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Terry Hobbs and Vicky Edwards - Box Full of NightmaresIn 1993, three eight-year old boys, Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Chris Byers, were murdered; their naked, mutilated bodies found shoved into the mud at the bottom of a ditch. The information developed by investigators pointed to three teenagers as the murderers. The three teens were convicted after two separate trials. One was sentenced to life imprisonment, one was sentenced to life plus forty years, and the third was sentenced to death. The convictions of the three teens became one of the most controversial cases in the State of Arkansas. During the early years of their incarceration, the growth of the Internet connected people all over the world through discussion forums and websites. As a result, the three teens, who became known as the “West Memphis Three,” developed a cult following that included the support of high-profile celebrities, including Johnny Depp, Peter Jackson, and Eddie Vedder and others, who all bought into the myth that the three convicted murderers were innocent.Today, the three convicted murderers are free. They appear to have given up their quest for judicial exoneration. Once they exhausted all other potential “guilty” parties, (some joined their camp and others were obviously not guilty), they focused their attention on Terry Hobbs, step-father of Stevie Branch, in an effort to divert attention from the evidence proving their guilt. Terry Hobbs was never a suspect in the murders and the facts of the case do not support his guilt. Undeterred, the convicted killers and their supporters continue to point fingers at Terry Hobbs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.
Fan Mail Me BrrrruuuuunnndenWere Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley victims of a modern-day witch hunt, or were they truly guilty of the horrifying crimes for which they were convicted? Join us in this electrifying episode as Jay and I lock horns over the polarizing West Memphis Three case. I argue that these teenagers were unfairly targeted due to their intelligence and nonconformity in a conservative town, while Jay contends with the disturbing elements of Aleister Crowley's teachings being used as evidence against them. We also scrutinize the lack of DNA evidence and the role of media, especially documentaries, in shaping public opinion and highlighting the questionable competence of the lead investigator.Our investigation doesn't stop there. We shift our focus to other potential suspects, Terry Hobbs and Mark Byers, and dissect their behaviors, testimonies, and personal histories, including allegations of satanic cult involvement. We probe into emotional and psychological impacts, biases in the trial, and the potential cover-up theories that swirl around the case. With the added dimension of celebrity involvement, particularly Peter Jackson's financial support, this discussion raises essential questions about the integrity of the legal proceedings and the broader implications of community corruption. This episode promises a riveting examination of one of the most debated murder cases in recent history, challenging your perspectives every step of the way.Support the Show.Come back every Tuesday for a new episode each week. You won't be dissappointed, I'll tell you that for free. Subscribe and like us over at sockeytome.com as we begin the best part of our journey into podcasting yet, interacting with all of you. Give us your email as we begin to have more promotions and contests along with my personal favorite, trivia. Thanks everyone and as always, be good.
Fan Mail Me BrrrruuuuunnndenWere the West Memphis Three victims of a biased community or rightful convictions? Join us on Saki Toobi as we unravel the chilling case of the West Memphis Three with my good friend Jay. We dive into the controversial trials, scrutinize the integrity of the police investigation, and debate the powerful role of public hysteria. Jay passionately argues that the three teenagers were unfairly targeted, while I challenge this view by examining the evidence and questioning claims of prolonged police interrogation. Together, we explore the broader implications of this case on justice and potential miscarriages thereof.In this episode, we dissect the tangled web of allegations, alternative theories, and societal influences surrounding the West Memphis Three. From the reliability of evidence and the impact of media narratives to the behaviors of key figures like Damien Echols and the alleged satanic undertones, every aspect is under the microscope. We also delve into the mysterious involvement of individuals such as Terry Hobbs and Mark Byers, questioning whether a community conspiracy played a role. Tune in as we challenge prevailing narratives and delve into the deeper psychological and societal elements at play in this perplexing case.Support the Show.Come back every Tuesday for a new episode each week. You won't be dissappointed, I'll tell you that for free. Subscribe and like us over at sockeytome.com as we begin the best part of our journey into podcasting yet, interacting with all of you. Give us your email as we begin to have more promotions and contests along with my personal favorite, trivia. Thanks everyone and as always, be good.
Send us a Text Message.What if an entire town was swept up in a wave of hysteria that led to the wrongful conviction of three innocent boys? Uncover the final chapter of the West Memphis Three saga, as we dissect the flawed investigation, the rise of the satanic panic, and the unjust sentences handed down to Jessie, Jason, and Damien. We'll revisit the critical role of the HBO documentary "Paradise Lost" that shed international light on the case and mobilized the "Free the West Memphis Three" movement. Learn about Damien Echols' personal transformation, his struggle to connect with his son from behind bars, and the powerful support from celebrities like Metallica that fueled the fight for justice.We take you through the shadowy events involving Terry Hobbs and David Jacoby, as detailed by unsettling witness testimonies. Hear Billy Stewart's harrowing recount of that fateful day in May 1993, and the affidavits from Benny Guy and Pam Hicks that cast further doubt on Hobbs. Understand the deep frustrations with the police's mishandled investigation and the ignored evidence that could have changed everything. We also explore the profound implications of the Alford plea that granted the West Memphis Three their freedom but left many questions unanswered. Tune in to grasp the emotional and legal toll this case has taken on everyone involved, and the enduring quest for true justice.Sources:https://famous-trials.com/westmemphis/2287-homehttps://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/the-west-memphis-three-case-an-evolving-story-of-doubt-misinformationhttps://shakedowntitle.com/cases/west-memphis-3/https://law.jrank.org/pages/3599/West-Memphis-Three-Trials-1994-Appeals-Fail.html https://www.oxygen.com/the-forgotten-west-memphis-three/true-crime-buzz/celebrities-advocated-release-west-memphis-threehttps://www.oxygen.com/the-forgotten-west-memphis-three/crime-news/victims-injuries-animal-predation-west-memphis-three-caseSupport the Show.Book a cruise with Murder and Mimosas:https://saltykissestravel.com/truecrimehalloweenhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1336304093519465https://twitter.com/Murder_Mimosashttps://www.instagram.com/murder.mimosas/murder.mimosas@gmail.comhttps://uppbeat.io/t/the-wayward-hearts/a-calm-hellfire License code: ZJZ99QK39IWFF0FB
Send us a Text Message.What if an entire town was swept up in a wave of hysteria that led to the wrongful conviction of three innocent boys? Uncover the final chapter of the West Memphis Three saga, as we dissect the flawed investigation, the rise of the satanic panic, and the unjust sentences handed down to Jessie, Jason, and Damien. We'll revisit the critical role of the HBO documentary "Paradise Lost" that shed international light on the case and mobilized the "Free the West Memphis Three" movement. Learn about Damien Echols' personal transformation, his struggle to connect with his son from behind bars, and the powerful support from celebrities like Metallica that fueled the fight for justice.We take you through the shadowy events involving Terry Hobbs and David Jacoby, as detailed by unsettling witness testimonies. Hear Billy Stewart's harrowing recount of that fateful day in May 1993, and the affidavits from Benny Guy and Pam Hicks that cast further doubt on Hobbs. Understand the deep frustrations with the police's mishandled investigation and the ignored evidence that could have changed everything. We also explore the profound implications of the Alford plea that granted the West Memphis Three their freedom but left many questions unanswered. Tune in to grasp the emotional and legal toll this case has taken on everyone involved, and the enduring quest for true justice.Sources:https://famous-trials.com/westmemphis/2287-homehttps://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/the-west-memphis-three-case-an-evolving-story-of-doubt-misinformationhttps://shakedowntitle.com/cases/west-memphis-3/https://law.jrank.org/pages/3599/West-Memphis-Three-Trials-1994-Appeals-Fail.html https://www.oxygen.com/the-forgotten-west-memphis-three/true-crime-buzz/celebrities-advocated-release-west-memphis-threehttps://www.oxygen.com/the-forgotten-west-memphis-three/crime-news/victims-injuries-animal-predation-west-memphis-three-caseSupport the Show.Book a cruise with Murder and Mimosas:https://saltykissestravel.com/truecrimehalloweenhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1336304093519465https://twitter.com/Murder_Mimosashttps://www.instagram.com/murder.mimosas/murder.mimosas@gmail.comhttps://uppbeat.io/t/the-wayward-hearts/a-calm-hellfire License code: ZJZ99QK39IWFF0FB
West Memphis 3 /// Jessie, Jason and Damien Garage Refill //////TrueCrimeGarage.comPart 3- Jessie, Jason and Damien We discuss some police tips and Jessie Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols. We will try to get to the bottom of it all. Are they guilty? If not who is, Mark Byers? Terry Hobbs? The strange man seen at the Bojangles? Join us for this double feature, the follow up to yesterday's show. Welcome to the after party! Beer of the week - Elvis Juice by Brew Dog Garage Grade - 4 out of 5 bottle caps Beer Fund: https://truecrimegarage.com/home
I'm this episode, I have a conversation with Amanda Hobbs, Terry Hobbs' daughter. We discuss the allegations of sexual assault against her father, the accusations linking him to the murders, and the current state of her relationship with him.Unforbiddentruthpodcast.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support.
In the Spring of 1993, three eight-year-old boys were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. And immediately, thanks to outlandish, paranoid Satanic Panic notions, investigative suspicion fell on a local eighteen-year-old, Damien Echols, ignorantly believed to be the leader of a local Satanic cult, and two of his teen friends, falsely believed to be his followers... Watch the Suck on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UiP4cd3rvH8Merch: https://www.badmagicmerch.comTimesuck Discord! https://discord.gg/tqzH89vThanks to our Patreon supporters for allowing us to donate $12,900 to truckersagainsttrafficking.org and another $1,440 to our scholarship fund! Thanks to Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio for the first soundbed, and "CESARE RIDES AGAIN" by WombatNoisesAudio for the second soundbed. Want to join the Cult of the Curious Private Facebook Group? Go directly to Facebook and search for "Cult of the Curious" to locate whatever happens to be our most current page :)For all merch-related questions/problems: store@badmagicproductions.com (copy and paste)Please rate and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and elsewhere and follow the suck on social media!! @timesuckpodcast on IG and http://www.facebook.com/timesuckpodcastWanna become a Space Lizard? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/timesuckpodcast.Sign up through Patreon, and for $5 a month, you get access to the entire Secret Suck catalog (295 episodes) PLUS the entire catalog of Timesuck, AD FREE. You'll also get 20% off of all regular Timesuck merch PLUS access to exclusive Space Lizard merch. And you get the download link for my secret standup album, Feel the Heat.
Terry Hobbs and Vicky Edwards - Box Full of NightmaresJuly 28In 1993, three eight-year old boys, Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Chris Byers, were murdered; their naked, mutilated bodies found shoved into the mud at the bottom of a ditch. The information developed by investigators pointed to three teenagers as the murderers. The three teens were convicted after two separate trials. One was sentenced to life imprisonment, one was sentenced to life plus forty years, and the third was sentenced to death. The convictions of the three teens became one of the most controversial cases in the State of Arkansas. During the early years of their incarceration, the growth of the Internet connected people all over the world through discussion forums and websites. As a result, the three teens, who became known as the “West Memphis Three,” developed a cult following that included the support of high-profile celebrities, including Johnny Depp, Peter Jackson, and Eddie Vedder and others, who all bought into the myth that the three convicted murderers were innocent.Today, the three convicted murderers are free. They appear to have given up their quest for judicial exoneration. Once they exhausted all other potential “guilty” parties, (some joined their camp and others were obviously not guilty), they focused their attention on Terry Hobbs, step-father of Stevie Branch, in an effort to divert attention from the evidence proving their guilt. Terry Hobbs was never a suspect in the murders and the facts of the case do not support his guilt. Undeterred, the convicted killers and their supporters continue to point fingers at Terry Hobbs.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement
Today - For 43 years, Penny Maklary has been a dedicated force for youth empowerment in Douglas and beyond. Support the show: https://www.myheraldreview.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Terry Hobbs and Vicky Edwards - Box Full of NightmaresIn 1993, three eight-year old boys, Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Chris Byers, were murdered; their naked, mutilated bodies found shoved into the mud at the bottom of a ditch. The information developed by investigators pointed to three teenagers as the murderers. The three teens were convicted after two separate trials. One was sentenced to life imprisonment, one was sentenced to life plus forty years, and the third was sentenced to death. The convictions of the three teens became one of the most controversial cases in the State of Arkansas. During the early years of their incarceration, the growth of the Internet connected people all over the world through discussion forums and websites. As a result, the three teens, who became known as the “West Memphis Three,” developed a cult following that included the support of high-profile celebrities, including Johnny Depp, Peter Jackson, and Eddie Vedder and others, who all bought into the myth that the three convicted murderers were innocent.Today, the three convicted murderers are free. They appear to have given up their quest for judicial exoneration. Once they exhausted all other potential “guilty” parties, (some joined their camp and others were obviously not guilty), they focused their attention on Terry Hobbs, step-father of Stevie Branch, in an effort to divert attention from the evidence proving their guilt. Terry Hobbs was never a suspect in the murders and the facts of the case do not support his guilt. Undeterred, the convicted killers and their supporters continue to point fingers at Terry Hobbs.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement
In this episode I sit down and talk with my good friend Andrew Dodge to discuss his podcast Unforbbiden Truth, his business True Crime Auction House, and our upcoming documentary If Trees Could Talk: An Interview with Terry Hobbs.
In this episode I sit down and chat with Terry Hobbs about the Robin Hood Hills murders, the West Memphis 3 case, and the upcoming documentary If Trees Could Talk
This week we are bringing you the bloody and mysterious history of folklore's most notorious outlaw, Robin Hood. Besides the Disney movie, Robin Hood has been the subject of countless ballads, books, and films. But was he a real historical figure? Join us as we try to decipher legend from fact. Lacie then brings you the story of the brutal murders of three young boys in 1993. Within a month, investigators were convinced they had found the killers, three misfit teenagers who would become known as "The West Memphis Three." Sources: -who-was-the-real-robin-hood -robin-hood.html -https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/robin_hood.html - https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/robin_01.shtml -https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/evidence-robin-hood-008105 -https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/people-politics/chernobyl-fire-fighter-we-were-risking-our-lives-but-we-were-just-doing-a-job/ -https://www.vox.com/culture/22358153/satanic-panic-ritual-abuse-history-conspiracy-theories-explained -http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/memphis3/arksct2appellate.html -https://www.jivepuppi.com/Terry_Hobbs.html
Andrew & Joey speak about the documentary they've been working on with Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of Stevie Branch. Included as a bonus, is a song Terry recorded for the film which is titled, 'In a small town'.www.unforbiddentruthpodcast.com
Andrew & Joey speak with Terry & Cynthia Hobbs about the documentary we are working on, 'Vindication: Hobbs vs. the people'. Terry Hobbs is the stepfather of Stevie Branch, one of three boys who were brutally murdered on May 5, 1993 in West Memphis, Arkansas. We speak with Terry and his wife about the project, why Terry feels it's important to be heard almost 30 years later and both him and his wife's stance on the death penalty, 1993 vs now.www.unforbiddentruthpodcast.com
Bob breaks down the events of last week. The way Supporters were treated at the hearing, the ruling and the next steps in our fight for the truth.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 5th, 1993 was a tragic day for so many people in West Memphis Arkansas as three eight-year-old boys (Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore) went missing . By the next morning, instead of panic, the town felt palpable fear with the discover that the young second-graders had been brutally and senselessly murdered. By 1994, three local teens were in prison, convicted of the murders; but the story hasn't ended there. This is part 3 of our series in which we examine the trials and convictions as well as explore various theories concerning who might be the perpetrator(s). In this week's episode, we speak with Terry Hobbs, step-father of Stevie Branch, who is currently the focus of guilt in the court of public opinion. Want to create your own podcast but don't know where to start? Give Zencastr a try. Recording is as easy as clicking “New” and sharing a link with cohosts or guests. Plus you'll get crisp, clear audio every single time! Simply go to http://zen.ai/coffeeandcasespod0 and enter promo code coffeeandcasespod0 for 30% off your first three months. It's the only platform Maggie and so trust for recording remotely and we know you'll love it as much as we do.
May 5th, 1993 was a tragic day for so many people in West Memphis Arkansas as three eight-year-old boys (Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore) went missing . By the next morning, instead of panic, the town felt palpable fear with the discover that the young second-graders had been brutally and senselessly murdered. By 1994, three local teens were in prison, convicted of the murders; but the story hasn't ended there. This is part 2 of our series in which we examine the trials and convictions as well as explore various theories concerning who might be the perpetrator(s). Want to create your own podcast but don't know where to start? Give Zencastr a try. Recording is as easy as clicking “New” and sharing a link with cohosts or guests. Plus you'll get crisp, clear audio every single time! Simply go to http://zen.ai/coffeeandcasespod0 and enter promo code coffeeandcasespod0 for 30% off your first three months. It's the only platform Maggie and so trust for recording remotely and we know you'll love it as much as we do.
May 5th, 1993 was a tragic day for so many people in West Memphis Arkansas as three eight-year-old boys (Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore) went missing . By the next morning, instead of panic, the town felt palpable fear with the discover that the young second-graders had been brutally and senselessly murdered. By 1994, three local teens were in prison, convicted of the murders; but the story hasn't ended there. This is part one of our coverage on the case, with a special focus this week on the crime itself as well as the discovery of the bodies and evidence. Want to create your own podcast but don't know where to start? Give Zencastr a try. Recording is as easy as clicking “New” and sharing a link with cohosts or guests. Plus you'll get crisp, clear audio every single time! Simply go to http://zen.ai/coffeeandcasespod0 and enter promo code coffeeandcasespod0 for 30% off your first three months. It's the only platform Maggie and so trust for recording remotely and we know you'll love it as much as we do.
This is the second interview I've had with Terry Hobbs. In this one, we discuss what he thinks about the evidence they just found and the DNA testing. We also talk about CrimeCon and the upcoming panel that will be discussing an interview he did for that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nikki Egan : Smiley face Killers / Terry Hobbs Vicky Edwards Box Full of Nightmares Part one: Investigative reporter Nikki Egan reports on the Smiley Face Killers and shares her excessive knowledge on this case. Part Two Terry Hobbs returns to give an exclusive interview about his book. Box Full of Nightmares . Terry is the step father of one of the 8 year old victims of the convicted child killers in the infamous West Memphis Three case. 2 years ago #/, #:, #box, #edwards, #egan, #face, #full, #hobbs, #ikki, #killers, #nightmares, #of, #opperman, #smiley, #smiley face killers, #terry, #terry hobbs, #vicky, #west memphis three
Nikki Egan : Smiley face Killers / Terry Hobbs Vicky Edwards Box Full of NightmaresPart one: Investigative reporter Nikki Egan reports on the Smiley Face Killers and shares her excessive knowledge on this case.Part Two Terry Hobbs returns to give an exclusive interview about his book. Box Full of Nightmares . Terry is the step father of one of the 8 year old victims of the convicted child killers in the infamous West Memphis Three case.2 years ago #/, #:, #box, #edwards, #egan, #face, #full, #hobbs, #ikki, #killers, #nightmares, #of, #opperman, #smiley, #smiley face killers, #terry, #terry hobbs, #vicky, #west memphis three
Nikki Egan : Smiley face Killers / Terry Hobbs Vicky Edwards Box Full of Nightmares Part one: Investigative reporter Nikki Egan reports on the Smiley Face Killers and shares her excessive knowledge on this case. Part Two Terry Hobbs returns to give an exclusive interview about his book. Box Full of Nightmares . Terry is the step father of one of the 8 year old victims of the convicted child killers in the infamous West Memphis Three case. 2 years ago #/, #:, #box, #edwards, #egan, #face, #full, #hobbs, #ikki, #killers, #nightmares, #of, #opperman, #smiley, #smiley face killers, #terry, #terry hobbs, #vicky, #west memphis three
Author Vicky Edwards and Terry Hobbs on their book Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders.https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DQVNZ0ZIL6RR&keywords=box+full+of+nightmares&qid=1561937712&s=gateway&sprefix=box+full+of+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Author Vicky Edwards and Terry Hobbs on their book Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders. https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DQVNZ0ZIL6RR&keywords=box+full+of+nightmares&qid=1561937712&s=gateway&sprefix=box+full+of+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1
This might be the most unjust prosecution in U.S. legal history. If you think what happened to Steven Avery in the true crime film, Making a Murderer, was shocking you will be completely appalled by what happened to three little boys and three teens in Arkansas in 1993. Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convicted. There's only one problem. Overwhelming scientific evidence proves they're innocent and witness after witness has come forward to admit lies were told in court during the original trials. Award-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders' view into the West Memphis Three case. No journalist has written more stories about the case than Jared. The author recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Those interviews include a Death Row interview with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He's been credited in numerous documentaries including the Academy Award nominated film Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death. Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children. Echols, a troubled teen with a seedy past, was immediately identified as a possible suspect. His best-friend, Jason Baldwin, and another teen known to them, Jessie Misskelley Jr., are arrested June 3, 1993, and charged with murder. No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. Read how they, referred to as the West Memphis Three, toiled in prison for years as their case stagnated in the Arkansas judicial system. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence surfaced. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface. No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Witches is written in an easy to read, narrative-style form. Grab a copy today.3 years ago #ed, #george, #in, #jared, #memphis, #memphis:, #opperman, #report, #the, #the west memphis three, #three, #west, #witches
This might be the most unjust prosecution in U.S. legal history. If you think what happened to Steven Avery in the true crime film, Making a Murderer, was shocking you will be completely appalled by what happened to three little boys and three teens in Arkansas in 1993. Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convicted. There's only one problem. Overwhelming scientific evidence proves they're innocent and witness after witness has come forward to admit lies were told in court during the original trials. Award-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders' view into the West Memphis Three case. No journalist has written more stories about the case than Jared. The author recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Those interviews include a Death Row interview with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He's been credited in numerous documentaries including the Academy Award nominated film Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death. Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children. Echols, a troubled teen with a seedy past, was immediately identified as a possible suspect. His best-friend, Jason Baldwin, and another teen known to them, Jessie Misskelley Jr., are arrested June 3, 1993, and charged with murder. No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. Read how they, referred to as the West Memphis Three, toiled in prison for years as their case stagnated in the Arkansas judicial system. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence surfaced. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface. No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Witches is written in an easy to read, narrative-style form. Grab a copy today. 3 years ago #ed, #george, #in, #jared, #memphis, #memphis:, #opperman, #report, #the, #the west memphis three, #three, #west, #witches
Nikki Egan : Smiley face Killers / Terry Hobbs Vicky Edwards Box Full of NightmaresPart one: Investigative reporter Nikki Egan reports on the Smiley Face Killers and shares her excessive knowledge on this case.Part Two Terry Hobbs returns to give an exclusive interview about his book. Box Full of Nightmares . Terry is the step father of one of the 8 year old victims of the convicted child killers in the infamous West Memphis Three case.2 years ago #/, #:, #box, #edwards, #egan, #face, #full, #hobbs, #ikki, #killers, #nightmares, #of, #opperman, #smiley, #smiley face killers, #terry, #terry hobbs, #vicky, #west memphis three
Nikki Egan : Smiley face Killers / Terry Hobbs Vicky Edwards Box Full of Nightmares Part one: Investigative reporter Nikki Egan reports on the Smiley Face Killers and shares her excessive knowledge on this case. Part Two Terry Hobbs returns to give an exclusive interview about his book. Box Full of Nightmares . Terry is the step father of one of the 8 year old victims of the convicted child killers in the infamous West Memphis Three case. 2 years ago #/, #:, #box, #edwards, #egan, #face, #full, #hobbs, #ikki, #killers, #nightmares, #of, #opperman, #smiley, #smiley face killers, #terry, #terry hobbs, #vicky, #west memphis three
The guys take listener questions after Bob's recent updates in the Forgotten West Memphis Three case.Today's Sponsor: gabi.com/truth - Put your policy to the test and get a better insurance with Gabi. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this weeks episode, Andrew speaks to Terry Hobbs. Terry Hobbs is the stepfather of Stevie Branch. On May 5, 1993 three boys were reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. The next day, the bodies of the three boys were found in a drainage ditch. They had been stripped naked and hogtied with their shoelaces. Three teenage boys were arrested for the crimes, who would be labeled 'West Memphis Three'. The teenage boys were charged and convicted, based off of a confession from Jessie Misskelley Jr, which he would later recant. In 2011, the three men were released under an Alford plea, after 17 years of fighting their convictions.Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unforbidden-truth/id1531427832Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnforbiddentruthSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2pR7TgAdNX1rdvIIadm6mx?si=SerVo14nQBqUmRSU_ztwEg&dl_branch=1Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUePWe5xZsertnRvejzTQlg
This might be the most unjust prosecution in U.S. legal history. If you think what happened to Steven Avery in the true crime film Making a Murderer was shocking, you will be completely appalled by what happened to three little boys and three teens in Arkansas in 1993.Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convicted.There’s only one problem. Overwhelming scientific evidence proves they’re innocent and witness after witness has come forward to admit lies were told in court during the original trials.Award-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders’ view into the West Memphis Three case. No journalist has written more stories about the case than Jared.The author recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Those interviews include a Death Row interview with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He’s been credited in numerous documentaries including the Academy Award nominated film Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death.Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children.Echols, a troubled teen with a seedy past, was immediately identified as a possible suspect. His best-friend, Jason Baldwin, and another teen known to them, Jessie Misskelley Jr., are arrested June 3, 1993. They are charged with murder.No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. Read how they, referred to as the West Memphis Three, toiled in prison for years as their case stagnated in the Arkansas judicial system. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence was discovered. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface.No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Witches is written in an easy to read, narrative-style form. Grab a copy today. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week, we take a look at what went wrong in the investigation into the West Memphis Three and the heinous triple murder of three 8 year-old boys in the spring of 1993. Join us for part 2 of our look into the West Memphis Three.https://www.grunge.com/271934/the-messed-up-truth-about-the-west-memphis-three-murders/https://www.distractify.com/p/west-memphis-three-real-killersLeveritt, Mara (2003). Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three. Atria. ISBN 0-7434-1760-7.Hobbs, Pamela Marie (May 20, 2009). Declaration of Pamela Marie Hobbs. THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS, WESTERN DIVISION, TERRY HOBBS, Plaintiff, v. NATALIE PASDAR, et al., Defendants, CV NO.: 4-09-CV-0008BSM. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016.Mara Leveritt and Max Brantley New evidence in West Memphis murders Archived December 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Arkansas Times, July 19, 2007.Beth Warren, "Jury foreman in West Memphis Three trial of Damien Echols accused of misconduct," Memphis Commercial Appeal, October 13, 2010The Associated Press (September 30, 2008). "Former lawyer supports effort for a new trial". Arkansas Online. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.Bleed, Jill Zeman (November 4, 2010). "New hearing ordered for 3 in Ark. scout deaths". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 14, 2010. Robertson, Campbell (August 19, 2011). "Deal Frees 'West Memphis Three' in Arkansas". The New York Times. Robertson, Campbell (August 19, 2011). "Deal Frees 'West Memphis Three' in Arkansas". The New York Times.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Killerlocalepodcast)
Grab a beer and join us tonight as we wrap up our series on the West Memphis three! In part 4 we will go over the questions around Mark Byers, and why people think he was potentially involved in the murder. Then we will look at the deposition of Terry Hobbs that made him have to answer some hard questions. Finally we will cover the Alford plea the three made, and how this story ends. https://www.necronomipod.com https://www.patreon.com/necronomipod Want to advertise/sponsor our show? We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started. Necronomipod on AdvertiseCast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Travis & Lee conclude the tragic case of three young boys who were killed in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993, and the fate of three teenaged boys found guilty of their murders.Support the show (http://patreon.com/crimeficionados)
Travis & Lee discuss the tragic case of three young boys who were killed in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993, and the public sentiment that led to the arrest and conviction of three teenaged boys who were considered suspects due to their small town reputations.Support the show (http://patreon.com/crimeficionados)
Jordan thoroughly explores the 1993 murders of three West Memphis, AR second graders, before offering up his own theory about who killed them and why.*Music: Jordan Crittenden, Doug Maxwell, Francis Preve, Aakash Gandhi, Magic in the Other, Jeremy Blake, Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum*To support Dark Dark World: http://www.patreon.com/darkdarkworld*Web: http://www.darkdarkworld.com *Twitter: @darkworldpod *Instagram: @darkdarkworldpodcast *Email: darkworldpod@gmail.com *Thank you for listening!
Terry Hobbs the father of the Stevie Branch talks to Josh one on one. Josh asks Terry questions that even make Josh uncomfortable. Hear Terry tell it in his words what happened that day in West Memphis in 1993. Terry has been accused of the worst thing you can be accused of. Killing children. However, at the time 3 Teenagers, now adults were already convicted of the crimes.
Terry Hobbs the father of the Stevie Branch talks to Josh one on one. Josh asks Terry questions that even make Josh uncomfortable. Hear Terry tell it in his words what happened that day in West Memphis in 1993. Terry has been accused of the worst thing you can be accused of. Killing children. However, at the time 3 Teenagers, now adults were already convicted of the crimes.
We present the case against Terry Hobbs. One of the stepfathers of the murdered boys in West Memphis Arkansas on May 6th, 1993.We present the case against Terry Hobbs. One of the stepfathers of the murdered boys in West Memphis Arkansas on May 6th, 1993.
Bob invites listener Wendell Maas onto the show to help break down and explain the timeline of David Jacoby and Terry Hobbs movements on the night Stevie, Michael and Christopher went missing. Today's Sponsor: Best Fiends - Download the mobile puzzle game for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
In 2018, Bob traveled to Arkansas to sit down with one of the most mysterious characters in the notorious West Memphis Three case. In this emotional interview, David Jacoby talks about the night that Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore went missing. We hear about his interactions with Terry Hobbs, and the search for the boys. Today's Sponsors: Mejuri.com/truth - Visit the URL or use code "truth" at checkout for 10% off your first order. Brooklinen.com - Use promo code "TJ" to get 10% off and free shipping on your first order.
From "Blood on Black," available on Amazon.
Bob breaks down the final part of his TV docuseries "The Forgotten West Memphis Three". Persons of interest David Jacoby and Terry Hobbs are discussed. Bob ends the episode with a call to action, in an effort to convince DA Scott Ellington to release evidence for new testing. Today's Sponsor: everlywell.com/justice - Enter code "justice" for 20% off your Everlywell at-home lab test.
The Cinemondo gang discusses Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's HBO true crime documentaries PARADISE LOST 1, 2 and 3. Kathy and Burk, along with their friends Grove Pashley and Lisa Fancher, became part of these films and helped start a worldwide movement that was instrumental in freeing Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley from prison in Arkansas. But the horrific murder of Chris Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch has never been solved and is an ongoing mystery. Kathy and Burk discuss what it was like to be a subject of the documentary cameras and how it felt to go through the looking glass into an an ongoing crime investigation.(Kathy, Mark and Burk are obeying the “Safer at Home” mandate and self-isolating during the present health crisis. This episode was recorded with all of us in our respective homes.)Special thanks to many of the people who helped Free the West Memphis Three:Lisa FancherALJacob PChris WMona KhJene OMarie SRuth CGreg FBob BCassieNathan HBill and Marcia P (the infamous 'Frzrdr' whose name became a verb)Sara WDori MKC KScot LBrenda CMichale G...And so many other unamed heroes who spread the word, had events and raised money for the WM3's defense fund. You all rock!SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains MAJOR SPOILERS which means important story details will be revealed. We always advise listeners to: Watch First Listen Later.Music composed and performed by Burk Sauls.Join Cinemondo and over a hundred thousand podcasters already using Buzzsprout to get their message out to the world. Sign up here to get your podcast started!We're also on Patreon! Help support the show and get some cool swag.Become a Patron on PatreonCinemondo Podcast is a weekly show that's released every Monday. If you’d like to support our show, please subscribe to our podcast free in iTunes, and leave us a review! We want to hear from you so write in with more recommendations and comments. Email us: CinemondoPodcast@gmail.com Connect with us: CinemondoPodcast.com twitter.com/CinemondoPod facebook.com/CinemondoPodcast instagram.com/CinemondoPodcastSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/CinemondoPodcast)
In preparation for next week's release of our Oxygen Original docuseries, Bob recaps Season 5.Today's Sponsors:ritual.com/truth - Get 10% off during your first 3 months.myollie.com/truth - Get 50% off and a free bag of treats.
Bob sits down with Mike and Zaq to discuss listener questions over the second half of Bob's interview with Jason Baldwin.Today's Sponsors: feals.com/justice - Get 50% off you first order with free shipping. Best Fiends - Download the mobile puzzle game for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Bob, Mike and Zaq discuss listener questions surrounding the first part of Bob's 2018 interview with Jason Baldwin. Today's Sponsors: truebotanicals.com/truth - Get 15% off your first purchase. upstart.com/truth - Find out how low your Upstart rate is. ziprecruiter.com/truth - Try it for free.
Bob continues his look back to Season 5 with the first half of an interview that he recorded with convicted WM3 Jason Baldwin in Austin in 2018.Today's Sponsor:Best Fiends - Download the mobile app for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play
If you are into true crime, you're familiar with the West Memphis Three. Well, today I interviewed Terry Hobbs. We talk about him, some of his personal thoughts on the case, and his book that is out now called 'Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders'. Music is courtesy of Terry Hobbs Link to Terry's book is here: https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you are into true crime, you're familiar with the West Memphis Three. Well, today I interviewed Terry Hobbs. We talk about him, some of his personal thoughts on the case, and his book that is out now called 'Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders'.Music is courtesy of Terry HobbsLink to Terry's book is here: https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1559059428&s=gateway&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Where-Monsters-Go-Against-Memphis-ebook/dp/B06XVNXCJV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XNLYB8QUIQ7F&keywords=where+the+monsters+go&qid=1559059470&s=gateway&sprefix=where+the+monsters+go%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-West-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B07C7C4DCH/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1559059536&s=gateway&sr=8-3 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753HJZ1P/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gary%20meece&qid=1559059573&ref_=sr_1_6&s=gateway&sr=8-6 https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1559059573&s=gateway&sr=8-2 "L.G. Stated ... that they were talking about him that he was the 4th suspect." Like Heather Cliett and Vicki Hutcheson, L.G. Hollingsworth Jr. is an oddly ubiquitous character who popped up in the strangest places in the West Memphis 3 story. L.G. was listed among possible teenage suspects just days after the killings. Two lists were compiled by Lt. James Sudbury from information from Steve Jones and Jerry Driver, familiar with the teens as Juvenile Court officers. One list had Damien Echols at the top, followed by Jason Baldwin, L.G., Domini Teer and, further down, Murray Ferris. A similar list had Echols at the top, followed by Baldwin, L.G., Domini and, further down, Ferris and Chris Littrell. While all the others were often listed as members of a Satanic group or witch cult, there's little evidence that L.G. was involved in occult activity. Jessie Misskelley. though well-known to law enforcement, was not on the lists. Like Jessie, L.G. was in frequent trouble with the law. Investigators soon discovered he called or visited Domini, his “cousin,” regularly and was well acquainted with Echols. Hollingsworth also had formed a friendship with an older man that officers found questionable. L.G.'s aunt, Narlene Hollingsworth, called in a tip on May 9 that added to early suspicions about L.G. Besides stating she had seen Damien and Domini walking away from the murder site on May 5, she said “L.G. made a statement on Thursday that he knew about what happened before anyone else. L.G. has 666 on the side of his shoes.” Narlene made a similar claim about Echols' boots. In a case loaded with confusing family relations, the Hollingsworth connections were particularly elaborate. When asked on the stand during the Echols/Baldwin trial to identify L.G., Narlene said, “... He's my ex-husband's son, which is -” The attorney asked, “So it'd be your step son -- at one time he was your step son then.” Narlene: “No.” Scott Davidson: “No?” Narlene: “No, I'm - I'm his aunt through marriage. It's just by marriage.” Davidson: “You're his aunt by marriage. But he's your ex-husband's son?” Narlene: “Yes sir. I know it's confusing.” Davidson: “I'm confused on that one. Now, L.G. is you -” Narlene: “- Ex-husband's -” Davidson: “-Ex-husband's son, but you're his aunt by marriage, how did that happen?” Judge David Burnett: “Is that really relevant? Let's don't try to sort it out,” prompting laughter in the courtroom. Narlene wasn't just L.G.'s aunt. She had once been married to L.G. Sr., divorcing him after he became involved with her best friend. Narlene then married L.G. Sr.'s brother, Ricky Sr. Narlene was also related after a fashion to Domini, whose mother, Dian Teer, had a sister, Dixie Hufford, who was divorced from the father of Ricky Sr. and L.G. Sr. Domini named Dixie Hollingsworth (Hufford) as one of her relatives in an early interview. Hufford was tied in with the Echols sighting, as well as reports of the puzzling activities of L.G. Narlene continually referred to Hufford as Dixie Hollingsworth and described her on the stand as “my ex-husband's use to be step mother” (Narlene and Ricky divorced between the time of the sighting and the trial). The Teers rented a trailer in Lakeshore from Pamela Hollingsworth, who was Narlene's sister and had married into the Hollingsworth family. L.G. Jr. spent much of May 5 riding around with Narlene and hanging around Domini before showing up late that evening at the Flash Market laundromat on Ingram Boulevard, managed by his grandfather's ex-wife, Hufford. After Narlene's tip, West Memphis police made contact with L.G. the next day, Monday, May 10. Hollingsworth was a dark-haired 17-year-old ninth-grade dropout recently employed as a sacker at the Big Star West grocery. He had “little gangster” tattooed on his right biceps and a cross on his left first finger. The use of “little gangster” drew on his name, L.G.; the initials did not stand for anything. No record seems available on the May 10 interview, but apparently L.G. said little that would allay suspicions. At the time that police were talking to L.G., down the hall they were interviewing Echols, who named L.G. as a possible suspect. Police promptly searched the Hollingsworth home on McCauley Circle, just around the corner from the murder site, and confiscated a knife in a sheath and four pairs of tennis shoes. That afternoon, L.G.'s name appeared in a tip from an anonymous caller taken by Mike Allen “who stated she had overheard that a Dominick & a Damion killed the three little boys & that L.G. last name unknown took and laudered there clothes. Caller stated that Damon had body parts in a box from the children. The caller stated that she didn't want to give her name & that she heard that L.G.'s mother was going to lie about L.G.'s whereabouts.” Information about “body parts in a box” persisted well into the investigation, though nothing conclusive was determined about the notorious “stinky box.” L.G. said the box contained test papers from a vo-tech class. Also on May 10, police interviewed Narlene at her trailer in Lakeshore. She told Detective Charlie Dabbs and Lt. Diane Hester about sighting Damien and Domini walking along the service road near the Blue Beacon about 9:30 p.m. on May 5. She and her family had gone to pick up Hufford. “… So, then when I talked to Dixie Hollingsworth, I got to the laundry mat, she said that L.G. Hollingsworth had just left from there in some car. And, I said uh, that's funny, she said that it is and she never did say why, and I thought it was funny, but I thought that he had just left from there and they were coming down the street.” “She never did say why, and I thought it was funny” would sum up the episode of L.G. at the laundromat. Narlene had found out about the missing boys the day after the killings while driving L.G. to his first day of work at Big Star, describing intuitive suspicions and hunches in her distinctively vivid style. “It was late, well, when I come back over in this area, again Thursday, because I promise L.G. that I would take him to work, cause he didn't have no way but me, OK, when I come back down the street, I seen a white car that belonged to a policeman or an undercover car, you know and they were two others out there too, and there was a crowd of people gathered around and I said, that's unusual.” This occurred at about 10 a.m. at Barton and 14th. “Cause they were all gathered up there and I didn't know what was going on, so I went down there and L.G. was saying, get me on to work. So, anyway I went on and got him on to work, so then later on that day he got off early ... I know he come to my house about 2:40 or a quarter to three and I thought that he would be working a little later than that on Wednesday, but anyway my kids started hollering about those kids, you know ... and later on that night, he came over there in a yellow car with some boxes in them, now what was in the boxes I don't know. The kids said that the box was about this big and some thing like this and they didn't know what was in the box, but he said don't look at it, don't touch it, don't step on it or I'll hurt you. …" Narlene had seen L.G. earlier on May 10, much to the surprise of her interrogators. “…The day I run into L.G. the day at the police department, he begged me to go in there and sit down with his mother and I said, I can't do that. He said that I wasn't at no laundry mat Wednesday night, I said, yes you was, he said, naw I wasn't, I said yes you was, cause Ricky Hollingsworth” — so says the transcript but Narlene was referring to Dixie, not Ricky — “said that I had just missed you. I said, you better stop lying or they are going to get you for murdering these children, and they are going to want to know why you lie, he said alright, I was there, I said I know you was.” Narlene told Dabbs and Hester that the encounter had not been on Thursday, as they first assumed, but that day at the police station. Narlene explained, “I went there to pay my husband's fine of $25 that he got in trouble and he got a DUI, I think …. Today I went down there to pay on his fine, L.G. come running out of the building where the police department, he said you go in there and tell them that you are mommy and I said, no, I won't. I said where is your mother and he said, I don't know but she won't come up there with me, I said, well, I said, they will ask you some questions and you answer them, I said, they will let you go. And then if you start telling a bunch of lies and they catch you in them, he said well uh, I wasn't over there in that area that day, I said, yes you was L.G., and then he said, I was, I said, I know you was. “He said, if you start saying that about Damien, you're going to get in trouble, I said, well, the mommy is up there saying stating that he was, Damien was with her all the time. I said, well the mommy is a liar ain't she. …” Police didn't take a statement from “the mommy,” apparently referring to the never-credible Pamela Hutchison, until two days later, May 12. Narlene continued: “He said, you seen him coming down the street, I said, yes L.G. and I am not lying for him. I am not scared of that boy. He said, well don't you put yourself in that kind of trouble, well I'm going to take care of L.G.” As Narlene predicted, L.G. remained under suspicion long into the case. Suspicions still linger. The next day, May 11, police got another tip about L.G. from Robin Taylor, a third-grade teacher in Horn Lake, Miss., just south of Memphis. According to the report on her phone call, “This date a 8 year old student told her that she needed to talk to her about the murders in West Memphis. “The girl said that her cousin came home that he is 19 and that he had blood on his clothes and himself. “That her cousin had something concealed in a box and put it in his car and told his family that if they even went near the car he would kill them. “Her Aunt said she would lie for him if he was involved and tell the police he was with her at the time of the murders. “That the police had already talked to her cousin. “Teacher advised that this was a good and usually quiet student and it would be out of character for her to lie.” Notes indicated the student was Sara Hollingsworth, daughter of Debra Hollingsworth, The cousin was L.G., and two of the aunts were L.G.'s mother Linda and Narlene. Also, “Sara was afraid her dad would find out she told.” The notes also indicated that L.G. was thinking about going to Georgia and that he had arranged children's clothing on the table at the laundromat. L.G. was talking about getting out of town, but to Kentucky not Georgia. There was no other mention of L.G. having children's clothing at the laundromat. Most of the victims' clothing was found stuck at the ends of large sticks thrust into the ditch bed. Police did not contact the Horn Lake Hollingsworths until well after the arrests. Detectives made a number of attempts to contact Debra Hollingsworth on June 15 and drove to her home June 16, only to find no one there. A neighbor said they were at a church camp. Police left a note asking her to call. Durham finally talked to Sarah on June 17. “The interview took place at the Christian church camp near Sardis, Miss. Mrs. Debra Hollingsworth, mother of Sarah, was present. Sarah denied ever seeing L.G. Hollingsworth with blood on his clothes and said she did not see him put anything in his car or threaten anybody. She denied knowing anything about this alleged incident.” Other than rumors and anonymous tips, there was little evidence that L.G. did more at the laundromat than drop by briefly to get a telephone number. Questions about the “stinky box” may linger forever. The primary evidence, the confessions of Misskelley, made no mention of any involvement of L.G. or anyone other than the West Memphis 3. Questions about Hollingsworth's involvement remained purely circumstantial for decades. Then a couple of career criminals serving long terms in Arkansas prisons on rape convictions gave sworn statements in 2013 that L.G., Buddy Lucas, Terry Hobbs and David Jacoby killed the boys after being discovered at a sex and drugs orgy in Robin Hood Hills. The story got some play in the news, but investigators did not take the wild story seriously. Back in 1993, however, Hollingsworth's inability to come up with a consistent, corroborated alibi caused serious doubt about his professed innocence. Soon after his first interview with police on May 10, L.G. was given a polygraph test. The results of the polygraph show up in a brief report on the www.callahan.8k.com Web site: “Didn't know boys had been killed until Thursday 3 p.m. when his aunt told him” And “Last time in Robin Hood Hills was Jan. or Feb.” “Says he suspects Damien.” The notes indicate deception in the answer about Damien. While it seems unlikely that L.G. would gone out of his way to help Echols, L.G. was on friendly terms with Domini. He told investigators he went to the laundromat to get Domini's number. Her standing alibi was that she was home all evening with her mother and not on the telephone until 10 p.m., when she and Damien began a long telephone argument. On May 20, police had received a tip that Dixie “Hubbard use to be Hollingsworth” had told “someone” that two boys and a girl came in the laundromat where she worked on Ingram at 10-10:30 p.m. on May 5 to clean mud and blood off their clothes. “Boone,” the tipster, said she was related to one of them, whose name was Hollingsworth. Bryn Ridge and Gary Gitchell visited Hufford, 50, on May 20 at her townhouse apartment. Ridge wrote: “She reported that L.G. Hollingsworth came to the Laundry where she works on 5-5-93 in a small light colored car and asked her for Domini's number. This occurred at about 9:00 to 9:30PM. Dixie stated that Narlene and Ricky Hollingsworth picked her up from work at a few minutes before 10:00PM that night and took her home. “Dixie came to work later and Linda Hollingsworth came in asking about where L.G. had been during the evening on 5-5-93. When Dixie told her of him coming in to the laundry in the small car she asked if she was sure that it wasn't Richard Simpson's car. Dixie stated that she knew Richard's car and that it was not his…. “Dixie stated that we need to talk to Linda Hollingsworth but for us to know that she believes she will likely try to protect L.G. “Dixie believed that L.G. had on a white shirt and tie that night he came to the laundry.” Hufford made no mention of L.G. — or anyone else — washing mud and blood off clothes. Linda was L.G.'s mother, and there is no record of the police talking with her. L.G. said he was at Simpson's home in the evening; Simpson initially denied that. L.G. was driving a car unfamiliar to family members. Why was he wearing a white shirt and tie to visit a laundromat? Simpson did remember loaning him a tie, and Hollingsworth was scheduled to start his new job on May 6. The L.G. story took a brief detour to Kentucky, where L.G. traveled with Simpson to see L.G.'s “fiancee,” Liza McDaniels. West Memphis police received a message from Sgt. Jim Dorrow in Caldwell, Ky., on May 16, concerning Simpson and L.G., who had been riding a yellow 1979 Ford LTD around Princeton, Ky., in a suspicious manner. They had rented two rooms in a motel. Liza's uncle and aunt alerted police about the tryst. Liza was found in bed with L.G. Simpson produced an ID showing he was a building inspector with the West Memphis Police Department. The car was registered to Tri-State Word Ministries of West Memphis. Simpson identified himself as a 49-year-old building inspector for the City of West Memphis as well as a nondenominational minister. The sheriff's office there checked out Simpson's ID with Gitchell and sent L.G. and Simpson back to West Memphis. Ridge conducted another interview on May 26 with Hollingsworth, who gave permission for blood and hair samples to be taken. Said Ridge: “LG stated that he didn't know anything about the murders and that on Wednesday he was with Richard Simpson at his house from 05:30 PM until about 9:30 PM. He stated that after that he went home just before his mother arrived home. He stated that he got on the phone with Domini and was talking with her about the problems that she and Damien were having and that is when his mother came in about 10:00 PM. … “I next interviewed Richard Simpson who stated that L.G. was not with him during that period of time until Thursday evening.” L.G. seemed highly interested in Domini's troubled relationship with Damien; by her own account, she argued with Echols that evening as well as the next day. Ridge first talked to Simpson on May 13, following interviews with L.G. on May 10 and 11. While Simpson's statements did little to bolster the various stories from L.G., Simpson was inconsistent about L.G.'s activities on May 5, other than stating that L.G. had not been at his home that evening. Simpson gave permission to search his home and his yellow 1979 Ford LTD (which supposedly contained the “smelly box”). Police found nothing suspicious. He denied direct knowledge of the murders. Simpson had met L.G. after the teen introduced himself at Blockbuster Video. He felt sorry for the boy. “His family very hard on him.” Notes on the interview stated: “… Believe that LG told of incident on Wednesday month to 6 weeks ago left & came back from someone very strong in satanic belief. Boy apparently hated L.G.” The somewhat cryptic note made a clear reference to Echols. Simpson took a polygraph test May 14 and said he knew nothing about the killings. He told police “L.G. thinks Damon may have done it.” No deception was indicated. Simpson talked to Ridge again on May 26, after another unsatisfactory interview with L.G. Ridge reported: “He advised me that he could not remember for sure but that he did not have L.G. Hollingsworth over at his house on 5-5-93. Wednesday evening, however he stated that L.G. called him at about 6:30 PM and requested that he come and get him. He stated that he thought that L.G. was at his home when he received the phone call. He again stated that he was not with L.G. at that time. “Richard stated that he was with L.G. on Thursday evening and that L.G. spent the night with him. He further stated that L.G. spent the weekend with him and that on Friday evening he and L.G. went to a restaurant on Poplar in Memphis. He stated that L.G. did drink some beer and a margarita at the restaurant and that he also drank a margarita while at the bar. … “Richard stated that he did remember L.G. borrowed a tie and shirt from him but that he couldn't remember when exactly he borrowed the tie. Richard stated that if L.G. stated that he borrowed the tie on that date, 050593 he wouldn't argue that but that he didn't think that this occurred on the Wednesday 050593.” Simpson took another polygraph examination. Durham's note on the session said “Wed 5-5-93 said L.G. came over sometime after 5 pm to borrow a white shirt — he loaned L.G. a shirt & a tie and then gave L.G. a ride back home around 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. “Said L.G was at his house from 6:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. — Richard then gave L.G. a ride home. … “Says not sure of date.” This time Simpson failed the test. Durham noted, however, that “Subject moved during test — yawned and appeared to be attempting counter-measures to distort the test.” Simpson told him he had taken pain pills because he had a kidney stone. He then changed his story and told police that L.G. had not been at his house May 5 but had come over that Thursday and spent the weekend. Simpson did not clear up questions about L.G. Ridge interviewed a Simpson house guest, architectural engineer Laszlo Benyo, on May 27. The statement from Benyo, a 45-year-old married architect from Budapest, did not clear up questions about L.G. Ridge reported: “When asked about the date of Wednesday 5-5-93. He stated that he was living with Richard Simpson during that time and that he is certain that he was at home during the evening. He knows L.G. and another young black/male who used to come over. He didn't remember L.G. coming over on that Wednesday. He stated that he heard of the murder on Thursday evening when he was discussing with Richard his traveling plans and Richard brought up the murder of the three boys. He remembered that on Friday morning Richard took him to the airport for a flight he made to New Orleans. He stated that some days ago Richard became upset about L.G. calling quite late at night. This occurred last week. He stated that Richard sometimes cooked for L.G. He stated again that on the night before the conversation came up about the boys that L.G. didn't come over. “On the night before the conversation. He stated that he once … answered the phone and it was L.G.'s mother.” She asked him to tell L.G. to call her back. So Benyo seemingly remembered L.G.'s mother seeking him on May 5 and not finding him either at home or at Simpson's. In a May 20, 1993, story in the West Memphis Evening Times, contradicting his account of hearing about the murders from Simpson, Benyo said he had been out of town when he heard about the murders. Benyo continues to work in his own firm as an architect in Budapest. Domini made no mention in any of her statements about talking to L.G. on the evening of May 5. She said she talked to Damien on May 5 starting around 10 p.m. Why would Hollingsworth go to the trouble of going to the laundromat to get her phone number if he didn't call soon after? He had seen her earlier that day and would see her several times the next day but he apparently was feeling an immediate need to call. Why would he not act on the information? While he gave contradictory versions of other events, there was no contradicting evidence suggesting that he had not sought out Domini's number. On Sept. 2, 1993, L.G. gave another statement, this time to John Fogleman. L.G. had moved from 724 McCauley Circle and was living with Simpson. Asked about his job search on May 5 with Narlene, he said: “Well, we went, uh, she was supposed to come over to my house, and she never did, so I borrowed Richard's car, and I went over to her house …. OK, and I come over there too early, so I took her kids to school. … And then, I left there, no that was the day after, I'm sorry. She come over to the house, and got me, and we went over there. She took the kids to school. And then we went job hunting. …” He got a job at the Big Star West Broadway, near the high school. Then “we got tired and went to Sonic, and then we got tired, so we was going to go home. … And on the way, she took me to my house and there wasn't nobody there. … So, I told her to take me to my mom's work … So on the way there, she had a wreck, and we stayed there at the wreck and after we left the wreck, we went to her insurance company … And then I went over to her house. No, I didn't. I went to my mom's work and got the key, and then I went home. … Well, I stayed there until my mom got there.” He said Linda got home about 8:30 p.m., or “7:30 somewhere around there.” He said he had stayed at his aunt's until around 5 p.m. He had seen Damien that afternoon. “Well I went over to Domini's and he was there, and I seen him before I left. … It was about 3 hours before I left my aunt's. … Yeah, I'd say about 1:00.” He stayed “about 20 minutes.” He said Domini and Dian Teer and Echols were there, making no mention of Kenneth Watkins. Dian told Fogleman that L.G. had been at their trailer on May 5 and May 6. Fogleman asked L.G.: “Did you see them again at any time?” L.G.: “Yes, I was, I said I was going to go ahead and walk home. So I was going over to my old aunt's to see if she was going to give me a ride.” This “old aunt” was Pam Hollingsworth, Dian's sister. L.G.: “And then I seen Damien right there at the corner, and …” Fogleman: “OK. Was he by himself?” L.G.: “Yes, uh well, I seen him before that, I was walking over to my aunt's, and him and Domini was out there arguing. … And Domini went her way, and he was standing on the other street … Like he didn't know what to do. … And then I left there and went to my aunt's to talk to her.” Fogleman: “About what time was that when you saw them arguing?” L.G.: “I'd say about 4:30. … Anyway then my aunt said that she couldn't give me a ride, so I walked outside, and I seen Damien standing at the corner, and I asked him where he fixing to go, and he said my mom's coming to get me, and this was at 5 minutes till 5:00. …” Fogleman: “Alright, are you sure that it was that day?” L.G.: “Yes. … Anyway, then my aunt took me home.” Fogleman: “OK, was Damien, when you saw him, was he out there standing by himself?” L.G.: “Yes.” L.G.'s story about seeing Damien at Lakeshore contradicted accounts from the Echols and Teer families and seemed to explain part of what actually happened — Echols being at Lakeshore, instead of going home, for a meeting with Baldwin and Misskelley later that afternoon. L.G. said he did not know the name of the street but it was on a corner near where Baldwin lived.. Fogleman continued: “OK, then what happened?” L.G.: “My aunt come around the corner and she said, well come on, and I said alright. So I got in the car and she took me home.” L.G. said his mother and a female friend were home when he arrived, and they were “fixin to go to” the home of Mona Robertson. This contradicted some of his other stories. Fogleman inserted: “Let me stop here and ask you, how are you able to remember all of this so well? You just ….” L.G.” “Well everytime you say another word, it becomes clear.” Fogleman: “But I'm talking about that particular, how do you remember that this happened on that particular day?” L.G.: “You're talking about Wednesday. I know what happened.” Fogleman: “Well, I know but it was …” L.G.: “A long time ago.” Fogleman: “Yes, it was a long time ago. How do you remember that so well? Is there anything in particular about that day that makes it stand out?” L.G.: “No, it was just a day. See I've been done with this so many times.” Fogleman: “With the police.” L.G.: “Yeah.” L.G. told Fogleman he had not gone over the story with anyone except the police, and “an investigator.” Fogleman asked: “Do you remember the guy with the beard, that dresses real fancy?” in reference to Ron Lax. L.G.: “If he's an investigator, that's who I talked to.” Fogleman asked L.G. what happened after his mother and her friend left. L.G.: “Well, I stayed there for a little while, then I called my buddy Richard. Richard Simpson. …Then I went over to his house …. We sat there for a while, and uh, I don't really remember. I think he was tripping out or something…. Then, uh, I went over to go to another friend's house. And, he wasn't home, so I stopped at my aunt's work. Anyway, I left Richard's and he dropped me off home. … I believe, I'm not for sure. I get the days mixed up, but I know what happened.” So much for L.G.'s incredible memory. Fogleman: “OK. Let's talk about, now before you said that you went to Dixie's place of work. That's a laundromat.” L.G.: “Yeah.” Fogleman: “Alright, which day are you saying that is.” L.G.: “Uh.” Fogleman: “Alright, before, you said it was that Wednesday. Now, how did you get there?” L.G.: “Richard. I had his car. Richard's car. … Richard was in the car on the other side, and I was driving.” Fogleman: “Now, L.G., this is where we're going to start getting into some problems. Um, Richard says, that he saw you that night and it was just for a few minutes, and that he didn't go with you to any laundromat.” L.G.: “Yeah, he did.” Fogleman: “And your aunt says that she knows Richard's car, and the car you came in wasn't Richard's.” L.G. “Yes it was.” Fogleman: “Why did your aunt say that it wasn't and Richard said that it wasn't?” L.G.: “I don't know. I have no idea.” Fogleman: “You're going to stick with that?” L.G.; “Yes sir.” Fogleman, bearing down: “Who was it, L.G.? L.G.: “It was Richard.” Fogleman was moving into some of the toughest questioning in the the case, though ultimately to not much effect: “Do you know why he wouldn't say that it was him?” L.G.: “I have no idea.” Fogleman: “Why would he have any motivation not to say yes, I was with him, I took him up there?” L.G.: “I guess you'll have to ask him, because all I know is that we was together, and he knew it and I knew it. And we're still friends, and he didn't say nothing about it.” Fogleman: “What about your aunt?” L.G.: “I couldn't tell you nothing about that. I don't know why she said that.” Fogleman: “You're digging a hole, L.G.” After a long pause, L.G. responded: “That's the truth, man.” He went on to deny seeing Damien, Jason or Jessie that evening. Fogleman: “And you're sure about that?” L.G.: “Yes sir, cause I left there and I went home.” Fogleman: “And what did you do there at the laundromat?” L.G.: “I walked in and asked for Domini's number.” Fogleman: “Why?” L.G.: “Because I forgot her number.” He explained that Dixie Hufford would have the number because they were all related. Fogleman: “OK. What happened the next night? The next day?” L.G.: “My aunt came over to get me, no … my aunt came over and got me and took me to Big Star, and I went to work.” He started about 9. This roughly agreed with Narlene's account of taking L.G. to work the next day. Fogleman continued to express skepticism about L.G.'s story, alluding to Hufford's account: “I've got her saying that you came in there, but weren't with Richard. You weren't in his car, it was a different car. And then I've got Richard saying, no, it wasn't me that he was with. Now what would you believe if you were me?” L.G.: “Well, I don't know, I have no idea. I don't know why somebody would say that.” Domini told investigators that she and Damien “took out stress on each other” the day after the killings. Multiple statements concurred that the teen couple had a major argument over the phone late in the evening May 5. Were they arguing that Wednesday afternoon? It doesn't seem unlikely. One of Damien's complaints about L.G. was that L.G. had suggested that they swap girlfriends, which presumably would have paired L.G. with Domini. Despite being “cousins,” they were only loosely related. L.G. showed up at Domini's house regularly for months and continued to call her after the arrests. Dian Teer explained to Fogleman about L.G.'s visits: “… He used to come over fairly often because he was going out with Domini's best girlfriend, Liza McDaniels … and they would come over sometime and if they'd stayed out too late and if her mother had locked the door on her, they'd come over to our trailer and spend the night.” Asked about L.G.'s visit on May 5, Dian answered: “I don't know exactly what time he left , but they was supposed to be going to see about a job. And uh, his Aunt Narlene and his Aunt Pam both live in the trailer park too and he went I believe with Narlene, to see about the job. … He went over to her house. … It was probably about 12, something like that.” She had no recollection of any calls that evening from anyone except Damien around 10 p.m. Domini was also questioned about L.G. during Fogleman's interviews with the Teers on Sept. 20. She did not mention L.G. visiting her trailer either day. Fogleman: “You confide in the L.G. don't you?” Domini: “That's my cousin.” Fogleman: “You talk to L.G. don't you?” Domini: “Yeah. …” Fogleman pressed her: “OK. Are you sure there's not something you want to tell us?” Domini: “Uh uh. Nope. I've told you just about everything I know.” Fogleman concluded the interview with this cryptic remark: “Alright … Well, I'll just let you and L.G. work that out.” In a October 2016 phone interview, Domini Ferris lightly dismissed any significance to her friendship with L.G. “We grew up as cousins and he went out with my best friend. That's about it. Nothing more to it than that.” She said she did not talk with him the evening of May 5 and had no idea why he was seeking her phone number that night. According to Kenneth Watkins, who spent much of May 5 hanging around with Domini, Damien and Jason after he had skipped school, “We went to Wal-Mart to play some video games, and L.G. came to Wal-Mart then we went back inside Wal-Mart to get away from him.” This description of events on May 5, which agrees with no one else's account, would have occurred between 3:30, when Baldwin got out of school, and 5:30, when Kenneth went home to babysit. According to Watkins, in a Sept. 16, 1993, statement: “L.G. came over earlier that morning to talk … He just talked to Domini, I didn't really know it, he was just talking to Domini about moving to Kentucky or something like that, with his girlfriend. ...” He said L.G. gave Domini "a little necklace. A black one, with a little green ball." Bryn Ridge asked Watkins: “OK, and what happened at Wal-Mart?” Kenneth: “We started playing games, then L.G. came up. We went inside and looked around at some tapes …” Ridge: “Alright — you said L.G. came up and y'all went inside to look at some tapes. There a conflict between L.G. and somebody?” Kenneth: “I think Damien said he didn't like L.G. They're always talking about him.” Ridge: “So, when L.G. came up, was it Damien's idea to go in and go somewhere else?” Kenneth: “Yeah, he didn't want to talk with him.” Watkins said he thought L.G. left during the time they were walking about Wal-Mart over a period of about 30 minutes. Watkins' account of events at Domini's trailer earlier on May 5 corroborated closely with other statements; his story about the late afternoon was largely uncorroborated and contradicted most other witness statements. The case records at callahan.8k.com contain a recorded phone call between L.G. and Domini on Feb. 10, 1994, made after a Commercial Appeal article raised questions about L.G. During a preliminary hearing, it was revealed that Echols had named L.G. as a potential suspect. The headline: “Inquiry, trials haunt L.G. Hollingsworth.” L.G. was concerned because Baldwin and Echols had tried to implicate him, according to the story. L.G. complained: “My name's in the paper.” Domini: “Oh really, about what?” L.G. “What's, what's that guy uh with Damien? Michael or somebody … Jason, that's the name …. Jason, Jason is trying to say I killed them kids.” Domini: “What?” L.G. asked: “Now you know I didn't do it, don't you?” Domini: “Little Jason?' LG.: “Mm-hmmmm.” Domini: “Don't worry about it.” L.G.: “Now you know I didn't do it, now don't you?” Domini: “I don't know. I ain't saying nothing. I don't know who did it. I don't have an idea what's going on or what.” She told L.G. to not worry. Domini reassured him that she knew nothing about the allegations and that Damien had said nothing to her about L.G.'s alleged involvement. Then, in March 1994, with the Echols/Baldwin trial under way, a prisoner named Tim Cotton, who had been in jail with L.G. in February after L.G.'s arrests on burglary and forgery charges, passed a note to jailers tipping them off about a major break in the case, if it panned out. Timothy Robert Cotton, 26, was among those questioned in the first days of the investigation after drawing attention during the search. Like many others, but unlike either Echols or Misskelley, he passed a polygraph examination and was cleared as a suspect. Nonetheless police received a number of tips about Cotton early in the case. One said: “Ref: Tim Cotton “5/24 “F/W called advise that M/W first name either Tim or Tom is possibly responsible for the murder of the three 8 year old youths in Arkansas. Called advised that m/w is into self mutilation and has broken bottles and cut himself in the presence of his sister. His sister advised the called that her brother had killed animals before and that when she heard about the boys she suspect her brothers involvement. Suspect's sister name is Tamara and she works as a cocktail waitress at the Gulfstream lounge. Caller stated that the reason she believes he is involved is that he works at the Blue Beacon Car Wash (The three youths were found behind the Blue Beacon) Caller advised that Tim has been in an institution and like to play around with 5-8 year old boys.” Charlie Dabbs took another tip on May 27: “Received a call from Sally Brady and Gina Riccio about the nite the boys were missing Wednesday nite and they were out driving around trying to assist in locating the missing boy. They advised they saw Tim Cotten from Lakeshore riding a bicycle that was green and yellow go into Robin Hood Woods at dead end of McCauley and as they were driving around … about 45 minutes to 1 hour later they saw him again coming from the other end of Robin Hood and was wet & muddy all over and they heard him tell some of the Search & Rescue people he had fallen in the bayou was going home and change clothes. They said he was a weird acting guy and just wanted to check him out. he was seen going in woods around 10 p.m. and coming out around 11 p.m.” Cotton on May 8 told investigators that he did not know anything about the homicides but had helped in the search. He had just started working at the Blue Beacon and lived in the same neighborhood as the victims, not at Lakeshore. He said he first learned the boys were dead around 3 p.m. Thursday when he overheard Gitchell. He passed a polygraph test on May 8. Cotton eventually passed along his own tip. His note from March 4, 1994, pointed to L.G. Hollingsworth as the “4th Suspect.” The note, as preserved on callahan.8k.com, is difficult to read: “L.G. Hollyingworth have told me, as Tim R. Cotton Sr., I state that L.G. had told me that was the 4th suspeck in the three 8 yr old killing on or on May of 93, He was getting cooke cane from Mr. Byers, & he, that is L.G. told me that a drug deal went bad & he & the three young men, to get even with Mr. Byers. By put a hit on his family & he told me, that he and Damien made a deal, just to get the Byers boy & hurt him real bad, and he went on for about a week. Telling me, Tim Cotten Sr. I wanted to no if he could trust me & I told him yes, & he said the two other boys was not part of the hit on the Byers family but they were all together that day. Oh yes there are two other people that helped the killers.” Cotton offered to testify in exchange for getting out of jail. Sudbury and Durham interviewed Cotton on March 8: “Timothy Cotton stated that around May the 5th or 6th he had left his house on Wilson Street and was going to job interview. Along the way he learned of the three boys missing. That someone in the rescue squad asked him to help look for the boys at which time he borrowed a 4 wheeler and helped look, but did not find anything. “On the 13th of Jan. 1994 he was locked up in the CCSO. That later in February L.G. Hollingsworth was locked up. That he and L.G. had received a subpoena to court in Jonesboro. …” Their link was that they both were potential (though minor) witnesses in the Echols/Baldwin trial in Jonesboro. The report continued: “That they talking about the subpoenas and L.G. told him: That he and Damien went to cult meeting together and that he and Damien drank beer together at the meetings and killed animals at the meetings. That the meetings were at Lakeshore then moved to the old RR bridge like you are going to Memphis. That L.G. told him, at one of the meeting a older man was there and appeared to the leader. … “That later that week something came on the news about a 4th suspect in the killing of the three boys. At this time L.G. stated to him that they were talking about him that he was the 4th suspect. L.G. said he had the knife that belonged to the boys meaning Damien and his friends. … “That L.G. has stated a contract was out on John Byers for a dope debt owed to him, but who ever was going to beat him up count get to Byers so L.G. decided to get Damien to beat up Byers son. That later Damien told L.G. that he had got him real good and two others boys that were there. … “That L.G. said Damien told him that after the killing he had someone pick him up and that person was driving a green and white van and that they lived in Lakeshore on the back side near the sewer plant.” The report repeatedly noted that Hollingsworth denied making these statements and denied that he knew Byers. The report added: “It is the opinion of this investigator that Timothy Cotton is under the impression he will receive some type help or his case be dismissed if he can be a witness for the Prosecutors Office. There is nothing to substantiate the statement given by Mr. Cotton.” Police brought L.G. in yet again on March 8 while the Echols/Baldwin trial was under way. Sudbury noted, at 11:25 a.m.: “The interview consisted of allegations made by Timothy Cotton whereas L.G. Hollingsworth had told him of his knowledge of the killing of the three boys. “Mr. Hollingsworth denied having made any statements to Timothy Cotton. “ It seems unlikely that L.G. never said anything to Cotton while they were locked up in a cell together for days. Police, reluctant to believe anything from L.G. to that point, took his all-coverage denial at face value. Police then tape-recorded a portion of the interview, starting at 12:02 p.m. and ending nine minutes later, at 12:11. The interview did not delve into Cotton's allegations. Instead, L.G. told about a conversation he had with Echols about two months, “maybe not that long,” before the murders. L.G.: “We was coming back from my house, I believe. We was walking, I do know that.…. We was going to Belvedere …. To meet up with my girlfriend and his girlfriend. … OK. Damien asked me could I kill somebody and I says, ‘I don't think I could kill them unless they did something really bad to me.' I said, ‘I'd probably hurt them bad first.' And then I says, ‘Why you ask?' He says, ‘Cause I'm thinking of killing somebody.' I says, ‘Why you thinking about killing somebody?' He says, ‘They're fucking with me.' That's what he told me. I says, ‘If there's some man, then you just go and you break his ass or you get your ass whooped. If it's some little teenager, you tell his parents or you call the police.' I say, ‘You don't need to do that, because that's not cool, you know. You'll go to jail for that.' And we keep walking and stuff and he says, ‘Just say that you would kill somebody.' I says, ‘OK, say I would kill somebody.' He says, ‘How would you do it?' I says, ‘Well it depends.' He says, ‘What do you mean it depends?' I said, ‘It depends on what they did to me to make me kill them.' I says, ‘I'd probably put a bullet in their head, and if not I'd probably break both of their arms and make them wish they was dead.' And um I says, ‘Well, What's up?' or you know, ‘Would you kill somebody?' And he says, ‘Yeah.' He says, ‘I'm thinking of killing somebody' is what he told me. I said, ‘OK,' I says, ‘you don't need to do that. That's gonna fuck your life up.' I says, ‘it will mess you up altogether.' He says, ‘Well' like that, and we left it at that and we kept walking for a little ways more. And he says, ‘If I was gonna kill somebody I would tie ‘em up, beat ‘em and fuck ‘em. That way they would know that I'm not fucking with nobody. You know, I'm a straight up kind of guy. … “And alright so I said, ‘Well look, you don't need to do that, you know.' Alright. So we walked on. Alright. And then May the 6th, I think it was May the 6th, when I did talk to Damien he was just kind of like sitting there. He was kind of nervous. …. At Domini's house in Lakeshore.” L.G. said he remembered the date because he had been riding with Narlene when she was in a car accident the day before. “That day we sat and I talked to him for a minute and then I left. And I came over there like three times and they were still whatever they was doing, you know, sitting and talking. So I didn't say too much and I left again. Anyway, he was on the corner, sitting on the corner and my cousin had run away. “ L.G. said Domini ran away from Damien during an argument. Sudbury: “This is on the 6th?” L.G. had described a similar scene on the 5th. L.G. “This is on the 6th. … I said, ‘Are you still thinking of killing somebody,' like that. He says, ‘No I ain't. It's kind of tooken care of. Don't worry about it, you know it's OK.' He said you know kind of fast, you know, I didn't catch it at first. I thought about what he said and then that's when I realized that's what he said, you know. He said it's tooken care of.” L..G believed he knew that three 8-year-olds were missing at that time, but not that they were dead. “I don't watch a lot of the news,” L.G. explained. “My aunt told me either on the 6th or the 5th there was kids missing. You know I didn't even know where they was missing from.” L.G. had not mentioned these conversations in his many other interviews with police. Police also found little corroboration from others questioned about L.G.'s activities on May 5 and 6. Rumors have continued concerning the deaths of the boys as payback for a drug deal gone wrong. Mark Byers was a longtime smalltime drug dealer as well as a police informant. Greg Day's authorized biography of Byers, “Untying the Knot,” detailed a number of Byers drug deals gone wrong, violent threats and retribution and Byers' knack for bad decisions. Also, the Crittenden County Drug Task Force was under investigation in 1993 by the Arkansas State Police over missing confiscated items including $200, a small amount of drugs and firearms claimed by officers for personal use. The Drug Task Force had been spectacularly successful in a number of drug busts, as local forces cracked down on drug traffic moving through Interstate 55 and Interstate 40. Critics have seized upon involvement of Drug Task Force members in the murder investigation to suggest that police work was tainted, particularly in dealings with Byers. Still, there was no evidence beyond Cotton's statement that the killers or L.G. had dealings with Byers. Given the looming size of Byers, it's hard to imagine a couple of relatively small teenagers planning to beat him up, which would explain why they might target his son. The mysterious “leader” of the Lakeshore witch cult was described as an older man. Other statements have located “Lucifer,” “Lusserfer” or “Lucifier,” with widely varying descriptions, as living on a back lot in Lakeshore or somewhere in Marion. Did this fabled creature actually exist, and did he drive a green and white van? Cotton did not testify. Police apparently did not give his statement a great deal of credence. Similarly, police treated all statements from L.G. with justifiable skepticism, except for denials about Cotton's story. The many contradictions in L.G.'s stories ultimately only confused matters as L.G. never emerged as a clear suspect. In a case filled with unreliable potential witnesses, L.G. Hollingsworth was just another kid who seemed to be making up much of the story as he went along. L.G. Hollingsworth Jr. was killed in a vehicle accident on Oct. 26, 2001. Questions about the “fourth suspect” remain.
