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. hitType: 'event', Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. 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. }); I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. 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. 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. 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. 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. 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. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. 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. 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. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. 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). The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. 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. My attorney was in the evidence room this morning and saw it with his own eyes. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' stepfather. 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. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. 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. }); It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. eventAction: 'load' Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. They did not kill my son.. It took them 18 years to clear their names. 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 Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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. When he was informed that the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, he claimed he had no idea how the blood might have gotten on the knife before suggesting he might have left it out accidentally. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. },false) "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. 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.". She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. 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. 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 lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. We are one of the worlds fastest growing One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. gads_event = event; In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. 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. },false) 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 the distinctive people in the town of West Memphis; however, there was little evidence suggesting they killed the three young boys. Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? There is a vast difference between what most Satanists believe Satanism is and the popular perception of Satanism. 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. eventAction: 'view' However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. 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. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. This is the world where fist meets face. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. "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. ADVERTISEMENT 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. 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. ET. However, Aaron's story constantly changed, saying on one occasion he saw a victim bundled into a car by a Black man and on another stated that he witnessed the killings but didn't know who the killers were. 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. Judge Laser vacated all previous convictions and ordered a new trial where the West Memphis Three would be allowed to make the plea, sentencing them to time served. Then read about the woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. 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. 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. However, that isn't quite the truth. Jul. ga('ads.send', { 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. The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. 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. 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. Echols unwisely began to tell the fanatical Driver tall tales about local cults and animal sacrifices when Driver became his parole officer, telling him that he followed Wicca. To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. 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. 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. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. 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. He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". eventAction: 'click_adunit' Who killed Stevie The new documentary focused on the bite marks, with the prosecution arguing that the marking seen on Christopher Byers' face in photographs is from a belt buckle and not teeth. "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. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. 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. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. 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. 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. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. The 'West Memphis Three' were exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology (West Memphis Police Department) John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. However, 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. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. Misskelley's confession couldn't be utilized if he had stood trial alongside Echols and Baldwin under what is known as the Bruton rule stemming from Bruton v. United States. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. 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. Misskelley confessed during the interrogation but later took rescinded it, stating that he did it out our fear and intimidation. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Curiously, most of the injuries suffered by Byers were to the lower body, whereas the damage inflicted on Branch and Moore was primarily to the upper body. The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. 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. 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). 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. 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. }); 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. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. Stating that he was "scared of the police," Misskelley confessed to murder. 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. 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. 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. This was a result of getting enraged, going too far, and then having to basically clean up the mess," he said. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. It took them 18 years to clear their names. The plea deal was accepted. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. The assailant is also prone to violent outbursts, likely has a history of domestic violence, and places a high importance on punishment. While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. 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. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. 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. 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. However, once again, Misskelley claimed Baldwin pulled out a knife, despite the evidence presented by experts that no knife had ever been used. He was 62. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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.'. 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. 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. It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. 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. 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. 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. During the filming, Byers had given cameraman Doug Cooper a hunting knife which makers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky handed over to the police after discovering what appeared to be blood on it. 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. 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. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. 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. Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. He was 62. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. 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. 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. While the documentary opened the public's eyes to the miscarriage of justice that had transpired to get Echols, Miskelley Jr., and Baldwin convicted for a crime they did not commit, it also threw doubt on Byers, a suspicious character who seemed to have a penchant for theatrics. Both men were increasingly concerned about the potential for human sacrifices when it was a full moon. 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.
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