window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. Who killed Stevie So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. "We are trying to find the real killers. 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. However, that isn't quite the truth. 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. Despite claiming to know Echols well, she denied knowing his close friend Baldwin. 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. }); Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. 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 continuing advances in DNA testing, that day may finally be around the corner. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? 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. The chief of police was not truthful. They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. All three appealed the convictions. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Sign up for newsletter today. The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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. } WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. 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). 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." The alert was assigned to Officer Regenia Meek, who filled out reports and, with Officer John Moore, did a brief search, but nothing more expansive. } 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. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. 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. 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. 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. Their trial, which included To learn more about the case, watch The Forgotten West Memphis Three" now on Oxygen. There's absolutely no indication of that in this 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 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. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. } 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. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of 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. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. 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. They did not kill my son.. gads_event = event; Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Who killed Stevie 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. 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 hitType: 'event', Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Echols and Baldwin were best friends and shared a profound distaste for Bible Belt life in West Memphis, Arkansas and were drawn toward the rebellion of metal music and associated books and movies. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. 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. While they showed the bravado and sense of adventure associated with many scouts, they were still innocent, with Byers said by his mother to still "[believe] in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.". He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. Jul. 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. 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. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. 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. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. 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. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a The first of that evidence emerged during the filming of HBO's 1996 documentary on the case: 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills.'. pg.acq.push(function() { Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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 Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. 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. ga('ads.send', { Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' 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. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. 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. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { 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.". }); 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. 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. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. 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. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. Investigators found the bottle exactly where he said it would be. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. },false) Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. 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. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. }); 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. Pamela Hobbs gave numerous interviews to the press where she spoke about the knife, the DNA, and the events of May 5 and 6, 1994. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. Both men were increasingly concerned about the potential for human sacrifices when it was a full moon. 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. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. He tried to fight back and showed defensive injuries. 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. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. 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. 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. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. },false) 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. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. 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. During the weeks that followed, law enforcement would only state that Echols was a source of information, not officially designating him a suspect despite looking at him more than anyone else. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. All Rights Reserved. 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. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. 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. They still had the convictions, but the men would be free.
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