who killed the west memphis three

Echols and Baldwin were best friends and shared a profound distaste for Bible Belt life in West Memphis, Arkansas and were drawn toward the rebellion of metal music and associated books and movies. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. 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. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. ga('ads.send', { 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 alert was assigned to Officer Regenia Meek, who filled out reports and, with Officer John Moore, did a brief search, but nothing more expansive. Byers claimed the knife had never even been used, changing his story to say he'd used it to cut deer meat after the presence of blood was found. 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.". 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. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. He was 62. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. connection to West Memphis Three Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. }); 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. However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Toggle dark mode LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas After three years of fighting to get new evidence tested for DNA, the state is saying the West Memphis Three petition should be tossed out. He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. It took them 18 years to clear their names. The 'West Memphis Three' Murders Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. West Memphis Three You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. 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. The 'West Memphis Three' Murders Memphis hitType: 'event', 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. 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 It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. Judge David Burnett, the original trial judge, disallowed the presentation of the new information in his court in 2008, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive. Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. 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. 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. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. 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. 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. Over the nine years since their release, there have been dozens of theories that pointed to other suspects who could have been behind the deaths of Christopher, Michael, and Steve. 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. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. 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. During the trial, Echols blew kisses to the victim's family, a sign taken by many as a sure sign of guilt. 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. ADVERTISEMENT The West Memphis Three 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. All three achieved the rank of "Wolf," and Moore had his blue Boy Scouts of America shirt and Boy Scout hat on as he ventured out on his bicycle. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. West Memphis Three Christopher Byers' father, Rick Murray, was one of the early voices to speak out against the West Memphis Three's convictions, with Pamela Hobbs perhaps becoming the most vocal. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. 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. The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. The assailant is also prone to violent outbursts, likely has a history of domestic violence, and places a high importance on punishment. 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. Who killed Stevie March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. The boys were naked and tied up by their shoelaces. She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. Memphis Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. },false) }) 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' stepfather. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. 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. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. With the evidence mounting that all three accused had been innocent, the deal ensured that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley would never be allowed to pursue civil action against the state of Arkansas for wrongful imprisonment. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' 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. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Memphis Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. Their clothing was found tied to sticks implanted into the creek bed, with two pairs of underwear missing. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. and "Do you know who killed those three boys?". Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. 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. }); Jul. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. We are one of the worlds fastest growing With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ 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. However, once again, Misskelley claimed Baldwin pulled out a knife, despite the evidence presented by experts that no knife had ever been used. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. 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. 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. hitType: 'event', 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. West Memphis Three 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. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. Trinocular Co-Axial 1500x Metallurgical Microscope with Top-Bottom Light with 2MP Camera, Trinocular Microscope with DIN Objective and Camera 40x - 2000x, Junior Medical Microscope with Wide Field Eyepiece & LED 100x - 1500x, Trinocular Inverted Metallurgical Microscope 100x - 1200x, Binocular Inverted Metallurgical Microscope 100x - 1200x. connection to West Memphis Three 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. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? However, it wasn't just about the music with many embracing rebellious philosophies that were inherently offensive to the traditions of Christianity, respect and patriotism that have always defined small-town rural America. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. Moore. 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. 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. West Memphis Three Who killed Stevie 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. 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. 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. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. 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. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. }) He again repeated the incorrect police suspicion that Echols had sexually violated one of the boys, claiming this time his friend had ejaculated on the victim's trousers. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal 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. 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. So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. West Memphis Three The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. 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. 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. 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. John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. Yet, none of this makes a murderer, and Echols, like most readers of LaVey and Crowley, believed that their work had been unfairly maligned as evil, instead calling to libertarian freedom away from the confines of Christian morality. It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations. 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. Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. ET. 1." Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. 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." "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. A prime example of the issues with the confession was that Misskelley was giving false information that was believed accurate by police at the time, stating that he saw Echols and Baldwin go into the woods with the three boys and rape them. The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. While his repeated confessions may seem incriminating, Lawyer Dan Stidman would say in a 1999 letter to the court that "Absolutely nothing Misskelley told the officers or prosecutors would ever be admissible against him. 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. The plea deal was accepted. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ 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. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. 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. He was muddy, bleeding, and brushed against the walls, leaving behind blood stains and feces on the walls, stall, and floor. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Climber only named Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' West Memphis Three His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. "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. No matter who committed those terrible crimes at Robin Hood Hills, they still walk free 28 years later, and until the culprits are found, the case is far from over. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. Hobbs, who had previously been under the police scanner for the murders because of inconsistencies in his story, had later been cleared of any wrongdoing but found himself being verbally abused by Byers in front of cameras outside a courtroom. Their trial, which included It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. Despite suspicion eventually falling away from Byers, Jason Baldwin praised the "Paradise Lost" documentaries as essential to their case, telling the "National Podcast of Texas" in 2019 that "The documentary saved my life, saved Damien's life, and saved Jessie's life. West Memphis Three 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. 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. 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. } connection to West Memphis Three West Memphis Three | Background & Trial We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". It took them 18 years to clear their names. Jul. Over the years, however, the West Memphis Three continued to maintain their innocence, claiming they had nothing to do with the slayings of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, who were each found nude, hogtied, and mutilated in a bayou. }); 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. 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. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { 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. 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. 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. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. of the West Memphis Three They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. Every piece is still there https://t.co/8tzxOWjZLH, - Damien Echols (@damienechols) December 21, 2021. West Memphis Three Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. 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. Memphis