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It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. 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. What came after the arrest is quite well-documented. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. At one point, he told locals he obtained superpowers from consuming human blood and was often seen to have sharpened his fingernails and drawn deliberately provocative tattoos on himself. }); window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { 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. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { 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). Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. 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. Toggle dark mode }); 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." A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. ga('ads.send', { 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. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. 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. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. Benca said he hopes the evidence can be tested for DNA to help clear the name of his client, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. was convicted of murder as a teenager in 1994. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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 Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. 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. 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. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. ga('ads.send', { }); 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.". Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. Jessie Misskelley was given two 20 year-sentences on top of life imprisonment, while Jason Baldwin also received life imprisonment. Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. A subsequent search quickly found the bodies of Branch, Byers and Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. 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 blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. 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. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend Byers. ET. Driver was the kind of individual who saw Satanism in every corner, blaming campfires, dead animal carcasses and pentagram graffiti on the dark arts. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. 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. 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. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. 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. 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. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. 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. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. },false) So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? 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. 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. 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. 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. Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? 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. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. eventAction: 'view' 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. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. eventAction: 'click_ads' ga('ads.send', { The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. 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. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. 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 Driver's comments surrounding the case raised troubling questions over his competence to serve, stating he believed Echols and his girlfriend intended to sacrifice their expectant child to Satan. 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. 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." 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 }); Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. Then, perhaps, the punishment went too far, and it resulted in the triple homicide. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? He was 62. 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. 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. In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. 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. 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. 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. How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. 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. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. Toggle dark mode But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. 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. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. ADVERTISEMENT 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." 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. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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. 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. Based on the way the boys were tied up hands bound on either side of the body to the same side ankle Clemente theorized the suspect is somebody who works with animal carcasses, a butcher or a hunter., [T]he ligatures are not restraining ligatures. ET. 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. We are one of the worlds fastest growing eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. He was muddy, bleeding, and brushed against the walls, leaving behind blood stains and feces on the walls, stall, and floor. hitType: 'event', Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations. All Rights Reserved. Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. 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. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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. 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. 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. Talking with police and his lawyer present in the room, he would ignore advice from his counsel to remain silent and detailed how the West Memphis Three had abused and murdered the victims. Judge David Burnett, the original trial judge, disallowed the presentation of the new information in his court in 2008, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive. However, that isn't quite the truth. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. 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. Jul. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. 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. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". 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. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. eventAction: 'load' VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. All three appealed the convictions. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. 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 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. 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. Who killed Stevie Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Yet, while Arkansas certainly has problems seen throughout the South, such as poor wages, West Memphis was then a city of 30,000 with a wide variety of cultures. 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. "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.". Who, then, was responsible for the brutal murders and mutilations of three young children? hitType: 'event', They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. 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. "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. 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Their trial, which included 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! It took them 18 years to clear their names. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. ga('ads.send', { 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. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. 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. 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. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. pg.acq.push(function() { Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. 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 Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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). 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. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. During the trial, Echols blew kisses to the victim's family, a sign taken by many as a sure sign of guilt. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. '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.