The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. 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. 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 Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. 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. 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. 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. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. Friends and family tried in vain to find the missing boys. He was 62. He was 62. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. 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. 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. 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. ET. 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. They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. 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. Nevertheless, this is a complete delaying tactic," Soury explained. 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. Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), hitType: 'event', 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. Who killed Stevie 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. Based on the new information, the three men asked for an Alford plea, in which the defendant maintains their innocence, but acknowledge that prosecutors have evidence to convict them. } During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' stepfather. 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. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. 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. } VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". 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." It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. She also revealed Terry hadn't informed her that her son was missing until she finished work, having significant concerns over his whereabouts on those days. Classmates at Weaver Elementary School, the three were active in their Cub Scout troop and responsible enough to be trusted to roam their neighborhood without They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. 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. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents defendant Damien Echols, wrote in a Wednesday statement that he located evidence from the case after being granted access to the police department through an Arkansas state court order, according to WREG. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. Youtube Mugshots of the 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 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. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. Toggle dark mode 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. Jul. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. 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 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. 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. 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. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. ET. 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. hitType: 'event', It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. 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. 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. 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. Yet, few could give details. and "Do you know who killed those three boys?". Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. Echols interest in the occult as an outlet led him to Wicca, and he was a reader of Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey and English occultist Aleister Crowley. },false) } 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. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." Toggle dark mode 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. 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. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. No ritual paraphernalia or markings were found at the scene, and many in the police believed those responsible had been sexual predators or strangers from outside the town. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. Workers at the Bojangles restaurant just a mile from the crime scene reported that at 8:42 p.m., a Black male had entered the premises and went into the women's bathroom. "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. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Stating that he was "scared of the police," Misskelley confessed to murder. 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. }); 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. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. }); Misskelley confessed during the interrogation but later took rescinded it, stating that he did it out our fear and intimidation. 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. eventAction: 'load' "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. My attorney was in the evidence room this morning and saw it with his own eyes. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". ET. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. 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. 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. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. YoutubeMugshots of the West Memphis Three. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. It took them 18 years to clear their names. An investigation of the murders looked into several suspects, including the stepfather of Steve Branch as well as two teenage boys who had abruptly fled to California shortly after the bodies were discovered. Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a "We are trying to find the real killers. eventAction: 'click_ads' eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. 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. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. 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. How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Interested, police arrested both of them on May 17, placing them under a polygraph which indicated they were deceptive when denying involvement in the killings. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. While they showed the bravado and sense of adventure associated with many scouts, they were still innocent, with Byers said by his mother to still "[believe] in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.". However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Who killed Stevie Baldwin would later say that he had been resistant to the plea as a matter of principle, but turning it down would have kept Echols on death row. 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.". 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. 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. A subsequent search quickly found the bodies of Branch, Byers and 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. 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). 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. To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. 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. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? 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. 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. }); Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. 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 The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. Meanwhile, patrons at the Blue Beacon, a truck wash close to the scene, all had their credit card receipts collected, and the first suspects brought in were transients, with information being sought about two "dirty-looking" hitchhikers. 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. Their trial, which included 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. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. But what is the purpose of that? The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. They seem to me to be more practical ligatures, Clemente said. 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Who killed Stevie But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. They would have been local and have a violent history, be familiar with the victims, and were engaging in a personal cause when they killed the boys. }) 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. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. pg.acq.push(function() { They wanted to overwhelm us, convict us, condemn us and sweep us under the rug.". Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. 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 Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 1." While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. 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. 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. 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. 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. There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. 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. The boys were naked and tied up by their shoelaces. Medical examiners were split on whether the three boys died the night they went missing or the morning after, and the bite marks wouldn't even be noticed until photographs were examined years later. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. And while both Michael and Steve had bruises across their body, Christopher had suffered the most gruesome injuries and had lacerations to various parts of his body, and mutilation to his scrotum and penis. Terry Hobbs, meanwhile, still believes in the guilt of the West Memphis Three, telling Memphis ABC affiliate WATN in 2019 that "I still believe in my heart that Jessie, Jason, and Damion Echols are responsible for what happened to our children.". Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. He was called a 'baby killer.'. 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. ADVERTISEMENT Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". 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.