTISEMENT There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. hitType: 'event', Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. 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. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. ga('ads.send', { Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. With the new evidence in hand alongside expert testimony that suggested the knife wounds and mutilation had been animal predation, Echols petitioned for a retrial. ET. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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. Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. The plea deal was accepted. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Despite claiming to know Echols well, she denied knowing his close friend Baldwin. The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. He was 62. It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. 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. } Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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). Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. }); While Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley may have begun to rebuild their lives, there is still no solace or closure for the families of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. 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 }); Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. 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. However, once again, Misskelley claimed Baldwin pulled out a knife, despite the evidence presented by experts that no knife had ever been used. The chief of police was not truthful. "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. }); From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. 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. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. "Chief Pope's resignation is completely unrelated to the West Memphis three rumors being sent out on social media," the statement reads. 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. When West Memphis teens Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were tried and convicted of the murders of three 8-year-old boys in 1994, many in the community felt confident that investigators had put the right men behind bars. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. ga('ads.send', { One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". Writing in his future memoir, "Life After Death," Echols would say, "Down here in the deep, dark South we know and live with the real world. All three appealed the convictions. Byers had been a step-father to Christopher Byers, who along with his two eight-year-old friends Michael Moore and Steve Branch, had been killed in West Memphis on May 5, 1993, and whose murders remain unsolved to this day, almost three decades later. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. The boys were naked and tied up by their shoelaces. Example video title will go here for this video. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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. 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. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. 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. 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). They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. Steve had taken this knife everywhere and was never without it, with Pamela believing the killer had stolen it when it wasn't found at the scene. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. 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 Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. }); This was a result of getting enraged, going too far, and then having to basically clean up the mess," he said. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. pg.acq.push(function() { 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. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. He was 62. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. 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. 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 However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), },false) There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. 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. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." 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. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Despite the defense stating that Echols' statements on Byers genitals and the boys being drowned could have been public knowledge locally, particularly considering known leaks had been made, both Echols and Baldwin were found guilty on three counts of murder. His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. 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. 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. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. 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. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. Their trial, which included Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. 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. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. '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. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. "I can't understand why exactly people are glossing over the obvious when it comes to Byers and the death of Melissa Byers and all the things that Byers has said and done since this trial," he said. It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. During part two of the documentary special, Ruff sat down with retired FBI Supervisory Agent Jim Clemente, who created a suspect profile to help narrow down the possible suspect pool. Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. 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. pg.acq.push(function() { All three would be happy to talk, with Bly saying that Misskelley was the leader of a Satanic cult that also involved Baldwin, Echols, his girlfriend Domini Teer, and others 20 in all. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. 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. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview He explained that the particular petition they filed is not up for interpretation and ultimately is not within their rights. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. Toggle dark mode "I am innocent, as are Jason and Jessie, but I made this decision because I did not want to spend another day of my life behind those bars," Echols told the "Arkansas Times." ", '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! 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.". Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. 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. But their innocence did leave investigators back at square one. Their trial, which included Based on the new information, the three men asked for an Alford plea, in which the defendant maintains their innocence, but acknowledge that prosecutors have evidence to convict them. Nevertheless, this is a complete delaying tactic," Soury explained. While he remained immature, he was on an early road to adulthood as he worked part-time as a roofer and expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Domini Teer. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. During the weeks that followed, law enforcement would only state that Echols was a source of information, not officially designating him a suspect despite looking at him more than anyone else. 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. 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 All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. Their clothing was found tied to sticks implanted into the creek bed, with two pairs of underwear missing. }); Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. 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. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. Equally, Wiccans reject their beliefs are a form of Satanism, with the movement being closer to Neo-Paganism and nature religions and almost exclusively pacifistic in nature. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. gads_event = event; 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. They did not kill my son.. The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. hitType: 'event', The elder Byers admitted he whipped Christopher with a belt shortly before he went missing. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. 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. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. 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. The assailant is also prone to violent outbursts, likely has a history of domestic violence, and places a high importance on punishment. ga('ads.send', { Back with the search, the main focus was Robin Hood Hills near where witnesses last saw the trio, and that morning Branch andMoore's bikes were found next to a pipe bridge that crossed the bayou. 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 discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' He was 62. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Since his release, Echols has forged a career in the arts, moving to the infamous Salem, Massachusetts and publishing a memoir, "Almost Home: My Life Story Vol. All three spent most of their days as any other mid-1990s teenagers - listening to rock music, watching pro wrestling on television, and either poking around under the hood of a car or simply hanging out and causing trouble. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), A popular perception is that in New York or Los Angeles, is the lifestyles of the West Memphis Three wouldn't have drawn comment, but in Arkansas, it was a different story. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Many pointed to the irony in that insult, since Byers himself was considered by many to be complicit in not just the boys' murder, and the death of his second wife as well, who had passed away three years after her son's killing. ga('ads.send', { 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. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Interested, police arrested both of them on May 17, placing them under a polygraph which indicated they were deceptive when denying involvement in the killings. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. 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." 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.". Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. 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.'. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ However, that isn't quite the truth. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. 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. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. 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. There were even witnesses who placed Misskelley at his trailer until 6:30 p.m., the time the boys went missing, with one revealing he picked him up to go wrestling around 7:30 p.m. 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.
