Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Both Echols and Misskelley had dropped out of high school, while Baldwin continued to achieve high grades, making the pair something of an odd couple, known for their involvement in petty crimes such as vandalism. ga('ads.send', { VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. eventAction: 'load' connection to West Memphis Three There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal of Rob Zombie, Korn, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. 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. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. 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 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. 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. Memphis eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." ga('ads.send', { That's mostly during the teenage years.". Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. 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. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. It was likely the teenager was deliberately provoking Driver and exaggerating his lifestyle, leading the officer to become convinced that Echols was involved in a Satanic cult straight from a horror film. 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. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. 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. 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. The West Memphis Three He explained that the particular petition they filed is not up for interpretation and ultimately is not within their rights. West Memphis Three 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. In 2010, the West Memphis Three were granted to appear before the Arkansas Supreme Court based on the new DNA evidence and potential misconduct by the jury. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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. They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. The chief of police was not truthful. 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. Then read about the woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. '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. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. } They'd first come into contact almost precisely a year before Echols was arrested alongside his then-girlfriend Deanna Holcomb. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. 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.". It took them 18 years to clear their names. 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. 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. 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. Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three hitType: 'event', ADVERTISEMENT Their trial, which included At the trial, the prosecution continued the claims of Satanic overtones, calling Dale W. Griffis of the unaccredited Columbia Pacific University distance learning school as an "expert" witness to affirm the killings were definitely occult related. 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. hitType: 'event', The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. eventAction: 'view' }); 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. In many respects, the reaction to these new youth movements was nothing new, with the metal bands of the 1970s and 80s having faced similar condemnation as "the Devil's music." On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. West Memphis Three The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? West Memphis Three Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. 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. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three }); Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. of the West Memphis Three Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three 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. They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. Here's when clocks will 'spring forward' in 2023, Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice announces departure from WM3 case, West Memphis Three continue fight to get DNA tested. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. The West Memphis Three were the distinctive people in the town of West Memphis; however, there was little evidence suggesting they killed the three young boys. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. Toggle dark mode Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? West Memphis Three Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". }); Yet, few could give details. He was muddy, bleeding, and brushed against the walls, leaving behind blood stains and feces on the walls, stall, and floor. West Memphis Three released from prison after On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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." 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. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? A subsequent search quickly found the bodies of Branch, Byers and Three teenage boys convicted of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, CHONK: State champion quartet prepping for show this weekend, Opinion: Fix loophole that increases copay costs for prescription drugs, Ambulancia para pacientes "posedos" lleva psiclogos y exorcistas en Bolivia. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. eventAction: 'click_ads' Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. 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 mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. 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. Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. 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. Jul. 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { The following morning, May 6, a far more thorough search throughout West Memphis began, Crittenden County Search and Rescue personnel leading the effort, including the use of a helicopter. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. Furthermore, Clemente believes the assailant was a male in his 30s who is either biologically related to one or more of the victims, a family member, or a very close community member. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. This is the world where fist meets face. 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, 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. Now, the attorneys are responding in court. They were 17, 16, and 18 years old respectively. West Memphis Three eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. 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. A new round of DNA testing later showed no genetic material linked the men to the crime scene evidence, and they were released from prison in 2011 after agreeing to an Alford plea. }) All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. 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.". WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. The friends rode over to Bobby Posey's house, where they learned Christopher had been whipped by his adoptive father, John Mark Byers, and planned to run away. 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. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. 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. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. killed March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. Serving as professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California, it was expert testimony. 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. }); }); Who Killed In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. West Memphis Three 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. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. Toggle dark mode }); Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. 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. 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. 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. 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, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. West Memphis Three Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three 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." reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. As the rumors increased throughout the community, a Salem-like air descended as names continued to be associated with the alleged cult. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. 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. 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 Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. The West Memphis Three 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. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. West Memphis Three Who killed Stevie The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Steve Edward Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were all good kids. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Messed Up Truth About The West Memphis Three Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. West Memphis Three Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. All three had been stripped naked and shackled with their shoelaces their right ankles had been tied to their right wrists behind their backs, with their left ankles to their left wrists behind their backs as well. It is easy for many to look at the South as hillbilly central, full of prejudice and backward attitudes, with somewhat elitist attitudes often prevalent when discussing the case. "Chief Pope's resignation is completely unrelated to the West Memphis three rumors being sent out on social media," the statement reads. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. 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. Who, then, was responsible for the brutal murders and mutilations of three young children? Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". 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. 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. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. 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. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. 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. 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. },false) Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. Writing under penalty of perjury to the United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas, Pamela would say that he ex-husband kept dentures in a lock-box. Memphis It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations.