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.". With the evidence mounting that all three accused had been innocent, the deal ensured that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley would never be allowed to pursue civil action against the state of Arkansas for wrongful imprisonment. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. 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. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. Sign up for newsletter today. They wanted to overwhelm us, convict us, condemn us and sweep us under the rug.". Example video title will go here for this video. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. 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. 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. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. 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. eventAction: 'load' He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. 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. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. 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 are three men convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. 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. It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. 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. Jul. 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. 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 Here's when clocks will 'spring forward' in 2023, Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice announces departure from WM3 case, West Memphis Three continue fight to get DNA tested. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Who killed Stevie "I think maybe for the general public it's not quite as scary to believe that blood-thirsty Satanists were out murdering children as it is to believe that parents are actually murdering their own children. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' 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. 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. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. 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. 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. While the documentary opened the public's eyes to the miscarriage of justice that had transpired to get Echols, Miskelley Jr., and Baldwin convicted for a crime they did not commit, it also threw doubt on Byers, a suspicious character who seemed to have a penchant for theatrics. 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. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. Meanwhile, at the Marion Police Department, Detective Don Bray was attempting to administer a polygraph test to Vicki Hutcheson, who had recently moved to the city. 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. }); Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. 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." The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. }); By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? }); She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 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. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. 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). let gads_event; 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. 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. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. There is a vast difference between what most Satanists believe Satanism is and the popular perception of Satanism. }); 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. 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. 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. All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." It was rumor and innuendo, overheard gossip and allegations. "I can't understand why exactly people are glossing over the obvious when it comes to Byers and the death of Melissa Byers and all the things that Byers has said and done since this trial," he said. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. 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. Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. He was 62. The use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. 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. 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. 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 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. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal On one occasion after the killings at Robin Hood Hills, he had beaten Pamela so severely that she told the family that she thought her jaw was broken, prompting them to drive to the Hobbs home to confront him. 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. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. Despite the continuing doubts over the testimony, police pulled in Misskelley on June 3 alongside two other alleged cult members, Ricky Climer and Alvis Bly. 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. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. eventAction: 'click_ads' 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. Driver was the kind of individual who saw Satanism in every corner, blaming campfires, dead animal carcasses and pentagram graffiti on the dark arts. Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? 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. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. 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. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. If you found this interesting, you might also want to read about the study that finds black Americans are wrongfully convicted at a far greater rate. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. All three appealed the convictions. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 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. Their trial, which included Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. eventAction: 'click_adunit' When he was informed that the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, he claimed he had no idea how the blood might have gotten on the knife before suggesting he might have left it out accidentally. 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. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. 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. Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. 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. Over the years, however, the West Memphis Three continued to maintain their innocence, claiming they had nothing to do with the slayings of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, who were each found nude, hogtied, and mutilated in a bayou. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. ADVERTISEMENT When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. In contrast, others contend he remained severely mentally ill and an immature teenager. It took them 18 years to clear their names. Who killed Stevie So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. 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. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. }); 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.". 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. 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. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. Friends and family tried in vain to find the missing boys. However, Aaron's story constantly changed, saying on one occasion he saw a victim bundled into a car by a Black man and on another stated that he witnessed the killings but didn't know who the killers were. ET. One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. Driver's comments surrounding the case raised troubling questions over his competence to serve, stating he believed Echols and his girlfriend intended to sacrifice their expectant child to Satan. Beyond his tales about Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols, Climber claimed to have beaten a police officer, hung a woman and sacrificed a second lady. We are one of the worlds fastest growing The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. 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 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 was likely the teenager was deliberately provoking Driver and exaggerating his lifestyle, leading the officer to become convinced that Echols was involved in a Satanic cult straight from a horror film. ga('ads.send', { document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ In many respects, the reaction to these new youth movements was nothing new, with the metal bands of the 1970s and 80s having faced similar condemnation as "the Devil's music." Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. Their trial, which included Who killed Stevie Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. Advances in DNA testing allowed forensics to be utilized on hairs found at the scene, with none again matching for the three imprisoned men. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? } 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. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. 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. 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. 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. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. '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. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. 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. Yet, few could give details. He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible.