who killed the 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. Despite claiming to know Echols well, she denied knowing his close friend Baldwin. There are significant issues with the confession, with his claims not aligning with the autopsy and crime scene evidence, seemingly changing his story depending on who he was talking with. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. As the rumors increased throughout the community, a Salem-like air descended as names continued to be associated with the alleged cult. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. 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. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. The bodies of the three boys had been found in Robin Hood Hills, a stretch of forested land in the city that was popular with children and where Christopher, Michael and Steve were last seen together. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. }); 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. YoutubeMugshots of the West Memphis Three. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. hitType: 'event', Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. ga('ads.send', { 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. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. 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. "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." So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. Driver's comments surrounding the case raised troubling questions over his competence to serve, stating he believed Echols and his girlfriend intended to sacrifice their expectant child to Satan. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. 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. However, it wouldn't only be many of the victims' families who were dissatisfied, with former FBI criminal profiler John E. Douglas saying the killings were likely the work of one individual whose intent was to degrade the victims. To prove his innocence, he agreed and passed a polygraph test during the filming of 'Paradise Lost 2: Revelations,' only for the documentary to throw doubts on the results by revealing he was under the influence of several psychoactive prescription medications that could have affected the test results. 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. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. 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. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. Yet, the moral panic would culturally define the decade for many youths, lingering as the remnants of the "Satanic Panic" that led to many wrongful convictions a decade earlier. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. Their trial, which included The inherent belief in that line of thought eventually led to the arrest of 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, three out-of-sorts teens who became popularly known as "The West Memphis Three.". The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. 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. Moore. Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Then, perhaps, the punishment went too far, and it resulted in the triple homicide. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. He was 62. Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend Byers. However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Jul. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. New evidence immediately began to come to light that cast even further doubts on the already shaky judgment and presented new and surprising suspects. Their clothing was found in the same creek, and some of it had been twisted around sticks that had been fixed into the muddy ditch bed. 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. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. 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. They did not kill my son.. hitType: 'event', 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. 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. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. }); 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. 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. One of the few pieces of forensic evidence recovered at the scene was a hair belonging to a Black male found on a sheet that had been used to wrap one of the victims. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. ", '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! The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. Equally, it was widely known he threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend's father, yet those who had taken against him left out that this was through a fear that the father was going to assault his daughter. 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. 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. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. He tried to fight back and showed defensive injuries. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. They drew pentagrams, skulls, and snakes on art materials and surprised those at a football game by arriving dressed in black with black tears painted on their faces. During questioning, Echols mentioned wounds to the genital that one of the victims suffered. 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' 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 varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. pg.acq.push(function() { 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. If you found this interesting, you might also want to read about the study that finds black Americans are wrongfully convicted at a far greater rate. 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. }); He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. 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. From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. 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. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. WebSeason 1 Episode 1 Preview: Host and investigator Bob Ruff explores the flaws from the original ""West Memphis Three"" case to lay the groundwork for his evidence-driven investigation. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. Every piece is still there https://t.co/8tzxOWjZLH, - Damien Echols (@damienechols) December 21, 2021. 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. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. ET. 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. 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.". hitType: 'event', Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. He was 62. Investigators found the bottle exactly where he said it would be. Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. 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. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. Devastating Photos Of Hiroshima Before And After The Atomic Bombing That Changed History Forever, Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Teaching Pug Nazi Salute [VIDEO], What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, black Americans are wrongfully convicted at a far greater rate, woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. WebSeason 1 Episode 1 Preview: Host and investigator Bob Ruff explores the flaws from the original ""West Memphis Three"" case to lay the groundwork for his evidence-driven investigation. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. They were 17, 16, and 18 years old respectively. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. Having once been adamant on the West Memphis Three's guilt, he accepted their innocence and, instead, pointed the finger at Terry Hobbs, Steve's stepfather. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. 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.". ADVERTISEMENT Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. 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. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. 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. On May 5, 1993, Branch was at home with his mother, Pamela Hobbs, and shortly after the end of school, Moore rode over on his bike and asked if his friend could take a ride with him. 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. 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." Meanwhile, at the Marion Police Department, Detective Don Bray was attempting to administer a polygraph test to Vicki Hutcheson, who had recently moved to the city. "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. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. eventAction: 'view' The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. While he was on medication that may have affected the outcome, including Xanax, it seems that his suspected involvement in the killings was a complete dead end. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. 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. }); 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. During the trial, Echols blew kisses to the victim's family, a sign taken by many as a sure sign of guilt. Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. 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. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. 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. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. 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. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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. 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. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of 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. ga('ads.send', { 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 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. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. 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." '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. 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. Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. He suffered from "grandiose and persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, disordered thought processes, substantial lack of insight, and chronic, incapacitating mood swings." 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office announced on Twitter that Byers had been killed in an accident on Chambers Road and Shakerag Road in the Millington area on Thursday evening and then died after he was transported to a local hospital. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. That's mostly during the teenage years.". 1." Now, Attorney General Tim Griffin has requested the Arkansas Supreme Court to dismiss the case based on the fact that the petition was filed in Crittenden County but Echols was convicted in Craighead County.
