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. His prior history of domestic violence didn't reflect well either. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. ga('ads.send', { All three would be happy to talk, with Bly saying that Misskelley was the leader of a Satanic cult that also involved Baldwin, Echols, his girlfriend Domini Teer, and others 20 in all. Who killed Stevie 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. Ultimately, the judge will make a final ruling on whether to proceed. Sign up for newsletter today. ADVERTISEMENT 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. 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. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." let gads_event; 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. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. Terry Hobbs, meanwhile, still believes in the guilt of the West Memphis Three, telling Memphis ABC affiliate WATN in 2019 that "I still believe in my heart that Jessie, Jason, and Damion Echols are responsible for what happened to our children.". But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. hitType: 'event', On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. After being told that she was questioning his involvement, Hobbs is alleged to have replied, "I could skin a man alive, I could cut him up.". },false) 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. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Echols and Baldwin were best friends and shared a profound distaste for Bible Belt life in West Memphis, Arkansas and were drawn toward the rebellion of metal music and associated books and movies. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a "We are trying to find the real killers. Sign up to receive breakingFront Page Detectivesnews and exclusive investigations. On May 5, 1993, Branch was at home with his mother, Pamela Hobbs, and shortly after the end of school, Moore rode over on his bike and asked if his friend could take a ride with him. Now, the attorneys are responding in court. All three appealed the convictions. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. There is a vast difference between what most Satanists believe Satanism is and the popular perception of Satanism. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 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. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. 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. "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". This was a result of getting enraged, going too far, and then having to basically clean up the mess," he said. 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. Benca and the West Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. 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 hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. Hobbs, who had previously been under the police scanner for the murders because of inconsistencies in his story, had later been cleared of any wrongdoing but found himself being verbally abused by Byers in front of cameras outside a courtroom. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. eventAction: 'click_ads' 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). But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. 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. 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 following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. His mother told him to be home by 4:45 p.m., and the two set off around 3:40 p.m. }); Meanwhile, police questioned Misskelley alone, despite the suspect only having an IQ of 72. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. }); 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. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ ga('ads.send', { We will fully comply with any lawful request made regarding this case.". Based on the new information, the three men asked for an Alford plea, in which the defendant maintains their innocence, but acknowledge that prosecutors have evidence to convict them. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. 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. eventAction: 'click_adunit' ga('ads.send', { They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. He was called a 'baby killer.'. Both Echols and Misskelley had dropped out of high school, while Baldwin continued to achieve high grades, making the pair something of an odd couple, known for their involvement in petty crimes such as vandalism. The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. During the filming, cameraman Doug Cooper would be given a folding hunting knife by John Mark Byers, Christopher Byers' stepfather. He suffered from "grandiose and persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, disordered thought processes, substantial lack of insight, and chronic, incapacitating mood swings." Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. 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. One of those people would be Pamela Hobbs. Moore. Bike found near the "West Memphis Three" crime scene. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. ga('ads.send', { It can now be tested, to see who left DNA at the crime scene. There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. Local community members also rallied in support of the three, believing that their initial trial was unfair and handled incorrectly. My attorney was in the evidence room this morning and saw it with his own eyes. 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. 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. If the judge makes the decision to deny the state's request for dismissal, then Attorney General Tim Griffin will get a chance to respond to that decision. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? The discovery comes after West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope resigned Tuesday. 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. Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. After 18 years behind bars, they were freed. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. Christopher Byers' father, Rick Murray, was one of the early voices to speak out against the West Memphis Three's convictions, with Pamela Hobbs perhaps becoming the most vocal. 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. 1." 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 Yet, while Arkansas certainly has problems seen throughout the South, such as poor wages, West Memphis was then a city of 30,000 with a wide variety of cultures. 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.
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