The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. It took them 18 years to clear their names. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. 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. During the trial, Echols blew kisses to the victim's family, a sign taken by many as a sure sign of guilt. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. hitType: 'event', ga('ads.send', { Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. 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. ga('ads.send', { 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. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Back with the search, the main focus was Robin Hood Hills near where witnesses last saw the trio, and that morning Branch andMoore's bikes were found next to a pipe bridge that crossed the bayou. Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. 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. However, that isn't quite the truth. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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.". He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". 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. A popular perception is that in New York or Los Angeles, is the lifestyles of the West Memphis Three wouldn't have drawn comment, but in Arkansas, it was a different story. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. It doesn't take much effort to get him to say or do anything at all.". 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." Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. He was 62. All three appealed the convictions. We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". "We are planning to move ahead and test this evidence using the latest DNA technology available to hopefully identify the real killer(s) of the three children in 1993, and exonerate Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley.". These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. 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. All three boys were naked and hogtied using their shoelaces, each ankle tied with a wrist behind their backs. }); 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. 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. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? 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. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. 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. 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. 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. Branch had 21 particular wounds, including a large gouge to the left side of his face, with Byers having 62 differing injuries. 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 story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. Three teenage boys convicted of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, CHONK: State champion quartet prepping for show this weekend, Opinion: Fix loophole that increases copay costs for prescription drugs, Ambulancia para pacientes "posedos" lleva psiclogos y exorcistas en Bolivia. It took them 18 years to clear their names. A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. 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. Whose blood was on the knife was uncertain as it matched both Byers and the victim, both having the same HLA-DQ genotype. eventAction: 'load' eventAction: 'click_adunit' 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. The police contended the tapes couldn't confirm this, with interference masking conversations. } 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. Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. and "Do you know who killed those three boys?". There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. 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. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. "We feel strongly that we are in the right. Over the years, however, the West Memphis Three continued to maintain their innocence, claiming they had nothing to do with the slayings of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, who were each found nude, hogtied, and mutilated in a bayou. Prosecutors argued that the three teenagers, with Echols as the lead, committed the murders as part of a satanic ritual. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. Yet Misskelley kept talking, confessing again on Feb. 4. 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. Toggle dark mode }); Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. 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. 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. 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. But their innocence did leave investigators back at square one. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The deal is a plea whereby a defendant maintains their innocence but recognizes that the evidence presented would be enough to convict them. }); He suffered from "grandiose and persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, disordered thought processes, substantial lack of insight, and chronic, incapacitating mood swings." 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. Now, the attorneys are responding in court. 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. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 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. 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. A polygraph indicated some level of deception in his statements to police, yet it should be noted that a heart condition may have affected the results. Misskelley's confession couldn't be utilized if he had stood trial alongside Echols and Baldwin under what is known as the Bruton rule stemming from Bruton v. United States. Jul. His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. ET. He was called a 'baby killer.'. This is the world where fist meets face. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Echols was from a poor background and struggled both with poverty and his mental health, having been institutionalized for several months after considering suicide. Martin molested both of his stepchildren a son and a daughter over four years, serving just three years in the Colorado State Penitentiary. They did not kill my son.. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. 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. 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. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. 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. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. 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 The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. }) It was a fact, leading investigators to believe he had inside knowledge of the case. 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. 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. pg.acq.push(function() { Echols claimed that Pope's departure and the discovery of the evidence were connected. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. Jones, the assistant juvenile probation officer, was one of the chief voices pushing the line alongside his supervisor Jerry Blackwood Driver. Meeting with Echols, Hutcheson reported that nothing incriminating was said. The autopsy in full is harrowing reading, with Moore receiving 63 specific wounds, including ten skull fractures. Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. ADVERTISEMENT On Feb. 8, Misskelley claimed he had been drunk at the time of the killings and was drinking Evan Williams whiskey, claiming that he had thrown a bottle away under a bridge in West Memphis, swearing on the Bible as to the truth of his latest claims. Equally, Pamela's sister Jo Lynn McCaughey saw Hobbs washing clothes, bed linens, and curtains from Steve's room around the time of the killings. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. Echols' legal team has filed a response to the Attorney General's request, where they are asking the court to deny it. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? 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. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. He was 62. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. Driver was the kind of individual who saw Satanism in every corner, blaming campfires, dead animal carcasses and pentagram graffiti on the dark arts. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. "We are trying to find the real killers. Yet, it is a giant leap toward murder. 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. 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. Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Echols was generally seen as the dominant personality where Baldwin was concerned. "I think maybe for the general public it's not quite as scary to believe that blood-thirsty Satanists were out murdering children as it is to believe that parents are actually murdering their own children. My attorney was in the evidence room this morning and saw it with his own eyes. 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. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. 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." Toggle dark mode So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. 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. hitType: 'event', One such suspect was none other than Byers. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. 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. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. 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. 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. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. One individual on the police radar was convicted pedophile James K. Martin. Having once been adamant on the West Memphis Three's guilt, he accepted their innocence and, instead, pointed the finger at Terry Hobbs, Steve's stepfather. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. He again repeated the incorrect police suspicion that Echols had sexually violated one of the boys, claiming this time his friend had ejaculated on the victim's trousers. }); 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 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. This is where the calluses on a man's hand are bigger than his conscience, and dreams get drowned in sweat and tears.". Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. Example video title will go here for this video. One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. ga('ads.send', { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), They'd first come into contact almost precisely a year before Echols was arrested alongside his then-girlfriend Deanna Holcomb. His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. Climber only named Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols. Jul. The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. Investigators found the bottle exactly where he said it would be. Nevertheless, this is a complete delaying tactic," Soury explained. He has devoted himself to writing, music and art. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Meanwhile, at the Marion Police Department, Detective Don Bray was attempting to administer a polygraph test to Vicki Hutcheson, who had recently moved to the city.