"I am innocent, as are Jason and Jessie, but I made this decision because I did not want to spend another day of my life behind those bars," Echols told the "Arkansas Times." 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. 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. Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" 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. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three West Memphis Three | Background & Trial Toggle dark mode Their trial, which included While he was on medication that may have affected the outcome, including Xanax, it seems that his suspected involvement in the killings was a complete dead end. 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. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. hitType: 'event', However, once again, Misskelley claimed Baldwin pulled out a knife, despite the evidence presented by experts that no knife had ever been used. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. 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. There is a vast difference between what most Satanists believe Satanism is and the popular perception of Satanism. }); Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. While the stepfather initially denied it had ever been used, he later changed his story and said he had used it just once, to cut deer meat. 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. 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. "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. West Memphis Three However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. All three spent most of their days as any other mid-1990s teenagers - listening to rock music, watching pro wrestling on television, and either poking around under the hood of a car or simply hanging out and causing trouble. The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. 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. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. Memphis I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. West Memphis Three | Background & Trial Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. Now, Attorney General Tim Griffin has requested the Arkansas Supreme Court to dismiss the case based on the fact that the petition was filed in Crittenden County but Echols was convicted in Craighead County. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. 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). I developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. }); The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. While he remained immature, he was on an early road to adulthood as he worked part-time as a roofer and expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Domini Teer. 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. 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. However, her description of the boy she nearly hit was inconsistent with either Branch, Byers or Moore, and it was, in fact, a fourth boy by the name of George Taylor. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. The state of Arkansas was hoping to do like they do in so many other cases with poor people, with people who are powerless to defend themselves. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three 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 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. All three appealed the convictions. Jul. All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. 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. ADVERTISEMENT document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". 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. }); 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 West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. Moore. Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. 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. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. West Memphis Three They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. The boys were naked and tied up by their shoelaces. ", 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, Horror at Larchwood Care! While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. Memphis There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. With the new evidence in hand alongside expert testimony that suggested the knife wounds and mutilation had been animal predation, Echols petitioned for a retrial. It took them 18 years to clear their names. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. Police almost immediately turned their attention to Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley and suspected them of killing the boys. 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.". "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. hitType: 'event', 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. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. It took them 18 years to clear their names. That's mostly during the teenage years.". Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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. killed It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. 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 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. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. West Memphis Three 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 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." 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. 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. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. 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. Byers had been a step-father to Christopher Byers, who along with his two eight-year-old friends Michael Moore and Steve Branch, had been killed in West Memphis on May 5, 1993, and whose murders remain unsolved to this day, almost three decades later. West Memphis Three 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.". She also revealed Terry hadn't informed her that her son was missing until she finished work, having significant concerns over his whereabouts on those days. Toggle dark mode 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. The West Memphis Three All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. Memphis ga('ads.send', { 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. 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. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. } So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Messed Up Truth About The West Memphis Three 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 use of shoelaces had yet to be revealed to the public, yet Martin was eventually cleared of any involvement. 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. 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. 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. Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. 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. 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. The gruesome nature of their deaths led both police and the community to theorize that there had been a satanic element involved something that wasn't too farfetched in the "Bible Belt, where Satanic Panic" was at its peak. 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 WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. West Memphis Three document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. }); eventAction: 'click_adunit' Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. }) 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. He tried to fight back and showed defensive injuries. 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. It went too far, and because of that, he had to kill all three of them," he said. 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. As the rumors increased throughout the community, a Salem-like air descended as names continued to be associated with the alleged cult. 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. West Memphis Three Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. 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. Despite the defense stating that Echols' statements on Byers genitals and the boys being drowned could have been public knowledge locally, particularly considering known leaks had been made, both Echols and Baldwin were found guilty on three counts of murder. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. 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. 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. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. 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. 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. 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. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' 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. A subsequent search quickly found the bodies of Branch, Byers and eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), West Memphis Three Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. 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.
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