The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. 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. Their trial, which included connection to West Memphis Three Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. 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. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. 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. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. 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. 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. 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. 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. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. The following morning, May 6, a far more thorough search throughout West Memphis began, Crittenden County Search and Rescue personnel leading the effort, including the use of a helicopter. 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). 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. With continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. 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. 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. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ One of the charges of making terroristic threats was connected to a domestic dispute between him and his first wife, Sandra Byers, who accused him of threatening her life and assaulting her with an electronic stunning device. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. 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. West Memphis Three One such suspect was none other than Byers. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. and "Do you know who killed those three boys?". Jul. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. This is the world where fist meets face. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. 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. connection to West Memphis Three The West Memphis Three The 'West Memphis Three' Murders }); 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. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { 1." hitType: 'event', The gruesome nature of their deaths led both police and the community to theorize that there had been a satanic element involved something that wasn't too farfetched in the "Bible Belt, where Satanic Panic" was at its peak. When investigators found the boys bodies on May 6, 1993, they had been jammed into the muddy ground of the bayou, and their clothes had been submerged in the water with sticks. ga('ads.send', { It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? 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. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. West Memphis Three released from prison after 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. Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". There are significant issues with the confession, with his claims not aligning with the autopsy and crime scene evidence, seemingly changing his story depending on who he was talking with. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. 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 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. 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. West Memphis Three connection to West Memphis Three 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. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. 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. killed Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), West Memphis Three Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. let gads_event; On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. 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. West Memphis Three 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. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Judge Laser vacated all previous convictions and ordered a new trial where the West Memphis Three would be allowed to make the plea, sentencing them to time served. 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. Equally, Wiccans reject their beliefs are a form of Satanism, with the movement being closer to Neo-Paganism and nature religions and almost exclusively pacifistic in nature. 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. 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. Their trial, which included Who Killed 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. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. 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. They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. Attorney General Griffin expects Echols' legal team to refile in Craighead County, but he said that it won't make a difference in the long run. A new round of DNA testing later showed no genetic material linked the men to the crime scene evidence, and they were released from prison in 2011 after agreeing to an Alford plea. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Tape recorded, Misskelley would claim that "When the boys came up, Damien grabbed one of them, I don't know which one and the other two tried to get Damien to stop, and then me and Jason come out and started grabbing them, started hitting them." Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. 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 Their trial, which included Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". eventAction: 'click_ads' His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. 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. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. He was muddy, bleeding, and brushed against the walls, leaving behind blood stains and feces on the walls, stall, and floor. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. He had an extensive collection of animal skulls, including dogs and cats and local rumors said that he had killed a dog, while no evidence was ever provided. 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. 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. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. ADVERTISEMENT West Memphis Three 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. }); Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. Who Killed 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. West Memphis Three Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal of Rob Zombie, Korn, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. pg.acq.push(function() { "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. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. Who killed Stevie Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. }); It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. 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 West Memphis Three The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. They allowed police and other workers to walk through the creek, trampling possible evidence such as footprints, and equally failed to drain the water quickly to preserve other evidence. Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, and his legal team have hit another obstacle as they try to get the court's permission to test newly found evidence for DNA. A self-identified white supremacist and freemason, his personality and affiliations led many to suspect that he was the kind of man who may have been involved in the killings. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. Hobbs, who had previously been under the police scanner for the murders because of inconsistencies in his story, had later been cleared of any wrongdoing but found himself being verbally abused by Byers in front of cameras outside a courtroom. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. 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. 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. 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. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. 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. 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 claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. hitType: 'event', Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. 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. of the West Memphis Three True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three pg.acq.push(function() { 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. Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. He was 62. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. He was 62. 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. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. The three would be confirmed to be together between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with the boys spotted headed toward Robin Hood Hills; Terry Hobbs, Branch's stepfather, calling out for them to return. West Memphis Three "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. Who killed Stevie The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. The plea deal was accepted. 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. However, the day afterward, Hutcheson would tell police that she, Echols and Misskelley had all attended a Wicca meeting in Turrell, Arkansas, where Echols became drunk and started to loudly brag about having committed the killings of Branch, Byers and Moore. 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. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. We are one of the worlds fastest growing 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. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. Their clothing was found in the same creek, and some of it had been twisted around sticks that had been fixed into the muddy ditch bed. 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. 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. West Memphis Three | Background & Trial No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. 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. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. eventAction: 'load' Toggle dark mode Knot: The True Story 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 The police were called, but he had left by the time they arrived, and nobody from law enforcement entered the bathroom until the next day after the discovery of the bodies. Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three 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. 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.