Author Vicky Edwards and Terry Hobbs on their book Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders. https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DQVNZ0ZIL6RR&keywords=box+full+of+nightmares&qid=1561937712&s=gateway&sprefix=box+full+of+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1
Author Vicky Edwards and Terry Hobbs on their book Boxful of Nightmares: Terry Hobbs' personal memoirs on the West Memphis Three Murders. https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DQVNZ0ZIL6RR&keywords=box+full+of+nightmares&qid=1561937712&s=gateway&sprefix=box+full+of+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1559059428&s=gateway&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Where-Monsters-Go-Against-Memphis-ebook/dp/B06XVNXCJV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XNLYB8QUIQ7F&keywords=where+the+monsters+go&qid=1559059470&s=gateway&sprefix=where+the+monsters+go%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-West-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B07C7C4DCH/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1559059536&s=gateway&sr=8-3 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753HJZ1P/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gary%20meece&qid=1559059573&ref_=sr_1_6&s=gateway&sr=8-6 https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1559059573&s=gateway&sr=8-2 "It is Our opinion the crime had taken place where the bodies of the victims were recovered." Despite fake news that authorities had no evidence against the WM3, investigators found physical evidence at the scene that linked the murders to the murderers. Other physical evidence pointed to the West Memphis 3. None of the evidence was conclusive, but none offered grounds for exoneration. Other evidence, such as inadmissible Luminol testing and a blood-spattered pendant discovered too late to be entered into evidence, didn't make it to the courtrooms for various reasons. The killers did not leave a great number of forensic clues. Because of submersion in water, no fingerprints were found of anyone, including the victims. Similarly, clothing items tested negative for traces of blood. Virtually all of the DNA recovered and tested matched the boys. Several imprints from tennis shoes were found, but none matched the killers and may have been left by searchers or others walking through the woods. By the time the bodies were found, a number of searchers had been over the woods, where the gumbo soil was muddy from several inches of rain earlier in the week. The crime scene itself had been cleaned up, with the banks washed and smoothed over. The killers had gone to great lengths to obscure the location of the bodies, which were found only when a boy's tennis shoe (a Scout cap in some versions of the story; two shoes, according to Allen's testimony in the Misskelley trial) was spotted floating in the water. The West Memphis case has been influenced by the “CSI effect,” in which the public has come to expect a higher level of forensic evidence than often exists at crime scenes. As a corollary to the effect, the value of circumstantial evidence has been discounted. Television shows focusing on DNA and other forensics in investigations necessarily rely on such evidence to figure into the plot. Consequently the public is largely unaware that DNA from killers is found in a relatively small fraction of all murders, with latent fingerprints or any kind of biological trace found in much fewer than half of cases. Further contributing to the relative lack of forensic evidence in the West Memphis case were the cleanup at the scene, the submersion of the bodies in dirty water over an extended time and their exposure to heat and insects in the open air for about an hour, contamination by search efforts and subsequent recovery of the bodies, etc. As a result, for example, two samples of apparent bodily tissues found in the ligatures of the shoelace bindings on Christopher and Michael were too small and degraded to yield DNA results. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” the prototype of the forensics-based crime shows, premiered in October 2000, so the series and its many offshoots and imitators would have had no effect on the original juries. Even the O.J. Simpson murder case in 1994-1995, the breakthrough case for public awareness of DNA testing, followed the WM3 trials. Even so, forensic science played a role in perceptions about the case from the beginnings. The initial “Paradise Lost” film, while leaving out much about evidence against the killers, included the strange episode of a knife that Mark Byers gave one of the “Paradise Lost” cameramen as a gesture of goodwill. Remnants of blood were found in the knife. Testing revealed the blood could have been a match for either Byers or his stepson — an example of the ambiguous results often obtained from DNA testing. Byers had told police, “I don't have any idea how it could be on there.” Byers ended up giving testimony during the defense portion of the Echols/Baldwin trial about his fold-back Kershaw knife. Byers testified he could not say for sure that Christopher had never played with the knife. He testified he had used it to trim his toenails. He recalled cutting his thumb with the knife while trimming venison for Thanksgiving 1993. During a Jan. 26, 1994, interview, he told Chief Inspector Gitchell that he had not used the knife at all but had said he had used it to cut venison. He also told Gitchell he might have used it to trim his fingernails. He told Gitchell he did not remember cutting himself with the knife but recalled during testimony that he cut his thumb. The inconsistencies were mostly the consequences of not answering questions carefully, along with an apparent slip of the memory about cutting his thumb. Much of the second film, produced in 2000, again focused on Byers, with a new angle in supposed bite marks, implying that Byers left the imprint of his teeth in the face of Stevie Branch. Byers had had his teeth pulled since the murders, a commonplace necessity framed as suspicious. A check of the supposed bite mark against his dental records found no match; the state's medical examiners thought the mark may have left by a belt buckle. The mark also could have been left by a blow from the end of a survival knife such as the “lake knife,” a type of knife commonly carried by Echols. Though long viewed by adamant “supporters” as the primary alternative suspect, with much of the “Devil's Knot” book casting suspicion, Byers' place as the imagined “real killer” has been supplanted by Terry Hobbs. All that was required for the change was DNA in a single hair that might have come from Hobbs found in one of the boys' shoelaces. Stevie's stepfather has acknowledged that the hair could be his, with the commonsense explanation that his stepson or one of the other boys could have picked up the hair during Hobbs' interactions with the kids. That possible DNA match quickly took the heat off Byers and set 2011's “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” and 2012's “West of Memphis” on the scent of Hobbs. Coupled with a dearth of ironclad DNA evidence linking Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin to the crimes, that hair has been the slender thread holding together the case against Hobbs. On the other hand, the considerable circumstantial evidence against Echols has been ignored, with an increasing focus on the supposed lack of physical evidence. One of the most telling pieces of evidence has been routinely discounted or explained away. In his May 10 report, Ridge noted about a statement from Echols: “Steve Jones told that testicles had been cut off and someone had urinated in mouths and the bodies had been placed in water to flush out.” Gitchell did not find out until May 16 that urine was present in the stomachs of two victims. Jones could not have revealed that information to Echols because he did not have that information; only a killer would have known about the urine. The urine finding was one of the mostly closely held secrets in the investigation, with references to the stomach liquids deliberately obscured in written communications between Little Rock and West Memphis. Gitchell had been informed of the findings over the phone, with no mention of the urine in autopsy documentation received long after Echols' May 10 revelations. Further clouding most of the evidence are media misrepresentations, the cult of victimhood surrounding the killers and second and third opinions disputing original investigative findings. Experts hired by the defense even claimed the mutilations were the result of animal predators, particularly snapping turtles, though Christopher bled to death before being placed in the water. While it is possible, even likely, that small fish or turtles left superficial wounds, it is not possible that a team of highly trained snapping turtles killed Chris. The ditch was drained immediately after the bodies were found; there were no snapping turtles. Stains found on one of the boys' jeans were analyzed by Genetic Design. Michael DeGuglielmo, the DNA testing company's director of forensic analysis, testified they were able to recover a small amount of DNA. DeGuglielmo said the sample was most likely sperm cells, though he could not confirm that. Misskelley in his later confessions described Echols masturbating over the body of a victim and wiping his penis on the boy's pants. There has been no other explanation offered for how sperm wound up on jeans owned by a prepubescent boy. Some fibers retrieved from the scene were found to be microscopically similar to items taken as evidence from the Baldwin and Echols homes. Green fibers found on a pair of blue jeans and on Michael's Cub Scout hat were microscopically similar to fibers found in a shirt from the Echols home. One polyester fiber was found on the hat. The fiber found on the pants was cotton and polyester. The shirt from the Echols home was a child's shirt. Lisa Sakevicius, a criminalist with the state crime laboratory, testified that the presence of the fibers suggested a secondary transfer, as the blue size 6 Garanimals shirt, which belonged to Echols' half-brother Tim Hutchison, was much too small for Echols. In an “O.J.” style tactic, defense attorney Val Price asked Echols to attempt to put on the shirt, which he was not able to do. Three red cotton fibers similar to those found in another T-shirt from the Echols home were recovered from Michael's Scout shirt, a pair of blue pants and a bag of items found at the crime scene. The fibers were also a match for a red shirt found at Michael's home. Items from the bag recovered from a pipe, where it had been either discarded or cached near the crime scene, included a pair of Jordache size 33-34 blue jeans, a black medium-size thermal undershirt, a pair of white socks, two Bic razors, a plastic bag and a tan short sleeve shirt. The items were wet and moldy. There was no clear evidence linking the bag and its contents to the crime, other than its presence. Despite a similar red thread potentially linking Michael, Echols and the bag, investigators were not able to establish a positive link. The bag was from Road Runner Petro, where Echols's father was employed and that shared parking space with Alderson Roofing & Metal. Echols told police he worked as a roofer for Anderson. The businesses were not near the crime scene. A red Rayon fiber matched a bathrobe owned by Baldwin's mother. That fiber was found on a black and white polka dot shirt, which, like the blue pants, was found turned inside out. Sakevicius again suggested secondary transfer, and later explained that such transferences commonly occur when clothes are washed together. The polka dot shirt worn by Stevie was the source of residue of blue wax similar to candle wax. A small blue candle was found on a table in Domini Teer's bedroom, and similar wax was found on a witchcraft book, “Never on a Broomstick,” from Echols' bedroom. Similar wax was also found in a bar of soap from the Baldwin bathroom. Jurors cited the wax as evidence against Echols. Candles are routinely used in occult ceremonies. Sakevicius also testified that submersion in water was “very detrimental” to the recovery of trace evidence. Sakevicius testified that a Negroid hair had been recovered from the sheet covering Christopher. The presence of that hair was never explained. One obvious and irresistible theory attributed the hair to “Mr. Bojangles,” the bleeding black man who commandeered the restroom of a local restaurant shortly after the probable time of the killings. The hair could have been from a police officer or other searcher, but no hairs from officers were submitted for comparison. Bolstering the idea that more than one assailant was involved were the varying knots used on the shoelaces to tie arms to legs. The text used by local witches, “Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft,” contained a section on knot magic and how knots were used to bind magical spells. The magic number for knots was nine. Michael, Stevie and Christopher were tied with eight, 10 and four knots respectively. The knots used on Michael: Square knot on the left wrist and ankle, three half hitches on the right wrist, four half hitches on the right ankle. Only one shoestring was used to bind Michael, by contrast with both shoelaces used on the other boys, in another deviation in the patterns of bindings. In a later confession, Misskelley described helping pull shoestrings from the shoes; his involvement would explain not only the single strand but the variance in knots used to bind Michael. The knots used on Stevie Branch: three half hitches on both the left ankle and left wrist, three half hitches with the loop tied twice around the right leg, half hitch with figure eight on the right wrist. On Chris Byers: double half hitches on all four knots. The knots used were square knots, half hitches and double half hitches, with one knot being looped twice and a figure eight thrown on top of a half hitch —- at least three different knots, suggesting that three people tied up the boys. It is extremely unlikely that one person would have used three different knots to tie up the boys, particularly in a high-stress situation such as a murder scene. The forensic evidence showed that Chris and Stevie struggled against their bindings, while Michael, with deep and traumatic wounds to the head, had no such signs of struggle. Michael also showed few if any signs of sexual molestation, fitting with Misskelley's description of a quick, violent pounding of the face and head but subsequent protection from further predation by Baldwin and Echols. A pagan “ax” necklace belonging to Echols was discovered to be speckled with blood from two DNA sources as the Echols/Baldwin trial neared the end. The prosecution had already rested its case when questions arose about the blood spots. The prosecution weighed the implications of entering the necklace as trial evidence. Judge David Burnett made it clear that the prosecution would be dealing with “two basic remedies, either a mistrial or a continuance.” At the least, the new evidence would have resulted in a continuance while the defense was allowed to examine the evidence. Besides the possibility of a mistrial, prosecutors were concerned that it could result in a possible severance of the Echols and Baldwin cases. One DNA source was compatible with Echols, while the second was compatible with both Stevie and Baldwin. The prosecution was prepared to argue that Stevie was the source, seeing little benefit from arguing for a match with Baldwin. The necklace, taken from Echols at the time of his arrest, prompted a hearing on March 17, 1994, out of the presence of the jury, while the case was on continuance as the result of the discovery. Prosecuting Attorney Brent Davis explained to Judge Burnett that “questionable” red spots had been found as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Fogleman and some police officers were reviewing evidence. Fogleman first noticed the spots. A deleted scene from “Paradise Lost” footage available on DVD and YouTube showed a meeting between Fogleman and the Baldwin attorneys concerning the necklace. Though marked by jovial banter, the conference illuminated the difficulties posed by the “blood necklace” for both defense and prosecution. The necklace had been sent to the crime lab, where the red spots were discovered to be blood, and then was sent to Genetic Design in North Carolina. The prosecution learned late on the afternoon of March 15, just as preparations for closing arguments were under way, about the two DNA sources. The lab attempted an “amplification process” to further differentiate the DNA, which was successful on the larger sample from Echols, to not much effect, but was unsuccessful on differentiating Baldwin and Stevie. The prosecution learned of that in late afternoon on the 16th. The prosecution hoped to present to the jury the DQ-Alpha match with Stevie Branch, consistent with about 11 percent of the white population. Because Baldwin was also a match, Echols attorney Val Price explained in a court conference: “Part of our defense in this matter would be that sometime during the time period approximately a month or two before the arrest that besides my client having access to this pendant that also Jason Baldwin had access to this pendant. If that is indeed Jason Baldwin's blood on this pendant and not Stevie Branch's then this evidence is of no value at all and not relevant, it should be excluded and not considered by the jury at all.” Baldwin attorney Paul Ford argued that the evidence should apply to Echols alone since he wore the necklace and presumably there could be no proof of a link to Baldwin. Prosecutor Davis said his understanding was that a mistrial for Baldwin would result from entering the necklace into evidence but the case could proceed against Echols. Without a counter-ruling, Davis did not plan to enter the new evidence. Judge Burnett pointed out that among the potential complications was that Echols and Baldwin could cross-implicate each other, rather than engage in a common defense, if the necklace was introduced. Because the matches were so common, the blood spots could not have been definitively linked to either Baldwin or Stevie. The spots did raise the question of why Echols' necklace would be splattered by two or more sources of blood. Years later, Baldwin testified, “The necklace that had been acquired by Damien Echols at the time of his arrest was one that I believe my girlfriend Heather had given me. … I don't recall specifically how the necklace had come into Echols' possession.” As with all things in the West Memphis 3 case, facts about the necklace were disputed. Echols had more than one necklace: Ridge noted in his May 10 report that “Damien was wearing a necklace that he claimed that he had just bought at the Mall of Memphis on the Saturday before the interview. The necklace had a pentagram as a pendant that Damien explained meant some type of good symbol for the Wicca magic that he was in.” The blood-spattered pendant was a tiny axe, not a pentagram. Echols had the axe pendant before the trip to the mall on May 8. Echols routinely wore this necklace. For example, Echols was filmed wearing the necklace at Skateland on May 7, two days after the killings. He continued to wear the axe pendant after purchasing the pentagram pendant. He was photographed wearing the axe necklace on May 9. Because testing used up the original sample, retesting was not possible, giving the defense another possible objection since they would not be able to order tests. A blood stain found on a shirt gathered as evidence at the Misskelley home similarly showed a possible match for both Misskelley and Michael. The HLA-DQ alleles had an expected frequency of 7.9 percent in the general population. Misskelley said he gotten the blood on the T-shirt by throwing a Coke bottle into the air and smashing it with his fist, showing off his toughness. The shirt was not entered into evidence at trial. Besides the hair commonly linked to Hobbs and the Negroid hair, about four other hairs from the site were determined not to have originated with the victims. Because the DNA sampling from Hobbs was obtained by stealth via three discarded cigarette butts and a Q-tip, resulting in three variances after DNA testing, the link between Hobbs and the hair was even more questionable. Another hair found in a tree trunk was a near-match for David Jacoby, a friend of Hobbs. There was no conclusive evidence that Jacoby was the source, that the hair dated from the time of the crime or that Jacoby or someone else did not leave a hair during the search. Jacoby said he was not in the area, but his memory was spotty. Other hair included a dyed hair recovered from the sheet used to cover Stevie, a hair recovered from the Cub Scout cap and a hair from beneath Chris' ligature. It's possible, given the imperfections of the testing procedures, that the same person was the source of all three hairs. There was no DNA testing on a number of items from the site, including other hair and tissues. Among the many misconceptions about the case is that no blood was found. Since Stevie and Chris bled extensively —- Chris bled to death — the seeming lack of blood generated theories that the crime scene was a dump site, that the boys had been stashed down a manhole before being placed in the water, etc. Blood was spotted in the water after the initial discovery but the site, which had been washed down, seemed surprisingly clean. Subsequent testing with Luminol revealed areas where blood had been spilled. There was little testimony about blood. The jury did not hear the results of Luminol testing. Since such testing was not considered valid as evidence, the defense teams successfully sought motions to suppress Luminol results. Kermit Channel and Donald Smith of the Arkansas crime lab, in the company of Mike Allen and Bryn Ridge, spent two days studying the effects of spraying Luminol, working in the dark, running a black light over the sprayed area to pick up glowing traces of iron in blood residue. Testing May 12 yielded traces of blood on both sides of a tree near the ditch bank with more blood on the right side of the tree, facing the stream bed; in the areas where the bodies were placed; in a concentrated area on the east side of the ditch in a pile of sticks and a depressed area in the soil, and in a large area of concentration near tree roots. Other traces were visible where the victims were placed on the bank. The areas with the pile of sticks and the tree roots were cited as likely locations of attack. “There were no visible signs or indication of blood at any of the locations we investigated,” their report said. The testing was begun a full week after the bodies were found. It had rained at least once. The testing was in less than optimal conditions as any light sources, such as stars and ambient light, compromised results. Some evidence would have been compromised in the search, recovery and investigation, the report noted, citing numerous reasons why investigators were unable to document findings with photographs. Nonetheless, “It is our opinion the crime had taken place where the bodies of the victims were recovered.” On May 13, with tenting using plastic over canvas, Luminol was freshly applied, and a “less than perfect” photograph became possible. “These photographs still documented the areas of interest, showing luminol reaction in respective areas,” reported Smith. Soil samples were taken May 14; tested four months later, no Luminol reaction was noted, a result considered inconclusive given the age of the sample. At the time of the Luminol report, investigators did not have the Misskelley confession. His descriptions of the attacks accord with the blood evidence. A tree near the crime scene had the initials “ME” carved into it. Echols was sometimes known as “Michael Echols”; while in Oregon, he went by “Michael,” and was in the process of changing his name to Michael Damien Wayne Hutchison. His family called him “Michael.” Much of the second-guessing of investigative findings by defense “experts” began with the hiring of Brent Turvey of Knowledge Solutions LLC in 1998, as Misskelley attorney Dan Stidham sought a new trial and as the second “Paradise Lost” was filming. In his book, “The Unknown Darkness: Profiling the Predators Among Us,” former FBI profiler Gregg O. McCrary characterized Turvey as a “self-proclaimed profiler.” McCrary wrote: “Not only has Turvey never completed any recognized training programs, such as those run by the BFI or the International Criminal Investigative Fellowship (ICIAF), he doesn't even have the basic qualifications to apply for those programs. As a matter of fact, he has never even completed even a basic policy academy training program anywhere. He had, however, authored a flawed textbook on ‘profiling.'” Turvey, working pro bono, examined photos of the bodies and other evidence and determined that the ditch was a dump site. He claimed at least four crime sites: abduction site, attack site, dump site and the vehicle used to transport the bodies, based on his contention that the attack would have required light, time and privacy. He based this claim on darkness in the woods, lack of blood and the screaming of the boys. (The attack occurred before sunset in woods well away from any homes and in an irrigation ditch depression that would have muffled sound. The crime scene was not far from busy interstates and service roads. Echols told police how background noise obscured the screaming. The boys were quickly subdued and gagged.) Turvey also formulated the “bite marks” theory featured in “Revelations: Paradise Lost 2,” continuing to fuel baseless suspicions about Mark Byers. Despite how Turvey was presented in the film, he testified he was not an expert on human bite marks. The “new evidence” uncritically presented in the movie consisted of no evidence. The huge amounts of money pouring into the defense fund — estimated between $10 million and $20 million — yielded nothing of value. The fibers from the crime scene matching items from the killers' homes, Echols' statement about urine in the stomachs, the blood necklace, the knots used on the shoelace bindings, the semen stain on the pants, blood traces matching Misskelley's descriptions of the attack and blue wax residue all pointed to the West Memphis 3.
From "Blood on Black" available on Amazon "WHEN I GO GET ANGRY IT IS USUALLY NOT A PRETTY SITE." Though Damien Echols routinely and wrongly has been described as “innocent” or even “exonerated,” Jason Baldwin in many ways has been more effective with his assertions of innocence than the weird and off-putting Echols. The perpetually smiling Baldwin projects a whimsical and slightly goofy image for one supposedly mistreated by the justice system. In many ways unchanged from the skinny little murder defendant who looked as if he should still be drawing race cars and airplanes at the back of a classroom, Baldwin continues to speak without self-consciousness of his simple beliefs in justice, truth and loving your mom. While perpetual poser Echols scowls and sulks in his frequent media portraits, Baldwin today seems positively blithe. Crime novelist Charles Willeford's description of a heartless young criminal as a “blithe psychopath" sums up many a man lacking a conscience, eager to rob, rape, cheat or kill with never a doubt, qualm or worry. For those who consider Baldwin's actions on May 5, 1993, “out of character,” consider that his very best, his inseparable friend was a violent, mentally ill dabbler in the occult who went to great lengths to project an image of foreboding evil. In a hearing in 2009, Samuel Joseph Dwyer, a neighbor and playmate of the Baldwin brothers at Lakeshore in 1993, described how Jason began to adopt Echols' manner of dress and distinctive way of speaking after they began hanging out together. Even so, Dwyer carefully characterized Baldwin as someone who was not a follower, but as one who kept his own counsel. Jason, like the disturbed Echols and the thuggish Misskelley, already had had several brushes with the law prior to his arrest for murder. Also in counterpoint to his reputation as a mild-mannered animal lover with an artistic soul were several incidents of violent acting- out. There were troubling incidents. On June 5, 1987, the Baldwin/Grinnell clan was living in a rundown sec- tion of rural Shelby County when someone set fire to a bedroom with a lighter. Setting fires is one of the earliest and surest signs of budding criminal psychopathology. Exactly six years later, on June 5, 1993, in the first shock of the arrests, Jason's paternal grandmother, Jessie Mae Baldwin of Sheridan, Ark., expressed doubts about his innocence to the Commercial Appeal. She said, “I thought in my own mind when those boys were killed that my grandson is sorta superstitious about that devil stuff. He was always catching lizards and snakes, something was going on in that child's mind.” Years later, Baldwin testified he first was placed on probation when he was 11. As juvenile records are closed and Baldwin has been stingy with details, the facts surrounding this encounter with the law are not clear. In a letter to girlfriend Heather Cliett written from lockup, Baldwin wrote: “I have never been in jail before, except for once and I was only there for one hour that was nothing.” Most 16-year-olds would count a trip to jail as a life-defining moment, but for Baldwin getting into trouble was “nothing” and going to jail re- ally didn't count as going to jail. His thinking lacked proportion and betrayed a pervading sense of unfairness, hence his complaint that “they keep me locked up in my cell for 24 hours a day. while the other prisoners get to get out of their cells all day long to play games, eat steaks, and all kinds of stuff.” He made it sound as if he was not allowed to go to summer camp. At age 12, Jason, his brother Matt and several other boys broke into a building and went on a destructive spree vandalizing the antique cars stored inside. They broke out the windows on several autos and wrecked the place. They were caught jumping on the cars by two men who called the police. The boys were charged with breaking and entering and criminal mischief. The incident often has been framed as harmless adolescent mischief, but prosecutor John Fogleman was concerned enough to recommend that the boys be placed in reform school for two years. They were all placed on probation. Gail Grinnell was ordered to pay a fine of $450 each for her boys. Typically, family members portrayed this as an unfair burden on poor, hard- working Mom, who only paid $30 of the fine. Jason got into trouble again, at age 15, when he shoplifted potato chips and M&Ms from the Walgreens in West Memphis. He was placed on diversion of judgment for a year with the stipulations that he stay in school and out of trouble. That court order was one reason why Baldwin did not skip school on the day of the murders or the day after. Meanwhile, his family life was in turmoil. Jason's mother, known today as Angela Gail Grinnell Scheidmiller, had been involuntarily committed to the East Arkansas Regional Mental Health Center in February 1992. There had been four trips to the emer- gency room at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in January 1992, where Mrs. Grinnell was treated for self-inflicted wounds to the neck and arms, according to “Blood of Innocents.” Probate records indicated she was admitted for a period of up to 45 days because of “paranoid delusions,” including “hallucinations of a male voice” and the fear that she was dying of AIDS. Records indicated she had been abusing drugs since her teens. Around this time, dad Charles Baldwin, long absent, showed up for a visit with his two sons. According to “Dark Spell,” the boys so enjoyed their visit that they told their mother they would consider living with their dad for a while. This reportedly prompted a suicide attempt via cutting her wrists. Jason called 911 and his mother survived. This may have been the incident that prompted Jason to write in a school assignment in April 1993: “Once my mother tried to commit suicide and I know how I felt when that happened it was pretty devastating since I was the one who found her and called 911 and kept her alive, but …. my mother is well and happy now and so am I.” Despite Jason's sunny spin, his mother was neither well nor happy. In another writing assignment, Jason described a violent fight with his younger brother: “I am usually a calm person, and can take mostly of anything. But sometimes I get angry, when I do get angry it is usually not a pretty site. One time I had to babysit my two little brothers, one is 8, and the other is 13. I let Matt, the 13 year old go outside to play, or whatever he want, and I let Terry the 8 year old have some friends over. That was a mistake. I let them go in my room and play Super Nintendo, while I watched T.V. in the living room, I thought I had everything under control, but I was wrong. Those kids got to fighting over the game, and tore everything up in my room, it was a mess. I couldn't believe it. I made them clean everything up and leave. Then Matt got home griping as usual, and started aggravating me. He would run up and hit me and say ‘You can't hit me back, I'll tell mom' so I said tell mom boy, cause you're fixing to get it. I ran over there and grabbed him into a choke hold and held him there until his face turned bright red and then let him go. I said mess with me again and it'll be worse, so he pick up a broom and tried to hit me with it I grabbed the handle pulled it a little ways then pushed and it knocked him down, he didn't do nothing else but say ‘I'm still telling' I said ‘so' and he did and I got ground- ed for nothing.” Several key points: Jason tended to bottle up his anger until it exploded; Jason was deeply resentful over having to babysit his brothers and be “the man of the house”; there was a family pattern of violence with Matt not hesitating to attack with a broom after being choked by Jason until his face turned red; Jason was used to handling defiant younger children; Jason often felt he was not treated fairly, a complaint that has cropped up again and again in his public statements; Jason expressed no remorse about overreacting to Matt's provocation — he “got grounded for nothing” except chok- ing and knocking down his little brother. A typical psychopath is “usually a calm person” but when a psychopath does get angry, “it is usually not a pretty site.” Psychopaths are prone to retaliating over petty grievances that they view as affronts to their grandiose vision of themselves. They never take responsibility for anything unless there is a significant tradeoff in benefit to them. Their view of their own role in their misdeeds is grossly disproportional. Psychopaths expe- rience few qualms about their ruthless disregard for others, and they are highly adept at hiding their lack of normal, healthy humanity behind a superficially pleasing mask. His family life did nothing but exacerbate Jason's antisocial tendencies. Their mother's marriage to stepfather Terry Ray Grinnell had long been shaky, marked by violent arguments over Terry's habitual drinking on weekends. Jason often had to call the police, according to “Dark Spell,” and his stepfather often slapped not only their mother but Jason and Matt. A few weeks before he killed three little boys, Jason took a baseball bat to his stepfather during an argument and drove him from their home, according to Leveritt's book. “I took that little bat, and … I hit Terry with it. He hit the ground. I opened the door and said ‘leave,'” Baldwin told Leveritt in “Dark Spell.” Soon, a new boyfriend named ‘Dink' Dent would move in briefly. Dent had a lengthy rap sheet that included multiple counts of larceny, burglary and auto theft. The relationship did not last long. Grinnell and Dent broke up the very evening that Jason murdered three little boys. Dent gave key evidence that Jason was not home at the time of the murders. By the time of the arrests, the stepfather was back on the scene. When officers raided their home on June 3, 1993, Gail angrily accused Terry of turning in their son for the reward money. Asked by John Fogleman in September why she had reacted with that accusation, she said, “I don't know why I would have said that. In a case full of inarticulate, lying, confused and confusing witnesses, Gail Grinnell was notably incoherent. Among her problematic actions was her appearance along with “Mr. Grinnell” at the Hobbs home on the evening of May 6, after the bodies were found, according to a June 9 statement from Pam Hobbs, who had recognized Gail at the preliminary hearing. Terry Hobbs also identified her as a visitor that evening. There was no explanation as to why the Grinnells would have been at the Hobbs home, as they were not friends with the family, or why “Mr. Grinnell” would have accompanied her, as she had just broken up with Dent (who had not yet moved out) and was separated from her husband. Intended as a sympathetic account of Jason's life, Mara Leveritt's “Dark Spell” inadvertently paints a fascinating portrait of the young killer as a savvy street-smart wheeler-dealer with an eye for the main chance. The book is rich in such ridiculous fictions as that Baldwin was an often-disappointed believer in old-fashioned truth, justice and virtue who, despite little evident interest in religion, had learned just what Jesus would do and then did that. Because his mama raised him right. Baldwin quickly adapted to the brutal Arkansas prison system, figured out how to work his way into the trust of prison officials and worked every angle to always put himself in the most positive light. He has portrayed his agreement to get out of prison as a selfless act, saying he agreed to the Alford plea because he feared Damien would die from unspecified causes while incarcerated. Baldwin's years in prison stand in stark contrast to Echols' story, which endlessly whined about how Damien was sick, lonely and scared. Baldwin quickly learned that he could show no weakness. He survived near-daily assaults for years until he established a solid reputation among inmates and guards as a tough little fighter and standup guy. Psychopaths often do relatively well in prison, an environment based on who can most effectively wield power. They often do well in other aggressive environments where they quickly size up opportunities. They charm and manipulate others when they can and ruthlessly crush those resistant to their act. As a convicted child killer facing uncommonly hostile guards and fellow prisoners, Baldwin never backed down, taking “power” as his byword; from the first to the last, he was a cool customer, far from the “Paradise Lost” image of a powerless child. Baldwin had a knack for duping others into believing he was trustworthy; he projected an air of innocence, easily fooling old ladies in the trailer park into thinking he was a nice boy. His air of assumed humility and guise of open-hearted sincerity pervade “Dark Spell.” But who is Jason Baldwin? Those who believe he was guilty see a child killer who claimed he was innocent when his sentence was being handed down. They see no shame, no regret, no doubt, no remorse. Even those who believe him innocent will acknowledge that he was Damien's best friend. What does that tell us about Baldwin? Contrary to cliches about “nice guy” killers, long- time criminologist Stanton Samenow in “The Myth of the Out of Character Crime” states that any crimes that a person commits are in keeping with his character. He notes that “what a person presents publicly often differs radically from what he is like privately.” Echols was grandiose to an extreme. Echols lied with abandon, seeming to spin untruths just because he could. Lying offered an illusion of control. Echols enjoyed playing cat and mouse with the police, though his arrogance and blatant falsehoods were key to his conviction. On the surface, Baldwin could not have been more different. From the first, he said little to authorities and what he said did not implicate him in any way. His whole defense was built around saying nothing, hoping he would be exonerated because of the paucity of evidence. Like Echols, Baldwin had an arrogant illusion of control but he had a better grasp of reality. Echols talked and talked, as did Misskelley, but Baldwin was tightlipped from the start, with one possible, crucial exception. Another detainee in juvenile lockup, Michael Carson, testified in gruesome detail about Baldwin's confession to him while they were in custody. The testimony offered a foundation for finding Baldwin guilty. The key to his guilt was his association with Echols. Read “Dark Spell” and then wonder how a straight-arrow regular fellow who professes adherence to Christian values and the American way could have been blood brothers with a blood-drinking boogeyman. Baldwin acknowledged that Echols and his mother were mentally ill; what he didn't explain was his easy camaraderie with a boy viewed by everyone as weird and sinister. Echols has the childish view that the only thing worth doing is the thing that is forbidden, and he flaunts his contempt for mainstream values. By feigning his embrace of those values, Baldwin has made his own lie, behind a perpetual smile. The two are mirror opposites, one as sick as the other. “… The normal are inclined to visualize the psychopath as he is in mind, which is about as far from the truth as one could well get … These monsters of real life usually looked and behaved in a more normal manner then their actually normal brothers and sisters, they presented a more convincing picture of virtue than virtue presented of itself — as the wax rosebud or the plastic peach seems more perfect to the eye, more what the mind thought a rosebud or a peach should be, than the imperfect original from which it had been modeled.” — William March, “The Bad Seed,” as quoted in “Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us” by Robert D. Hare, PhD. Hare explained in his preface: “Psychopaths are social predators who charm, manipulate, and ruthlessly plow their way through life, leaving a broad trail of broken hearts, shattered expectations, and empty wallets. Completely lacking in conscience and in feelings for others, they selfishly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest sense of guilt or regret.” There you have the link between Echols and Baldwin: two of a kind. Echols had psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety, since early childhood. In addition he displayed many qualities of the classic sociopath, or psychopath, a label he embraced. According to Hare, “These often charming — but always deadly — individuals have a clinical name: psychopaths. Their hallmark is a stunning lack of conscience; their game is self-gratification at the other person's expense. … The most obvious expressions of the psychopath — but by no means the only ones —- involved flagrant criminal violation of society's rules. … These pieces of the puzzle form an image of a self-centered, callous, and remorseless person profoundly lacking in empathy and the ability to form warm emotional relationships with others, a person who functions without the restraints of conscience.” That describes Echols well enough. Jason has shown a similar though more lighthearted ability to disregard the consequences of his actions. Criminologist Stanton Samenow found that habitual lawbreakers feel that they are different from other people, that the usual rules do not apply to them and that they will continue in their evil ways unless highly motivated to change. Samenow has explained that many parents use the excuse that their suddenly delinquent child fell in with the wrong crowd. Not so. “Criminals seek out one another for their own purposes,” said Samenow in “Inside the Criminal Mind.” “In radar-like fashion, they hone in on others who have similar interests. They are not enticed into crime against their will. If a basically responsible youngster makes an unwise choice and misjudges another youth who he discovers is up to no good, he will eventually extricate himself from that situation and most likely from the entire relationship.” Contrast the actions of Murray J. Farris and Baldwin. Despite a common interest in witchcraft, Farris and his good friend Chris Littrell quickly and consistently kept Echols at arm's length; they were not drawn into crime. Similarly, Deanna Holcomb, despite deep romantic ties to Echols and their shared belief in “magick,” broke cleanly from him when the full implications of his plans to ritually sacrifice their possible child became clear. By contrast, Baldwin, with no apparent interest in witchcraft, was easily drawn into Damien's world, a world totally at odds with Baldwin's public statements. Also contrast Baldwin's seemingly guileless lack of remorse with the criminally inclined Misskelley, who expressed shock, shame and disgust over his involvement in the killings. Misskelley, though often cruel, hardened and callous, was capable of empathy, guilt and shame, unlike his partners in crime. Psychopaths are smooth liars who bend and break the truth in breathtaking fashion and continue to lie even when exposed. Drawing heavily upon the research of Hervey Cleckley in the classic psychiatric text “The Mask of Sanity,” first published in 1941, Hare notes: “Phrases such as ‘shrewdness and agility of mind,' ‘talks entertainingly,' and ‘exceptional charm' dot Cleckley's case histories” … as well as media presentations of Damien and Jason. Cleckley stated: “The (psychopath) is unfamiliar with the primary fact or data of what might be called personal values and is altogether incapable of understanding such matters.” Despite this lack, psychopaths are experts at weighing circumstances for maximum self-advantage and then saying or doing whatever is necessary to fit their purposes. They are masters of manipulation. With Baldwin, there is a pervading sense of “something's wrong here but I can't quite put my finger on it,” which is how Hare describes a characteristic impression of the psychopath. As described in “Dark Spell,” Baldwin's journey through some of the roughest prisons in the United States was that of a cold-blooded opportunist who seized upon the feelings of others, such as the jail workers who left illicit food for him or the series of prison officials who found him relatively cushy jobs. Baldwin quickly sussed out the “soft touches,” just part of his special knack. Hare said of psychopaths: “To some people … they seem too slick and smooth, too obviously insincere and superficial. Astute observers often get the impression that psychopaths are play-acting, mechanically ‘reading their lines.'” Mechanically reading their lines, such as in these quotes from Baldwin in “Dark Spell”: “I didn't think there was any possible way they could find us guilty when we didn't do it. Not in America. … People thought we did drugs because we looked wild, but we didn't. We didn't need them. … Jesus didn't judge peo- ple. He pretty much forgave everybody, unless they were misusing religion or being hurtful. It was all about the love. That's what Jesus uses. You've supposed to love people, to uplift people, to make people better. That's what I learned from Jesus's teaching. That's why he's the guy. He's the big radical. … I tried to forgive them because I knew that if they knew I was innocent— if they knew the truth —- they wouldn't be reacting to us that way. And knew that that was the purpose of this trial: to get to the truth of it. … I did my best to show them that I wasn't afraid, that no matter what, we must stick together as a family, to not lose hope and to have faith in God and what is right. … Our love would get us through this, and God would work out a miracle for us. … I can see where they might think I'm in a cult because I wear Metallica T-shirts and stuff like that, but I'm not into nothing like that. I couldn't kill an animal or a person.” Baldwin consistently delivers this sort of hypernormal spiel with the smile of the practiced prison scammer. Concerning Echols' highly incriminating answers to police questioning and incriminating testimony, Baldwin said: “They took what he said in innocence and twisted it on him, and they did it because he was Damien.” About a possible plea deal, he said, “I was not tempted. It was wrong. It was against everything I was brought up to believe in.” And in “Dark Spell,,” Baldwin described his first day in prison: “… My mantra is born: ‘I am tough.' I say that out loud. … The old man is looking at me again and smiling that dirty smile. I tell him he better get me some boxers that fit and do not play any games with me because I do not play … He says that I do not look like a killer to him. I tell him that is what I am in here for so he better not mess with me. I wasn't lying. … It works and he gets me some boxers that fit.” Thus did a 16-year-old kid establish his dominance over the first longtime inmate he encountered. As he said, “I never wanted to incur any disrespect or loss of respect.” Offered a romance novel, the connoisseur of horror movies and the heaviest of heavy metal offered a “by gosh” memory: “I can't read this stuff. A kid going through puberty? No. I didn't need to be reading that.” Early on, Baldwin refused a prescription of the antidepressant Zoloft from a Department of Corrections psychologist because “there wasn't anything wrong with me.” He already had decided that he would rather risk being placed in general population rather than the Diagnostic Unit or the Suicide Prevention Unit. He sup- posedly told prison officials, “I refused to be so doped up that I cannot even think about fighting for my freedom.” Baldwin claimed he did not allow himself to experience fear over the prospect of prison life. He told Leveritt: “I'd already experienced so much in my short little life —- so much bad — that I'd ceased to be afraid. And I'd ceased to be shocked.” One defining trait of psychopaths is the absence of fear. Explaining that he deferred going to school in prison, instead earning the respect of the guards and inmates on work details, he said, “As limited as my choices were, I wasn't going to make one that would reduce my chances around here.” After being beaten unconscious, he supposedly pulled a “Cool Hand Luke” and walked out of the infirmary with an untreated fractured skull and broken collarbone after regaining consciousness. After being robbed by a fellow inmate, Baldwin, again in “Dark Spell,” said, “So being the hothead that I was, I went into the dayroom and started kicking things over, like big stacks of plastic chairs. I yelled, ‘All right, you bitches, you're going to wake up!' I went over to the first rack and yelled ‘This is a shakedown!' Then I went to the second rack, and lo and behold, I saw a bunch of my stuff there. I said to the guy, ‘All right, you and I are going to the shower and we're going to fight.'” Thus stood revealed the hard man hidden in the waif with the ruddy cheeks. As for his relationship with Echols, it was reminiscent of two other devotees of the cult of the black raincoat, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. The shooting spree of Klebold and Harris at Columbine High School in 1999 that left 13 dead and 20 injured was the culminating atrocity of a dynamic duo not unlike the unnatural bond of Baldwin and Echols. As the myth of the poor, persecuted trailer park “throwaway kids” persisted and grew in the West Memphis case, the Columbine killers have been portrayed as misunderstood, picked-upon teens who lashed out in frustration at their tormenters. In both cases, the killings were carefully planned by cold-blooded killers hoping to leave their mark upon the world. After the murder-suicides of Klebold and Harris, the often-ignored truth appeared in their writings — Eric Harris was a grandiose psychopath carrying out his fantasies of killing for pleasure while Dylan Klebold was a depressive with cripplingly low self-esteem who often fantasized about suicide. Harris was often described as intelligent, well-spoken and even “nice” — much like Baldwin. Harris was a cool customer able to slaughter acquaintances and classmates in a detached manner, taunting them as they begged for mercy. Similarly, Baldwin had no problem knifing, beating and drowning helpless children and then, a few hours later, dickering with a friend over music tapes. Meanwhile, Echols was exhibiting bizarre behavior and insane thought patterns. Back in 1992 and 1993 he was consistently diagnosed with various forms of depression, much like Klebold. Dave Cullen, in an excellent book on the Colorado case, “Columbine,” explained the Klebold-Harris pairing as a dyad, “murderous pairs who feed off each other,” citing such other similar pairs as Bonnie and Clyde, Leopold and Loeb and the Beltway snipers. Other well-known examples would be Fred and Rose West, the Hillside Stranglers, the Menendez brothers, Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, etc. Cullen writes: “Because dyads account for only a fraction of mass murderers, little research has been conducted on them. We know that the partnerships tend to be asymmetrical. An angry, erratic depressive and a sadistic psychopath make a combustible pair. The psychopath is in control, of course, but the hotheaded side- kick can sustain his excitement leading up to the big kill.” If there ever was “an angry erratic depressive,” Damien Echols would be one. Consider the likelihood that Echols was never “the ringleader,” a role he clearly relished, but merely “the hotheaded sidekick” who kept his cool-headed little buddy on track toward a long-planned, very special evening in Robin Hood Hills. As Deanna Holcomb explained, Damien was too much of a coward to do the killing himself. In the May 5 attack, Echols exhorted Misskelley and Baldwin to beat their captives but it was Baldwin who pulled out his knife and began carving up Little Stevie and Chris. According to the only first-hand witness who has talked, it was not clear that Echols did more than beat, truss, sexually molest and drown the boys. Baldwin viciously mutilated two of them. As John Fogleman described the utter lack of conscience at the heart of the case: “You see inside that person, and you look inside there, and there's not a soul in there." https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers/dp/0692802843/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1557710855&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-West-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B07C7C4DCH/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1557710880&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1557710880&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull https://www.amazon.com/Where-Monsters-Go-Against-Memphis-ebook/dp/B06XVNXCJV/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_4?keywords=gary+meece&qid=1557710880&s=gateway&sr=8-4-fkmrnull https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753HJZ1P/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gary%20meece&qid=1557710880&ref_=sr_1_fkmrnull_6&s=gateway&sr=8-6-fkmrnull https://eastofwestmemphis.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/WestMemphis3Killers/
On May 6, 1993, the bodies of Michael Moore, Steve Branch and Christopher Byers were found in a ditch located in a wooded area in their subdivision known as Robin Hood Hills. All three boys had been reported missing by their parents on the evening of May 5, 1993. During the weeks that followed, the West Memphis Police Department received tips about several suspects, including multiple tips implicating Damien Echols, a local teenager who was known to brag about his occult practices, including blood drinking and graduation to human sacrifice. On June 3, 1993, detectives decided to question Jessie Miskelley, a 17-year old who was associated with Echols. More than a decade later, former in-laws of Terry Hobbs began making public accusations against him to the media and on social media. Join Michael Carnahan and Lisa O’Brien on Monday, May 20, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. CDT, for an interview with Terry Hobbs and Vicky Edwards, the author of Boxful of Nightmares, a memoir based on journals started by Mr. Hobbs and kept by him during the tumultuous years after the murders of his step-son and two friends. We’re a live show and calls are always welcome at (347) 989-1171.
In the preface to "Blood on Black," I wrote that one of the untold stories about the West Memphis 3 case worthy of a book treatment was "how the victims' families were devastated first by the loss of the boys and then by a series of betrayals and accusations that still dog them over 20 years later." There already had been a book about Mark Byers, father of Chris Byers, by Greg Day, "Untying the Knot: John Mark Byers and the West Memphis 3." The book was a sympathetic, balanced look at a troubled man, obviously deeply grieving the loss of his son, but it was not a book written from the heart. At long last, after many years of talk about his prospective book, the story of Terry Hobbs has finally been told. "Boxful of Nightmares," which is Hobbs' story as told to his cousin, Vicky Edwards, is the straightforward, deeply felt testament of a man who, after many harrowing years living in the aftermath of the murder of stepson Stevie Branch, was blindsided by a string of high-profile accusations based on the flimsiest of evidence. Evidence doesn't get much thinner than a single hair that may or may not have been from Hobbs and is perfectly explainable as a secondary transfer of evidence. The hair evidence was found in the laces that bound Michael Moore when he was murdered by drowning in the ditch that also took the life of Stevie, and where the body of their friend, Christopher Byers, was also dumped in the late afternoon of May 5, 1993, in West Memphis, Ark. The bodies of the three boys, all 8-year-old second-graders, were found the next day after an extensive search. Eventually three local teens, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, were arrested after Misskelley confessed to the crimes. The three were convicted of the murders in 1994 but eventually released in 2011 after pleading guilty in exchange for release for time served. The impetus for the plea deal came from a groundswell of public opinion after two documentaries on HBO misled the public into thinking the case had been mishandled by the police and the courts. Various rock stars and Hollywood celebrities took the "Free the West Memphis 3" cause to heart. Until 2007, the public was led to believe that the likeliest suspect was Mark Byers based not on evidence but mostly on his wild demeanor, which was largely an act for the benefit of the cameras paid for by filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. A book, "Devil's Knot," by an Arkansas writer devoted much of its text to Byers' life while minimizing the deeply troubling records of the convicted killers. The name of Terry Hobbs appears just four times in the index, while a whole column of indexed references cite Mark Byers. Such was the state of the case in 2002, the date of the copyright. All that changed after defense investigators used deception to gather cigarette butts probably left by Terry Hobbs and found that his DNA could not be ruled out as a source for the crime scene hair, with about 1.5 percent of the public being possible sources. Suddenly the media bought into the idea that Hobbs was a viable suspect, despite the obvious flimsiness of the "evidence." Hobbs and David Jacoby were interviewed by the West Memphis Police Department on June 21, 2007, about their recollections of May 5 and 6, 1993. Both men admitted to having difficulty recalling the exact sequence of events from a stressful time some 14 years earlier, and their stories were not consistent on details. Still, Hobbs, and Jacoby, a friend of Hobbs, described a series of events that, combined with other documented facts, effectively gave Hobbs an alibi, if one was needed. In 2009, Jacoby gave another statement describing Hobbs searching extensively for his stepson that evening, often with Jacoby and with a number of contacts with Jacoby during the time the boys were believed to have been murdered. In an online letter to fans in November 2007, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines posted about her then-recent involvement in the West Memphis 3 cause, based on seeing the documentaries and subsequent close contact with Echols' wife, Lorri Davis. Maines claimed that DNA evidence linked to Hobbs and Jacoby was found at the crime scene. She also cited various other tenuous claims against Hobbs. Maines followed up with similar statements at a Little Rock rally for the killers in 2007. This drew a defamation lawsuit in 2008 from Hobbs, who alleged the statements were false. He sought compensation for damages to his reputation. The suit allowed her attorneys to depose Hobbs extensively and then query him on a variety of unproven allegations, with the videos then posted in public media. While the depositions provided no proof that Hobbs was in any way a viable suspect, they provided further fuel for Hobbs' attackers. As Hobbs says in the book, "The questioning was brutal and most of it was designed to implicate me in a crime I didn't commit." The lawsuit was dismissed by the courts in 2009, with the judge ruling that "actual malice" (a criteria for establishing defamation of a public figure) could not be established nor could Hobbs prove that the statements were made with "reckless disregard" for the truth. The court ruled that Hobbs had established himself as a "limited public figure" through his own actions, including announced plans to publish a book and so, absent actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth, he had no case for defamation. The statement has since been scrubbed from the Dixie Chicks Web site along with most references to Maines' activism in the West Memphis case. Dubious assertions about a "Hobbs family secret," with the sources being two young criminals with a grudge against a Hobbs family member, aired in "West of Memphis," a fourth documentary, this one co-produced by one of the killers, Damien Echols, with the support of "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson. In 2013, a court action seeking access for family members to the murder evidence was used as a pretext for filing statements intended to implicate Hobbs as well as three others who had already figured in the case. The sworn statements came from two career criminals serving long sentences for rape in the Arkansas prison system. Though completely unsubstantiated and often contradicted by case evidence, those statements again got media play and brought more attention to Hobbs. The smear campaign brought death threats and harassment, with strangers showing up at Hobbs' workplace in attempts to compromise his employment. Essentially, though he has never been a suspect, Hobbs has been treated as such by many followers of the case and members of the poorly informed public. The book sets the record clear, though those already convinced are unlikely to be changing their minds. Lisa O'Brien, a co-host of the ""Behind the Curtain" and "Clear And Convincing" podcasts, gives some enlightening background information in the book's foreward. The book's title, "Boxful of Nightmares," not only doesn't work. It's creepy -- "box" inevitably draws thoughts of a coffin. Still, the subtitle actually tells prospective readers what the book actually is -- Terry's story. The box in title refers to a box holding the journals Hobbs has kept since May 1993, a chronicle of personal struggle against the devastation wrought not only by Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley but by irresponsible media figures and former acquaintances and family members who will go to any lengths on the basis of a grudge. Hobbs admits "some of the details are foggy" in his chronicle of the evening of May 5, writing from the standpoint of 18 years later (it's now 25 years later). No doubt his detractors will point out discrepancies with earlier statements and complain about the lack of specific detail on times, etc. Despite the admitted fogginess, a clear picture emerges. At one point he explains "I didn't call Pam at work, because I didn't want to alarm her and I still thought the three boys were playing and we would find them, scold them for scaring us, and get home for the evening." Pam Hobbs, the mother of Stevie Branch and now Terry's former wife, has often described her anger and resentment over Terry not informing her about their son's continued disappearance until after her work shift ended at 9. His explanation, while likely still unsatisfactory to her and many others, exemplifies a hopeful and common sense attitude --- in a more innocent time, it was not unusual for boys to wander off and lose track of time, worrying parents. The horror of his stepson's murder was well beyond Terry's comprehension that evening. The story is told in Hobbs' own words, to the point and heartfelt, with occasional interjections from Vicky Edwards, a sympathetic voice in her own right. It's a relatively short, easy read, told in the downhome vernacular of a regular guy from the Mid-South. If anything, it's often too honest about the many trials and tribulations Hobbs has faced -- some he acknowledges he brought upon himself, some he was able to overcome, much of which he has simply endured. His on-again, off-again relationship with Pam obviously weighs heavily on him, as he sees what might have been and what it became. As for his daughter Amanda, who was just 4 when her brother was killed, he continues to be her protector, her loving father, while grieving over the traumas and family dramas that have drastically affected her life, including trips to rehab and drug court. While Hobbs obviously has deep dislikes for certain folks, attempting to even the score with his most personal attackers, it seems, unlike some others, he has been able to move on from the events of May 1993 while never losing sight of what was lost. Some of what was lost was the assumption of innocence that most of us would simply take for granted. While celebrities with deep pockets and an unsympathetic court system are arrayed against him, he seems most troubled by everyday encounters gone wrong. Describing an encounter with a sympathetic member of the public at a local Subway shop, he says, "It was a humbling experience to meet someone who didn't hate me." Still, he expresses gratitude for those who have stood by him. And always, there is the son who is now just a memory. As he says, "There were many things that his mother and I, his father and his sister never got to see, because somebody took him from us. We didn't get to see him play in little league, have his first girlfriend, teach him to drive or buy him a car. We miss his first dance, his first day of high school, his first football game and his graduation. We missed Stevie." "Boxful of Nightmares" is an often eloquent testament of fortitude from a victim who refuses to let injustice, disappointment and loss define his life. https://www.amazon.com/Boxful-Nightmares-personal-memoirs-Memphis/dp/0578490374/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=221LSZODWO6UZ&keywords=boxful+of+nightmares&qid=1557084616&s=gateway&sprefix=boxful%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
In this episode, we discuss some of the things that happened to the families on both sides of this tragedy. There were many legal issues with some of the families after the murders and convictions. We also explore some of the alternate suspects that have come to light through the years. Mark Byers, Terry Hobbs and Mr. Bojangles are just a few of the names that have surfaced over the years. Join Mike and Gibby as they continue the discussion of this mysterious and frustrating case. You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise and donation information Sponsors: Betterhelp.com/tcatt Watch Gone 2/27 on WGN America TheRealReal.com - promo code Real See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we discuss some of the things that happened to the families on both sides of this tragedy. There were many legal issues with some of the families after the murders and convictions. We also explore some of the alternate suspects that have come to light through the years. Mark Byers, Terry Hobbs and Mr. Bojangles are just a few of the names that have surfaced over the years. Join Mike and Gibby as they continue the discussion of this mysterious and frustrating case. You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise and donation information Sponsors: Betterhelp.com/tcatt Watch Gone 2/27 on WGN America TheRealReal.com - promo code Real See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 6 of The Case Against goes over the statements surrounding John Mark Byers and Terry Hobbs on the West Memphis 3 case. Gary Meece, author of "Blood on Black" and "Where the Monsters Go," also talks about the upcoming book about Hobbs and season 3 of "True Detective," which obviously drew some inspiration from the West Memphis case. https://www.facebook.com/WestMemphis3Killers/ https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1W1WMNY91UUPC&keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1547941113&sprefix=blood+on+black%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-West-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B07C7C4DCH/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1547941148&sr=8-3 https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers/dp/0692802843/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1547941185&sr=8-4 https://www.amazon.com/Where-Monsters-Go-Against-Memphis-ebook/dp/B06XVNXCJV/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=blood+on+black&qid=1547941235&sr=8-5
We begin a series of podcasts surveying the texts in "Blood on Black" and "Where the Monsters Go," starting with the prologue for the first book about the West Memphis 3. We also talk about the upcoming book from Terry Hobbs and talk a bit about "Making A Murderer" and other true crime documentaries and podcasts. https://www.facebook.com/WestMemphis3Killers/ https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Black-Against-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B06XVT2976/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1546390407&sr=8-3&keywords=gary+meece https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-West-Memphis-Killers-ebook/dp/B07C7C4DCH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546390407&sr=8-2&keywords=gary+meece https://www.amazon.com/Where-Monsters-Go-Against-Memphis-ebook/dp/B06XVNXCJV/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1546390407&sr=8-4&keywords=gary+meece www.callahan.mysite.com
In this episode, Bob answers general questions from listeners about the West Memphis Three case as the first half of season 5 winds down. Today's Sponsors: thirdlove.com/truth - Get 15% off. macweldon.com - Use code "truth" for 20% off. stamps.com - Use code "truth" for a special offer. #wm3 #theforgotten3 #NBIStudios
In this episode, Bob answered questions from listeners about his interview with Dan Stidham. We also hear the audio from his closing arguments at Jessie Miskelley's trial. Today's Sponsors: brooklinen.com - Use code "ruff" for $20 off and free shipping. harrys.com - Use code "justice" for $5 off. #wm3 #theforgotten3 #NBIStudios
Bob interviews Jesse Misskelley's attorney, Mr. Dan Stidham. Stidham gives us the behind the scenes accounts of everything from how he came to be involved in the #wm3 case, to the Bible Confession, to the challenges he faced at trial. Today's Sponsors: blueapron.com/truth - for your first 3 meals free Audioboom's hit podcast, "Mafia" #theforgotten3 #truecrimepodcast
This week, Bob addresses listener questions including jury misconduct in the Echols/Baldwin trial, the knife found in the lake behind Jason Baldwin's home, and the red rayon fibers found at the crime scene. Today's Sponsors: simplecontacts.com/truth - Or use code "truth" at checkout, for $30 off. PD Stories - Find this new podcast on your favorite podcast directory. The show interviews cops from all different areas of America.
This week Bob addresses a glaring hole in the State's case against the #wm3 Jesse Misskelley's alibi. Today's Sponsor: Mackweldon.com - Use code "truth" for 20% off #theforgotten3
It's MAYHEM again, our month-long coverage of True Crime documentaries.Part 1 of our True Crime series starts off with West of Memphis (2012 Amy Berg). We recap this follow-up to the Paradise Lost series with horror filmmaker Gavin Michael Booth. Gavin is shooting a new feature film "Last Call" this summer, and make sure to check out his newly released music videos for artist SYML titled "Body" and "The War"!Canadian born director Gavin Michael Booth’s film, music video and commercial work has been featured around the globe in theatres, on television and online. His work includes collaborations with Third Eye Blind, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Blumhouse, Royal Bank of Canada and more. Currently LA-based, Gavin is available for projects in the U.S. & Canada.As with the Paradise Lost film and its two sequels, West of Memphis follows the events of the West Memphis Three, a case in which three teenagers (Jessie Misskelley, Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin) were arrested for the murders of three 8-year old children.The West Memphis Three were subsequently convicted of murder and remained in prison for more than 18 years. West of Memphis focuses on Terry Hobbs, stepfather of Stevie Branch, one of the victims of the 1993 crime, as a potential suspect due to physical evidence linking him to the crime, a history of violent behavior and his lack of an alibi for the time the murders were committed, as well as damaging statements made by his ex-wife, former neighbors, and most recently his own nephew, who claims Hobbs confessed to him. The film reveals that inexplicably Terry Hobbs was not interviewed by police at the time of the murders.*If you love listening to Sup Doc please consider being a patron by supporting us thru our Patreon page!*We have a live screening and panel for Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary at SF DocFest! Friday June 8th, 9:30 pm at the Roxie Theater in SF with director Brent Hodge, comedians Kelly Anneken and David Klein. Get tickets here!Follow us on:Twitter: @supdocpodcastInstagram: @supdocpodcastFacebook: @supdocpodcastsign up for our mailing listAnd you can show your support to Sup Doc by donating on Patreon.
In this episode, Bob and Mike discuss questions on Tim Clemente's analysis of the Misskelley confession audio, as well as what Bob thinks of Tim's take on it. Today's Sponsors: harrys.com/justice - Get a free trial shave set. letote.com - Use code "truth" at checkout for 50% off your first month. ziprecruiter.com/truth - Try ZipRecruiter for free. #wm3 #theforgotten3 #NBIStudios
Today marks the 25 year anniversary of the discovery of Stevie, Michael and Christopher's bodies. We honor these victims today. Tim Clemente returns to the show to give his analysis of Jessie Misskelley's interviews. #wm3 #theforgotten3
This week Mike asks Bob listener questions after Sunday's episode, where Bob broke down the controversial confession audio of Jessie Misskelley. Today's Sponsors: stamps.com - Use code "truth" for a special offer. brooklinen.com - Use code "ruff" for $20 off and free shipping. #wm3 #theforgotten3 #NBIStudios
Bob breaks down the recorded interview that sent Jessie, Damien and Jason away for life. We walk through Jessie's confession point by point; blow by blow. Today's Sponsor: Stamps.com - Use Code "Truth" for a special offer #wm3 #theforgotten3 #truthandjusticearmy
In this episode, Mike asks Bob listener questions over Victoria Hutcheson's involvement in the Forgotten Three case. We also finally get to hear from Edward Ates, as he nears his release from prison. Today's Sponsor: stamps.com - Enter code "truth" for up to $55 free postage, a digital scale and a 4 week trial. #theforgotten3 #freeedates #NBIStudios
This week, Bob explores the relationship between the three convicted teenagers, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. We break down all statements concerning their relationships. Next, Bob moves on to introduce the person who tied Damien and Jessie together, Victoria Hutcheson. Today's Sponsors: Brooklinen.com - Use code "Ruff" for $20 off and free shipping Stamps.com - Use code "truth" for a special offer Harrys.com/justice - For a free trial set #wm3 #theforgotten3
In this episode, Bob and Mike address listener questions ranging from the Wicca religion to Damien Echols' interviews with police on May 10th, 1993. Today's Sponsor: "Mafia" Podcast - Audioboom presents this brand-new podcast, exploring the lives of the world's most notorious mobsters
In this week's episode, Bob and Mike discuss listener's main points from social media after Sunday's episode, where we heard from Damien Echols himself. Today's Sponsors: stamps.com - use code "truth" for a special offer Hustlin' In Heels Podcast - Hosts Stacey and Kaylee bring on guests to talk about modern women "killing it" in life. New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am on your favorite podcast directory!
SCARY MYSTERIES - TWISTED TWO's: The West Memphis 3 and Fort George - The Citadel Tales of hauntings, murder and scary mysteries, Every week Twisted Two's dives into a pair of uniquely terrifying true stories that are worthy of a more in depth look. For this week, we focus on the controversial case of The West Memphis 3 and mysterious hauntings at a historic Military fort. Get ready for Scary Mysteries, Twisted Two’s #1 The West Memphis 3 In 1993, three young boys were reported missing in West Arkansas. Steve Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were eight-year-old second graders playing together on the afternoon of May 5th when they suddenly vanished. Neighbors saw the boys playing together at 6:30 PM before Terry Hobbs, Steve's stepfather called them to come home. By 7, the children were reported missing by Christopher's adoptive father, John Byers. An initial search was done that night, but it was limited and It wasn't until the next morning when a thorough police search commenced. Most of West Memphis was covered with the focus on Robin Hood Hills, the area where the boys were last seen. By that afternoon, a young officer spotted a black shoe near a creek, the area was searched further and that’s when they found the lifeless bodies of the three boys. They had been stripped naked and hogtied using their own shoelaces. Their clothes were later found twisted on branches that had been put in the creek in an effort to keep them out of sight. The children suffered multiple beating and stabbings and Christophers sexual organs were mutilated. After an autopsy, it was concluded Christopher died from multiple injuries while Moore and Branch died from injuries and drowning. #2 Fort George – The Citadel Lush, green and beautiful, the Halifax Citadel, also known as Fort George, is stunning during the daytime. But what it hides behind its lush exterior is a creepy and haunted past. The star-shaped fort was first created in 1749 then later reconstructed several times until it reached its current structure in 1856. The location itself has been home to four different forts constructed on the land. Even though the fort never saw combat, it was a highly strategic area which helped protect the Royal Navy Dockyard along with the Halifax Fort. It’s widley Considered as one of the most haunted places in Canada. Fort George's Citadel supposedly houses hundreds of ghosts that have piled on over its 300 years of existence. Those who have explored the Fort report of ghostly apparitions and the stories of those who have experienced them are quite chilling. So there were a two of the most violent and ghostly stories around. The world can be a crazy place and Twisted Two’s is sure to show you why.
This week, Bob begins to put all of the cards on the table. As we approach the point where we will track the WMPD's original investigation, we first want listeners to be aware of all of the different analysis of the crime scene and medical evidence. In this episode we hear from Dr. Werner Spitz, and Dr. Richard Souviron. Today's Sponsors: hubblecontacts.com - Get 15 days of free contacts Stamps.com - use code "truth" for special offer #wm3 #theforgotten3
This week, Bob interviews someone who has been silent on the case for nearly 25 years. Michael Moore's sister Dawn's name has been tossed around for decades, but her connection to the case has always been told through someone else's narrative. This week, Dawn speaks for herself and flips the known narrative on it's head. Today's Sponsors: ziprecruiter.com/truth - to try it for free brooklinen.com - use code "truth" for $20 off with free shipping eharmony.com - use code "justice" for a free month #wm3 #westmemphisthree #theforgotten3
This might be the most unjust prosecution in U.S. legal history. If you think what happened to Steven Avery in the true crime film, Making a Murderer, was shocking you will be completely appalled by what happened to three little boys and three teens in Arkansas in 1993. Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convicted. There's only one problem. Overwhelming scientific evidence proves they're innocent and witness after witness has come forward to admit lies were told in court during the original trials. Award-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders' view into the West Memphis Three case. No journalist has written more stories about the case than Jared. The author recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Those interviews include a Death Row interview with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He's been credited in numerous documentaries including the Academy Award nominated film Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death. Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children. Echols, a troubled teen with a seedy past, was immediately identified as a possible suspect. His best-friend, Jason Baldwin, and another teen known to them, Jessie Misskelley Jr., are arrested June 3, 1993, and charged with murder. No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. Read how they, referred to as the West Memphis Three, toiled in prison for years as their case stagnated in the Arkansas judicial system. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence surfaced. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface. No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Witches is written in an easy to read, narrative-style form. Grab a copy today.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement
This might be the most unjust prosecution in U.S. legal history. If you think what happened to Steven Avery in the true crime film, Making a Murderer, was shocking you will be completely appalled by what happened to three little boys and three teens in Arkansas in 1993. Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convicted. There’s only one problem. Overwhelming scientific evidence proves they’re innocent and witness after witness has come forward to admit lies were told in court during the original trials. Award-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders’ view into the West Memphis Three case. No journalist has written more stories about the case than Jared. The author recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Those interviews include a Death Row interview with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He’s been credited in numerous documentaries including the Academy Award nominated film Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death. Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children. Echols, a troubled teen with a seedy past, was immediately identified as a possible suspect. His best-friend, Jason Baldwin, and another teen known to them, Jessie Misskelley Jr., are arrested June 3, 1993, and charged with murder. No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. Read how they, referred to as the West Memphis Three, toiled in prison for years as their case stagnated in the Arkansas judicial system. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence surfaced. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface. No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Witches is written in an easy to read, narrative-style form. Grab a copy today.
In this week's episode, Bob and Mike discuss listener questions over Episode 508: Re-Tracing Steps. Bob also gives an update on the Ed Ates case. Today's Sponsors: fabfitfun.com - enter code "truth" for $10 off first box stamps.com - enter code "truth" for a special offer
Three 8-year-old boys vanished from their West Memphis neighborhood one sunny afternoon. A day later their mangled, nude bodies are found in a drainage ditch. Police and prosecutors believe the killings are related to the occult. Three teens are arrested one month later. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. are convictedAward-winning journalist George Jared takes readers inside one of the most famous criminal cases in U.S. legal history. Witches in West Memphis gives a comprehensive insiders’ view into the West Memphis Three case. No author, documentary filmmaker, or journalist has had more access in this case. Jared recounts his firsthand court coverage, interviews with witnesses, research, and other information he gathered in the case. Interviews include one on Death Row with Damien Echols, interviews with Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., and interviews with other suspects, including Terry Hobbs. He’s been credited in numerous documentaries including Paradise Lost III: Purgatory and the New York Times best seller Life After Death.Witches graphically recounts how three Boy Scouts – Stephen “Stevie” Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers – rode their bikes after school on a bright afternoon. Their bodies are found in a wooded area near their homes the next day. The manner of death and the way they were bound, ankle to wrist, made authorities think Satanists might have sacrificed the children. No real evidence tied the teens to the crime, but an error-riddled confession by Misskelley was the proof used to seal the verdicts in the case. As time passed, overwhelming scientific evidence was discovered. Witnesses changed their statements. New suspects rose to the surface. WITCHES IN WEST MEMPHIS: The West Memphis Three and Another False Confession-George Jared
This week Mike relays listener questions to Bob about Chris Morgan and Brian Holland. New documents are addressed, and discussed. Today's Sponsors: Blueapron.com/truth - $30 off Omahasteaks.com - code "truth" for family gift pack for $49.99, a 75% savings #wm3 #west #memphis #three #theforgotten3
This week we walk through the first lead presented to the WMPD. Before the bodies of #theforgotten3 were discovered, an unidentified man stumbled into a nearby restaurant. Witnesses report that the man had mud on his feet, and blood dripping from his arm. Find out in this episode if "Mr. Bojangles" is a viable suspect in the murders of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch. Today's Sponsors: harryanddavid.com - use code "truth" for 20% off of select holiday favorites proflowers.com - use code "ruff" for 20% off all bouquets of $29 or more. #wm3 #west #memphis #three
This week, Bob continues on with the tragic story of the murders of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch. We pick up right where episode 502 left off . . . with Mike Allen entering the muddy waters of a shallow creek where he discovered the nude body of Michael Moore. We go through the evidence found on the crime scene, as well as the boys' injuries. ***The content of this episode is graphic and disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. Today's Sponsors: Stamps.com - Enter code "truth" for a special offer eharmony.com - Enter code "justice" for a free month MVMT.com/truth - for 15% off #wm3 #west #memphis #three #theforgotten3
This week Bob walks us through the search efforts that began at 6pm on May 5, 1993. Today's episode spans chronologically from the moment the Christopher Byers was discovered missing, until the moments when searchers found their first clue about the boys' whereabouts. We hear directly from Christopher's father John Mark Byers, and hear trial and police interview audio from Officer Regina Meek, Detective Bryan Ridge and Stevie's stepfather Terry Hobbs. Today's Sponsors: fabfitfun.com - use code "truth" for $10 off of your first box stamps.com - use code "truth" for a special offer #wm3 #west #memphis #three #theforgotten3
Most people interested in true crime and wrongful convictions are familiar with the notorious case of the #westmemphis3. In this season premiere episode, we learn all about the movements of the three 8 year old victims. The common perception of the boys' activities that fateful Wednesday afternoon was that they were simply playing together in the woods, when they were viciously attacked. This week's episode paints a very different picture. Today's Sponsors: ziprecruiter.com/truth - to try it for free Check out the True Crime Garage podcast Check out the Generation Why podcast #wm3 #west #memphis #three #theforgotten3
Join host Ryan Kraus for the final chapter of this series covering the infamous Robin Hood Hills child murders. In this episode, we examine Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of 8-year-old victim Stevie Branch, who garnered strong suspicion in the case when DNA testing revealed a hair possibly matching his own was found in a ligature of another victim, Michael Moore.
West Memphis 3 /// Part 3 ////// 42 TrueCrimeGarage.com Part 3- Jessie, Jason and Damien Oh My.... We discuss some police tips and Jessie Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols. We will try to get to the bottom of it all. Are they guilty? If not who is, Mark Byers? Terry Hobbs? The strange man seen at the Bojangles? Join us for this double feature, the follow up to yesterday's show. Welcome to the after party! Beer of the week - Elvis Juice by Brew Dog Garage Grade - 4 out of 5 bottle caps Cheers, Nic and the Captain See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
West Memphis 3 /// Part 3 ////// 42 TrueCrimeGarage.com Part 3- Jessie, Jason and Damien Oh My.... We discuss some police tips and Jessie Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols. We will try to get to the bottom of it all. Are they guilty? If not who is, Mark Byers? Terry Hobbs? The strange man seen at the Bojangles? Join us for this double feature, the follow up to yesterday's show. Welcome to the after party! Beer of the week - Elvis Juice by Brew Dog Garage Grade - 4 out of 5 bottle caps Cheers, Nic and the Captain See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest: Shaun WheelerMr Wheeler is an expert an blogger on the West Memphis Three murder case.The West Memphis Three are three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. During the trial, the prosecution asserted that the children were killed as part of a satanic ritual. The sensational Paradise Lost HBO documentaries have created doubt in the three convicted men's guilt. Mr Wheeler will set the record straight with his encyclopedia knowledge of the actual facts and evidence in this case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_ThreeWe will explore many overlooked facts and evidence including a history of Vampirism, satanism and animal abuse, as well as arson and other anti social and violent behaviors of the convicted killers. UPDATE:We just booked Terry Hobbs stepfather of Steve Branch, one of the victims. Terry was recently the subject of a smear campaign on HBO documentary Paradise Lost : Purgatory. This will be Mr Hobbs first opportunity to give a public statement regarding these events.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement
Huge set here... think any house lovers out there will love this... This is a blend of the finest Underground House with a sprinkle of Soul and a pinch of Tech. If you like house make sure you listen to this ... this is aprox a 4hr B2B Set of House with a touch class! :) The last track was played by m8 Mr. Terry Hobbs.:) Starts slow and build and builds like most our sets ... first in a series of many Back 2 Back Sessions with myself playing with my partner in crime Tito Pulpo from S.O.S saveoursoul.es check his online radio station out! He is one of the Paradise Musik main residents with me... hes my spiritual Grandad... lol. First of many more to come... Live B2B Sessions from Karma & Tito Pulpo, ranging from live performances from after hour party's, radio shows, club. Quality Underground House, Soulful, Vocal House, Tech House, Deep, Tribal, Progressive House, Melodic Progressive Tribal Tech. Recorded in (2012). MP3 format. Kps 320. Wrap your ears around this baby & turn it up! For info/bookings please contact: samsara.spain@gmail.com Find me on www.myspace.com/dj-karma It's easy to subscribe to the podcast for iTunes via link on this page. You can also become a Follower to get updated when new episodes come out. Click on donate button on right to help keep this podcast alive! I really appreciate hearing your feedback, so please leave your comments. Music is a form of magic, a universal language, so spread the word, spread the love and forward link to your friends : http://tonyjimenez-djkarma.podomatic.com **Enjoy.
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