Memphis 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 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. 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. 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. The belief in a Satanic aspect to the crime was aided by Vicki Hutcheson and her son, when after discovering the bodies, Aaron claimed he'd witnessed the killings. Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. 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. West Memphis Three How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. He was called a 'baby killer.'. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. "Even if he files within the right court, there is no body that's required under habeas corpus because he's released," said Attorney General Griffin. 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. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. 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. 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. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Who Killed He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. However, during his time at the station, Aaron mentioned that his three friends had been killed at "the playhouse.". 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. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Investigators found the bottle exactly where he said it would be. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. While Morgan, Holland and "Mr. Bojangles" already seem to have more against them than Echols, the police were now focusing solely on the one angle and one suspect, getting Vicki Hutcheson to agree to have her home wired. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. Eventually, three local teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin, were zeroed in on as the prime suspects. Toggle dark mode 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. The police contended the tapes couldn't confirm this, with interference masking conversations. His behavior as it became apparent Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin would be cleared of the murders, was questioned as well. His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. 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 His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. 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. Their clothing was found tied to sticks implanted into the creek bed, with two pairs of underwear missing. Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Yet, none of this makes a murderer, and Echols, like most readers of LaVey and Crowley, believed that their work had been unfairly maligned as evil, instead calling to libertarian freedom away from the confines of Christian morality. West Memphis Three | Background & Trial 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. eventAction: 'click_adunit' }); },false) He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. West Memphis Three Their trial, which included 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. 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. killed Working at the crime scene, police made a series of errors that would significantly impede the case. 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. A prime example of the issues with the confession was that Misskelley was giving false information that was believed accurate by police at the time, stating that he saw Echols and Baldwin go into the woods with the three boys and rape them. Their trial, which included The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. 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. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. 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." All three pleaded innocent at the trial and maintained that innocence ever since. West Memphis Three ", '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! 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. Into this misunderstanding step Damien Echols, 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. 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. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal 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. The blade had blood on the hinge, and HBO ordered Berlinger and Sinofsky to hand the knife to West Memphis police. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. 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." "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. 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. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. connection to West Memphis Three We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. West Memphis Three Sign up for newsletter today. 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. 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. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Judge David Burnett, the original trial judge, disallowed the presentation of the new information in his court in 2008, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive. New evidence immediately began to come to light that cast even further doubts on the already shaky judgment and presented new and surprising suspects. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. They wouldn't be alone, and witness after witness would state they had heard there was a Satanic cult in the area. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. 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. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of eventAction: 'view' All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. },false) 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. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. 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 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. } VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? However, it wasn't just about the music with many embracing rebellious philosophies that were inherently offensive to the traditions of Christianity, respect and patriotism that have always defined small-town rural America. 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. 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. 1." However, that isn't quite the truth. They were 17, 16, and 18 years old respectively. YoutubeMugshots of the West Memphis Three. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. Another story claimed Aaron saw a mass of "The Dragons," an alleged coven with five members, spoke Spanish and sang about Satan. 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. West Memphis Three On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. He was 62. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. 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. It took them 18 years to clear their names. hitType: 'event', The three would be confirmed to be together between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with the boys spotted headed toward Robin Hood Hills; Terry Hobbs, Branch's stepfather, calling out for them to return. 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 . 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, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. Taylor's presence suggests that at 4:30 p.m., Branch and Moore had not yet found their friend Byers. Driver was the kind of individual who saw Satanism in every corner, blaming campfires, dead animal carcasses and pentagram graffiti on the dark arts. Misskelley confessed during the interrogation but later took rescinded it, stating that he did it out our fear and intimidation. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. 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. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. What came after the arrest is quite well-documented. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Attorney General Griffin expects Echols' legal team to refile in Craighead County, but he said that it won't make a difference in the long run. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. 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. 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. 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. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. Generation X was seen as cynical slackers, beholden to social-tribal identity and influenced by the likes of MTV and the ever-growing internet. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" Steve Edward Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were all good kids. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. 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. "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. He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. West Memphis Three Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. }); "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. '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. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. },false) The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas After three years of fighting to get new evidence tested for DNA, the state is saying the West Memphis Three petition should be tossed out. Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. 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. }); 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 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. Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. West Memphis Three 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 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. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. 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. Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. hitType: 'event', We are one of the worlds fastest growing The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. 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. 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. West Memphis Three released from prison after 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.". In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. }); 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. Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. They would have been local and have a violent history, be familiar with the victims, and were engaging in a personal cause when they killed the boys. 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 was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. The West Memphis Three 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. Steve had taken this knife everywhere and was never without it, with Pamela believing the killer had stolen it when it wasn't found at the scene. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ }); Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. However, the matter was sent to appeal, and Burnett was elected to the Arkansas State Senate, with his replacement being David Laser. }) window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. Who Killed The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { 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. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore.