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. Example video title will go here for this video. He failed to recognize where the crime scene actually was, mixed up the timeline and confused the victims. 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. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. 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. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. 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. 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." 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. ga('ads.send', { On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. Subsequent interviews with Vicki Hutcheson were just as contradictory. "We are trying to find the real killers. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview pg.acq.push(function() { It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. Toggle dark mode How much of Echols reputation came down to his mental illness and how much teenage desire to shock is open to debate. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." eventAction: 'click_ads' The plea deal was accepted. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. 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. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 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. 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. 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. 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." 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. 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. Steve Edward Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were all good kids. These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. Echols lawyer stated that new DNA evidence did not place him at the scene of the crime. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. 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. A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. 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. 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. 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. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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. In addition to the offender being a male who had a relationship with one or more of the victims, Clemente thinks the suspect was from the neighborhood, theorizing that he hid the bodies in order to give himself enough time to establish an alibi. 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. 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. 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. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ He was 62. The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. 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. }); window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." The elder Byers admitted he whipped Christopher with a belt shortly before he went missing. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. Never mentioned in the autopsy or at either trial, they didn't match for Echols, Misskelley or Baldwin. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. Beyond his tales about Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols, Climber claimed to have beaten a police officer, hung a woman and sacrificed a second lady. Toggle dark mode 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. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. Sign up for newsletter today. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". 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. 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. }); All Rights Reserved. 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. 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? Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. 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. 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. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. 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. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. He was 62. 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. That's mostly during the teenage years.". Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Their trial, which included He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. ga('ads.send', { Who killed Stevie Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. 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. Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend 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 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.'. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. 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. 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. eventAction: 'render' On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. He tried to fight back and showed defensive injuries. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. 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. }); All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. Moore. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. In 2010, the West Memphis Three were granted to appear before the Arkansas Supreme Court based on the new DNA evidence and potential misconduct by the jury. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. Morgan was an ice cream truck driver and would likely have been familiar with all three victims. During the trial, Echols blew kisses to the victim's family, a sign taken by many as a sure sign of guilt. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. 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. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ 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 Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. 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 While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. pg.acq.push(function() { After being told that she was questioning his involvement, Hobbs is alleged to have replied, "I could skin a man alive, I could cut him up.". In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. 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. 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." 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. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? 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. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. 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. 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. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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}} 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. 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. Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. At one point, he told locals he obtained superpowers from consuming human blood and was often seen to have sharpened his fingernails and drawn deliberately provocative tattoos on himself. 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. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. gads_event = 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," he told Ruff. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". 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. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide.
