John Mark Byers was the stepdad of one of the victims and said before the hearing, Theyre innocent. With John Mark Byers ruled out, revelations in 2007 would point in a new direction equally close to home. West Memphis Three | Background & Trial Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, and his legal team have hit another obstacle as they try to get the court's permission to test newly found evidence for DNA. The West Memphis Three are Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr., whoas teenagerswere convicted in 1994 of triple murder in West Memphis (Crittenden County). Judge David Burnett, the original trial judge, disallowed the presentation of the new information in his court in 2008, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. Echols interest in the occult as an outlet led him to Wicca, and he was a reader of Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey and English occultist Aleister Crowley. A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. They seem to me to be more practical ligatures, Clemente said. To understand the story of the West Memphis Three, it's important to remember the cultural atmosphere that was prevalent throughout America in the mid-1990s. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Equally, Wiccans reject their beliefs are a form of Satanism, with the movement being closer to Neo-Paganism and nature religions and almost exclusively pacifistic in nature. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Here's when clocks will 'spring forward' in 2023, Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice announces departure from WM3 case, West Memphis Three continue fight to get DNA tested. The belief in a Satanic aspect to the crime was aided by Vicki Hutcheson and her son, when after discovering the bodies, Aaron claimed he'd witnessed the killings. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. All three would be happy to talk, with Bly saying that Misskelley was the leader of a Satanic cult that also involved Baldwin, Echols, his girlfriend Domini Teer, and others 20 in all. West Memphis Three Back with the search, the main focus was Robin Hood Hills near where witnesses last saw the trio, and that morning Branch andMoore's bikes were found next to a pipe bridge that crossed the bayou. The case for his guilt was put forward by Echols himself in Peter Jackson's 'West of Memphis.' No matter who committed those terrible crimes at Robin Hood Hills, they still walk free 28 years later, and until the culprits are found, the case is far from over. West Memphis Three So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. }); Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. They were released on Aug. 19, 2011. He again repeated the incorrect police suspicion that Echols had sexually violated one of the boys, claiming this time his friend had ejaculated on the victim's trousers. In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. During part two of the documentary special, Ruff sat down with retired FBI Supervisory Agent Jim Clemente, who created a suspect profile to help narrow down the possible suspect pool. West Memphis Three WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. However, he was far from the only person of intense interest with two other teenagers, Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, attracting early interest. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. While they showed the bravado and sense of adventure associated with many scouts, they were still innocent, with Byers said by his mother to still "[believe] in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.". Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." connection to West Memphis Three A few years later, he was facing charges relating to the use of terroristic threats, grand theft, and drug use. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. There are significant issues with the confession, with his claims not aligning with the autopsy and crime scene evidence, seemingly changing his story depending on who he was talking with. }); John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. He had an extensive collection of animal skulls, including dogs and cats and local rumors said that he had killed a dog, while no evidence was ever provided. Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. Neither Climer nor Bly would be considered competent witnesses at the eventual trial. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. WebDevil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three is a 2002 true crime book by Mara Leveritt, about the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old children and the subsequent trials of three teenagers charged with and convicted of the crimes.The names of the three teens convicted - Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley - would come to be Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. West Memphis Three LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas After three years of fighting to get new evidence tested for DNA, the state is saying the West Memphis Three petition should be tossed out. Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, and his legal team have hit another obstacle as they try to get the court's permission to test newly found evidence for DNA. West Memphis Three eventAction: 'render' gads_event = event; During one visit to the station, officers used photographs of Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin for dart practice, having made their minds up about their guilt long before their arrests. It wouldn't be the only evidence that linked Hobbs to the murders, with his wife Pamela finding a knife that her son had carried with him in her husband's nightstand. }); Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. The truth is, the ongoing debate over whether Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were guilty has often clouded the undoubted fact that justice remains elusive for the other West Memphis Three, Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. West Memphis Three eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), West Memphis Three }); He was 62. }); Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Right on the border of Tennessee, West Memphis was a bible belt city unaccustomed to much publicity. Before the case could again reach the courts, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were allowed to enter Alford plea deals. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. Despite suspicion eventually falling away from Byers, Jason Baldwin praised the "Paradise Lost" documentaries as essential to their case, telling the "National Podcast of Texas" in 2019 that "The documentary saved my life, saved Damien's life, and saved Jessie's life. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. West Memphis Three | Background & Trial The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. Prosecutors would only give up harassing Misskelley for his testimony when I threatened to hold a press conference and disclose their efforts to entice his testimony." ga('ads.send', { The Brotherhood group he identified himself as being associated with had committed multiple homicides. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. },false) Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. He was called a 'baby killer.'. In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. Writing in his future memoir, "Life After Death," Echols would say, "Down here in the deep, dark South we know and live with the real world. Beyond his tales about Misskelley, Baldwin and Echols, Climber claimed to have beaten a police officer, hung a woman and sacrificed a second lady. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". The men garnered national attention due to a series of documentaries and books that questioned their convictions as well as the vocal support of numerous celebrities. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. Memphis Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. But their innocence did leave investigators back at square one. While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. The 'West Memphis Three' Murders There were even witnesses who placed Misskelley at his trailer until 6:30 p.m., the time the boys went missing, with one revealing he picked him up to go wrestling around 7:30 p.m. While the documentary opened the public's eyes to the miscarriage of justice that had transpired to get Echols, Miskelley Jr., and Baldwin convicted for a crime they did not commit, it also threw doubt on Byers, a suspicious character who seemed to have a penchant for theatrics. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. Based on the way the boys were tied up hands bound on either side of the body to the same side ankle Clemente theorized the suspect is somebody who works with animal carcasses, a butcher or a hunter., [T]he ligatures are not restraining ligatures. All three bodies were immediately removed from the water before the coroner arrived, meaning that they were exposed to sunlight and insects before judgments could be made surrounding rigor mortis and the time of death. Over the years, however, the West Memphis Three continued to maintain their innocence, claiming they had nothing to do with the slayings of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, who were each found nude, hogtied, and mutilated in a bayou. It took 18 years, a deep probe into the criminal justice system, and the rallying of a A new round of DNA testing later showed no genetic material linked the men to the crime scene evidence, and they were released from prison in 2011 after agreeing to an Alford plea. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? West Memphis Three Despite the alarming inconsistencies and recanting his confession, saying that he was fatigued, threatened and intimidated, police quickly arrested Echols and Baldwin. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. WebThe West Memphis Three are three men convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. "But I didn't wear hats back then; my hair could have blown around anywhere.". In addition to the offender being a male who had a relationship with one or more of the victims, Clemente thinks the suspect was from the neighborhood, theorizing that he hid the bodies in order to give himself enough time to establish an alibi. During questioning, Echols mentioned wounds to the genital that one of the victims suffered. Toggle dark mode Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. Starting in the weeks that followed the killings, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky began to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case for their film "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills," airing in June 1996 on HBO. Everywhere you look, you see people with things that you do not have, and it has a profound mental effect. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. When West Memphis teens Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were tried and convicted of the murders of three 8-year-old boys in 1994, many in the community felt confident that investigators had put the right men behind bars. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side.