"But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 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. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. 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. 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. During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' stepfather. } He again repeated the incorrect police suspicion that Echols had sexually violated one of the boys, claiming this time his friend had ejaculated on the victim's trousers. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. 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. 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. 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. Both men were increasingly concerned about the potential for human sacrifices when it was a full moon. 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. West Memphis Three 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. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three pg.acq.push(function() { West Memphis Three Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. 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. 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, 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. 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. ga('ads.send', { The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. He was 62. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. killed 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. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of 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. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. This was a result of getting enraged, going too far, and then having to basically clean up the mess," he said. 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. West Memphis Three Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. 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.'. How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. Steve had taken this knife everywhere and was never without it, with Pamela believing the killer had stolen it when it wasn't found at the scene. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. "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 took them 18 years to clear their names. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. 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. } All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. 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. They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. 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. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. 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. Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. 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. ga('ads.send', { There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. 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. No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. 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. Byers claimed the knife had never even been used, changing his story to say he'd used it to cut deer meat after the presence of blood was found. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. The police contended the tapes couldn't confirm this, with interference masking conversations. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. of the West Memphis Three Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. It took them 18 years to clear their names. ET. He was called a 'baby killer.'. 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 . West Memphis Three 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. 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. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. 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. While police initially suspected rape, there was no evidence for it. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. However, it wouldn't only be many of the victims' families who were dissatisfied, with former FBI criminal profiler John E. Douglas saying the killings were likely the work of one individual whose intent was to degrade the victims. Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. of the West Memphis Three There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal 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. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. 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. 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. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three Offers may be subject to change without notice. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ 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. He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. 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." Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. 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 'West Memphis Three' Murders 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. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. 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. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. Messed Up Truth About The West Memphis Three 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. 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." Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. ga('ads.send', { 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. 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. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. 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. pg.acq.push(function() { Their clothing was found tied to sticks implanted into the creek bed, with two pairs of underwear missing. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. 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. 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. They would have been local and have a violent history, be familiar with the victims, and were engaging in a personal cause when they killed the boys. He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". 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. Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. 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. 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. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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." West Memphis Three The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. 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. West Memphis Three The belief in a Satanic aspect to the crime was aided by Vicki Hutcheson and her son, when after discovering the bodies, Aaron claimed he'd witnessed the killings. 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. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. 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. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". 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. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three Toggle dark mode West Memphis Three But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. 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. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. 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. eventAction: 'view' pg.acq.push(function() { 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. There is a vast difference between what most Satanists believe Satanism is and the popular perception of Satanism. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" With the addition of a 10-year suspended sentence, a probation type sentencing which meant if they did anything illegal they would be put back in jail, the West Memphis Three were sentenced to time served. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. 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). Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. 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. West Memphis Three Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. West Memphis Three It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. 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 Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible.