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Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. 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. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. Climber only named Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols. To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. }); 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. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? 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. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. He was 62. }); Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { 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.". }); 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. He was 62. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. 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. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. On Feb. 8, Misskelley claimed he had been drunk at the time of the killings and was drinking Evan Williams whiskey, claiming that he had thrown a bottle away under a bridge in West Memphis, swearing on the Bible as to the truth of his latest claims. 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. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Their trial, which included You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. 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. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. He explained that the particular petition they filed is not up for interpretation and ultimately is not within their rights. 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. hitType: 'event', He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. WebSeason 1 Episode 1 Preview: Host and investigator Bob Ruff explores the flaws from the original ""West Memphis Three"" case to lay the groundwork for his evidence-driven investigation. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. }); if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. 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. Both Echols and Misskelley had dropped out of high school, while Baldwin continued to achieve high grades, making the pair something of an odd couple, known for their involvement in petty crimes such as vandalism. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. He was 62. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office announced on Twitter that Byers had been killed in an accident on Chambers Road and Shakerag Road in the Millington area on Thursday evening and then died after he was transported to a local hospital. She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. 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. 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. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. }) It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Steve Edward Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were all good kids. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. 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. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. While Morgan, Holland and "Mr. Bojangles" already seem to have more against them than Echols, the police were now focusing solely on the one angle and one suspect, getting Vicki Hutcheson to agree to have her home wired. Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. 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. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. 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. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." "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." Neither Climer nor Bly would be considered competent witnesses at the eventual trial. 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. 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. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview } John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. New evidence immediately began to come to light that cast even further doubts on the already shaky judgment and presented new and surprising suspects. While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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.". 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. 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. It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. 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. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. 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. 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. 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. However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". 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." Nevertheless, this is a complete delaying tactic," Soury explained. 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. The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. 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.