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The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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. Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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.". 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. "I am innocent, as are Jason and Jessie, but I made this decision because I did not want to spend another day of my life behind those bars," Echols told the "Arkansas Times." Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. 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, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. They seem to me to be more practical ligatures, Clemente said. 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. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". "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.". This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a }); Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend Byers. Initially a suspect himself amongst some people, John Mark Byers added his voice to those doubts before being killed in a car crash last year. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. 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. 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. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. He was interrogated for 12 hours with only two segments running to 46 minutes being recorded, and although he was read his Miranda rights, he later said that he hadn't understood them. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. They were 17, 16, and 18 years old respectively. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. 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 }); Moore. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. 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. ET. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. It took them 18 years to clear their names. }); With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. hitType: 'event', While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. 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. Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? 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. John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. 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. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' This is the world where fist meets face. Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. 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. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. Every piece is still there https://t.co/8tzxOWjZLH, - Damien Echols (@damienechols) December 21, 2021. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. 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. 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. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. Yet, few could give details. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. It took them 18 years to clear their names. 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. 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. It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations. Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. 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. It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. Baldwin meanwhile has ambitions to become a lawyer and began work for a construction company, with Misskelley getting engaged to his high school girlfriend and training as a mechanic. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 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 autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". 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. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. 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. 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. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. 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 Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. Who killed Stevie ga('ads.send', { 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. }) A prime example of the issues with the confession was that Misskelley was giving false information that was believed accurate by police at the time, stating that he saw Echols and Baldwin go into the woods with the three boys and rape them. 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 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. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. Until 2007, when the discovery of new forensic evidence reopened the case and a new statute permitting post-conviction testing of DNA evidence came about. The '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. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. 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 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. 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. 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. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" But what is the purpose of that? However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. } 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. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. 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. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. pg.acq.push(function() { Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. They did not kill my son.. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. Misskelley's confession couldn't be utilized if he had stood trial alongside Echols and Baldwin under what is known as the Bruton rule stemming from Bruton v. United States. 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. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. He was 62. 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. Prosecutors would only give up harassing Misskelley for his testimony when I threatened to hold a press conference and disclose their efforts to entice his testimony." Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. All three appealed the convictions. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. He was called a 'baby killer.'. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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. 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. '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. ADVERTISEMENT She would state that her son had strangely said "I love you, mom" repeatedly on the way home from school on the day he vanished. 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. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. The three men spent nearly 17 years in prison before being released in 2012 after entering an Alford plea, pleading guilty while maintaining their innocence. 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. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. hitType: 'event', Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. 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. 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 In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. 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. 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. 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. hitType: 'event', 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. ET. 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. 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. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. To prove his innocence, he agreed and passed a polygraph test during the filming of 'Paradise Lost 2: Revelations,' only for the documentary to throw doubts on the results by revealing he was under the influence of several psychoactive prescription medications that could have affected the test results. 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 Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. 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. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. }); hitType: 'event', They'd first come into contact almost precisely a year before Echols was arrested alongside his then-girlfriend Deanna Holcomb. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. 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. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. Their trial, which included Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. 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. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. 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. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. 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.