The documentary was filmed on 79 days over ten months up to the point of the West Memphis Three's conviction. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} Workers at the Bojangles restaurant just a mile from the crime scene reported that at 8:42 p.m., a Black male had entered the premises and went into the women's bathroom. 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. While he was on medication that may have affected the outcome, including Xanax, it seems that his suspected involvement in the killings was a complete dead end. According to her new story, police had threatened to take her child if she didn't "cooperate." At the scene, Steve Jones, assistant juvenile probation officer, openly speculated that Echols was capable of the crime, saying, "it looks like Damien Echols finally killed someone.". It took them 18 years to clear their names. West Memphis Three Benca said he hopes the evidence can be tested for DNA to help clear the name of his client, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. was convicted of murder as a teenager in 1994. The assailant is also prone to violent outbursts, likely has a history of domestic violence, and places a high importance on punishment. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. Jul. The 'West Memphis Three' Murders With the evidence mounting that all three accused had been innocent, the deal ensured that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley would never be allowed to pursue civil action against the state of Arkansas for wrongful imprisonment. 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. Toggle dark mode Efforts to release the West Memphis Three would be aided in 2003 when Vicki Hutcheson ultimately recanted her testimony, telling the "Arkansas Times" that everything she told police was a lie. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Police detective Bryn Ridge would later testify he somehow lost the samples from Bojangles' wall. The following morning, May 6, a far more thorough search throughout West Memphis began, Crittenden County Search and Rescue personnel leading the effort, including the use of a helicopter. On May 5, 1993, Branch was at home with his mother, Pamela Hobbs, and shortly after the end of school, Moore rode over on his bike and asked if his friend could take a ride with him. Adding, "Then, uh, Jason pulled out a knife. He has now resigned, and we know that none of the evidence was destroyed. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Who Killed Suspicion toward John Mark Byers would only increase when the bite marks on Steve Branch's forehead were discovered. Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. The police contended the tapes couldn't confirm this, with interference masking conversations. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. ga('ads.send', { eventAction: 'load' It is easy for many to look at the South as hillbilly central, full of prejudice and backward attitudes, with somewhat elitist attitudes often prevalent when discussing the case. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Misskelley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. 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. All three spent most of their days as any other mid-1990s teenagers - listening to rock music, watching pro wrestling on television, and either poking around under the hood of a car or simply hanging out and causing trouble. } West Memphis Three However, police thought they had their culprits and were willing to ignore Ricky Climer and Avis Bly's severe mental illnesses. Morgan and Holland left town on May 10 and headed to Oceanside in California, their departure shocking many who knew them. It took them 18 years to clear their names. It became humiliating, something I'd do everything I could to hide from the rest of the world. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal gads_event = event; So, this tells me that this offender was someone they know," Clemente said. I think he spent more time on concealing the bodies and the clothing and the bikes than he did on the actual murders. But what is the purpose of that? On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. A popular perception is that in New York or Los Angeles, is the lifestyles of the West Memphis Three wouldn't have drawn comment, but in Arkansas, it was a different story. 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. A self-identified white supremacist and freemason, his personality and affiliations led many to suspect that he was the kind of man who may have been involved in the killings. 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. Then read about the woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. hitType: 'event', Hobbs retrieved a .357 magnum pistol from his truck and shot Jackie Hicks, Pamela Hobbs' brother. "Even if he files within the right court, there is no body that's required under habeas corpus because he's released," said Attorney General Griffin. This would give him no time to meet his Echols and Baldwin, get drunk as he claimed, and then kill three children in an extended attack in the woods. While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. Candy-Land idealism is quietly suffocated in the relentless humidity. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Until 2007, when the discovery of new forensic evidence reopened the case and a new statute permitting post-conviction testing of DNA evidence came about. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? One of the few pieces of forensic evidence recovered at the scene was a hair belonging to a Black male found on a sheet that had been used to wrap one of the victims. 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. Goths, punks and skaters were in the ascendency, and Middle America was horrified. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. "We are planning to move ahead and test this evidence using the latest DNA technology available to hopefully identify the real killer(s) of the three children in 1993, and exonerate Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley.". WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. of the West Memphis Three He took one of them I don't know which one cut him on I think it was on this side of his face.". While Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley may have begun to rebuild their lives, there is still no solace or closure for the families of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore. West Memphis Three Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Misskelley was interrogated for 12 hours, of which less than an hour were recorded. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Steve had taken this knife everywhere and was never without it, with Pamela believing the killer had stolen it when it wasn't found at the scene. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Tape recorded, Misskelley would claim that "When the boys came up, Damien grabbed one of them, I don't know which one and the other two tried to get Damien to stop, and then me and Jason come out and started grabbing them, started hitting them." However, Aaron's story constantly changed, saying on one occasion he saw a victim bundled into a car by a Black man and on another stated that he witnessed the killings but didn't know who the killers were. Authorities figured Echols as a suspect because had shown an interest in occultism. The plea deal was accepted. A second hair found at the scene was consistent with his friend, David Jacoby. There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. Echols unwisely began to tell the fanatical Driver tall tales about local cults and animal sacrifices when Driver became his parole officer, telling him that he followed Wicca. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. One of the charges of making terroristic threats was connected to a domestic dispute between him and his first wife, Sandra Byers, who accused him of threatening her life and assaulting her with an electronic stunning device. Prosecutors in the case argued that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley had killed three boys the prior year as part of Satanic rituals. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Police on the case felt that there were cult-like and satanic overtones to the murders. }); The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. 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. One such suspect was none other than Byers. The inherent belief in that line of thought eventually led to the arrest of 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, three out-of-sorts teens who became popularly known as "The West Memphis Three.". Attempting to shelter from a storm, the two broke into a trailer and were charged with burglary and sexual misconduct. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. For the state, the Alford pleas were a face-saving exercise. 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. But, those were far from the only three suspects in the case. Memphis }); They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. Kara Goldfarb is a writer living in New York City. Memphis The condition of the bodies led to the initial belief the three had been raped and then killed. There was circumstantial evidence to suggest Byers knew more than he let on. West Memphis Three An attorney involved in the West Memphis Three case, in which three teenagers were convicted of killing three boys in 1993, is claiming that evidence related to the case that was believed to be lost or destroyed has been located at the West Memphis Police Department, local CBS affiliate WREG reported.Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. The child claimed they were committed by Spanish-speaking Satanists. }); Pamela Hobbs gave numerous interviews to the press where she spoke about the knife, the DNA, and the events of May 5 and 6, 1994. Clemente noted there was no indication, forensically, that theres more than one offender involved because what happened to each of the victims was consistent. The West Memphis Three }); connection to West Memphis Three 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. Every piece is still there https://t.co/8tzxOWjZLH, - Damien Echols (@damienechols) December 21, 2021. killed hitType: 'event', killed Who Killed All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. Therefore, Misskelley had to be tried alone. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were only 8 years old when they viciously murdered in 1993. WebSeason 1 Episode 1 Preview: Host and investigator Bob Ruff explores the flaws from the original ""West Memphis Three"" case to lay the groundwork for his evidence-driven investigation. True crime: The tragedy of the West Memphis Three Both had histories of drug offenses, and Morgan claimed to police he suffered from memory loss and blackouts, stating he "might have" killed the three boys. 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. WebWest Memphis Three, three American men who in 1994, while teenagers, were found guilty of murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, allegedly as part of devil worship. 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. Who Killed Driver's comments surrounding the case raised troubling questions over his competence to serve, stating he believed Echols and his girlfriend intended to sacrifice their expectant child to Satan. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? This is the world where fist meets face. He was 62. "We are trying to find the real killers. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. They were mutilated and bruised, and their clothes were in the nearby creek. To this day, it is still unclear who is responsible for the brutal murders, and in hopes of uncovering new potential leads, investigative podcaster Bob Ruff reexamined the case in . On one occasion after the killings at Robin Hood Hills, he had beaten Pamela so severely that she told the family that she thought her jaw was broken, prompting them to drive to the Hobbs home to confront him. He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help..