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Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. That's mostly during the teenage years.". 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. "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. Serving as professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California, it was expert testimony. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. 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. Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. 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. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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. Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. Climber only named Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. Who killed Stevie They'd first come into contact almost precisely a year before Echols was arrested alongside his then-girlfriend Deanna Holcomb. },false) Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. 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. }); A formal interview on May 9 led to further suspicion against the young man when he mentioned the damage to Byer's genitals, something seen as incriminating. However, that isn't quite the truth. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Toggle dark mode "We are planning to move ahead and test this evidence using the latest DNA technology available to hopefully identify the real killer(s) of the three children in 1993, and exonerate Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley.". 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. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. The truth is, the ongoing debate over whether Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were guilty has often clouded the undoubted fact that justice remains elusive for the other West Memphis Three, Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. 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. } 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. If the offender came across the boys as they were doing something wrong or misbehaving, it would have been even easier to control and reprimand them, said Clemente. hitType: 'event', Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. 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. Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. But what is the purpose of that? 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. Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. 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 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. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. Equally, Pamela's sister Jo Lynn McCaughey saw Hobbs washing clothes, bed linens, and curtains from Steve's room around the time of the killings. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. 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. 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. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. 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. 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 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. It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. Jul. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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. 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. 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. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. 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." New evidence immediately began to come to light that cast even further doubts on the already shaky judgment and presented new and surprising suspects. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview } Nevertheless, this is a complete delaying tactic," Soury explained. However, once again, Misskelley claimed Baldwin pulled out a knife, despite the evidence presented by experts that no knife had ever been used. She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. Yet, the moral panic would culturally define the decade for many youths, lingering as the remnants of the "Satanic Panic" that led to many wrongful convictions a decade earlier. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. },false) Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. 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. eventAction: 'load' Their trial, which included Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. Moore. 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. 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. "Even if he files within the right court, there is no body that's required under habeas corpus because he's released," said Attorney General Griffin. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal 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. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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 . Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". 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. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal ga('ads.send', { Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. 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. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. 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. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. 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 has devoted himself to writing, music and art. 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. }); Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { 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. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Indiana man accused of murdering motorist after accident in Illinois now facing charges in separate murder, Man shot, killed after crash on highway, suspect charged with murder, police say, Woman Started Firing At Pool Party, Killing One And Injuring Two, Police Say, Subscribe to Front Page Detectives Newsletter. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. 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. 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. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? 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. It took them 18 years to clear their names. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. "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. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Then, perhaps, the punishment went too far, and it resulted in the triple homicide. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ ET. All three bodies were immediately removed from the water before the coroner arrived, meaning that they were exposed to sunlight and insects before judgments could be made surrounding rigor mortis and the time of death. 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. 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. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. The inherent belief in that line of thought eventually led to the arrest of 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, three out-of-sorts teens who became popularly known as "The West Memphis Three.". How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. ga('ads.send', { "We are trying to find the real killers. 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. eventAction: 'view' 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. ADVERTISEMENT Beyond his tales about Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols, Climber claimed to have beaten a police officer, hung a woman and sacrificed a second lady. 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. }) We are one of the worlds fastest growing The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Their trial, which included Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" 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. 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. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. 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. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. 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. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. 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. 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. This would give him no time to meet his Echols and Baldwin, get drunk as he claimed, and then kill three children in an extended attack in the woods. 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. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. Jul. They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. 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. They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. This was a result of getting enraged, going too far, and then having to basically clean up the mess," he said.