Byers submitted dental records that showed the marks on the body didn't match his original teeth and subsequently passed a polygraph during the documentary's filming. pg.acq.push(function() { So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? 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. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. "I want to live and to continue to fight for our innocence. 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. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' Messed Up Truth About The West Memphis Three Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. But their innocence did leave investigators back at square one. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. They were 17, 16, and 18 years old respectively. It is easy for many to look at the South as hillbilly central, full of prejudice and backward attitudes, with somewhat elitist attitudes often prevalent when discussing the case. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. 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. gads_event = event; hitType: 'event', 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. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. West Memphis Three 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." He suffered from "grandiose and persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, disordered thought processes, substantial lack of insight, and chronic, incapacitating mood swings." window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { 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. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. 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. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. West Memphis Three However, Misskelley wouldn't only confess in that police interview room. hitType: 'event', 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." All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. 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. I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. It took them 18 years to clear their names. 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. 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. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. } Offers may be subject to change without notice. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. Aaron was restless, and Bray was unable to properly administer the polygraph. Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three 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). Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. 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." 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. Moore. 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. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. 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. West Memphis Three Climber only named Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols. While they showed the bravado and sense of adventure associated with many scouts, they were still innocent, with Byers said by his mother to still "[believe] in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.". }); Was there a serial killer still on the loose in Arkansas? Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. 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 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. If the offender came across the boys as they were doing something wrong or misbehaving, it would have been even easier to control and reprimand them, said Clemente. Messed Up Truth About The West Memphis Three 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 . document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" }); 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. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. 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. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. }); } 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. They drew pentagrams, skulls, and snakes on art materials and surprised those at a football game by arriving dressed in black with black tears painted on their faces. West Memphis Three released from prison after Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. Their clothing was found tied to sticks implanted into the creek bed, with two pairs of underwear missing. All three achieved the rank of "Wolf," and Moore had his blue Boy Scouts of America shirt and Boy Scout hat on as he ventured out on his bicycle. The elder Byers admitted he whipped Christopher with a belt shortly before he went missing. },false) Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. 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. The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. 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. Serving as professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California, it was expert testimony. ga('ads.send', { Starting in the weeks that followed the killings, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky began to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case for their film "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills," airing in June 1996 on HBO. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. It took them 18 years to clear their names. 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. 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 developed an overwhelming sense of being excluded from everything. He said the evidence, which he claims city officials previously told him was lost, destroyed or missing, was found intact and organized. He quickly retracted the statement, and police aren't believed to have considered them suspects any longer than the period of their arrest. 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. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Jul. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. 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. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. Yet, few could give details. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a 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. No matter who committed those terrible crimes at Robin Hood Hills, they still walk free 28 years later, and until the culprits are found, the case is far from over. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. "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." }); 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. 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. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. ga('ads.send', { It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. }); 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. 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. killed On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. West Memphis Three Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. 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. 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 West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. 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. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. West Memphis Three Memphis Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. 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. 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 Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? 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. }); It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a town. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), West Memphis Three hitType: 'event', Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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. 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. 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. hitType: 'event', West Memphis Three 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.'. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. eventAction: 'load' At the trial, the prosecution continued the claims of Satanic overtones, calling Dale W. Griffis of the unaccredited Columbia Pacific University distance learning school as an "expert" witness to affirm the killings were definitely occult related.
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