The reason why you find the wrongfully convicted in my database is simple: when the exonerated is taken out of the . In Hogden, Oklahoma, just 200 miles west of Little Rock, two young men, Billy Hainline and Dennis Decker, lying together on the railroad tracks had been run over by a locomotive in 1984. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Man charged with murder in North Carolina is not George Floyd's brother, Ballot positions are done by a random draw in each county in Arkansas, National Park Service seeks tips from the public to aid homicide investigation in Hot Springs National Park, National Park Service and FBI Seek Information Regarding Hot Springs National Park Homicide Investigation, Woman found dead in Hot Springs National Park; death investigated as homicide, Police investigating after woman's remains found at Hot Springs National Park, Investigation by FBI, NPS closes part of Blacksnake Sunday. It also looked into an alleged drug ring in Saline County which ran out of Mena Airport and was covered up by police. Alma, ARJune 9, 1995; A six-year-old vanishes while at a little league game. The Cold Case investigators primarily focus their efforts on unsolved homicides and rapes. All four of the people on the train who were able to observe the scene prior to the accident stated that the bodies were partially covered by the green tarp. (KATV) It was September 27, 2004, when the family of 22-year-old Rebekah Gould. Before being treated at the hospital for minor injuries, Ford explained to the officers that he routinely spotted the monster on his property terrorizing his livestock, so they decided to investigate. After serving a 10-month sentence in north Arkansas, he was released from prison in May of 1995. In the early 1900s, down in Nevada County, the man who would come to be known as Old Mike was a familiar face in and around the city of Prescott. Who had covered them with it and why? Several witnesses who testified before the grand jury were charged with drug trafficking and other offenses. She wanted to keep the baby, he didnt. Other medical experts and researchers stated that it was highly unlikely, if not impossible, for a person to pass out from smoking marijuana. They had both been shot several times in the back of the head. Hempstead County SHERIFF. On the night Kevin and Don died, witnesses again reported seeing a man in military fatigues. Rumors began to circulate that the man she had been having an affair with, Sgt. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. If you would like to make a donation by check, print this donation form, fill it out and mail it with your check to: Central Arkansas Library System Kevin and Don set off to go spotlighting, a form of night hunting which is illegal in Arkansas. In 1946, the town of Texarkana, which straddles the state line between Texas and Arkansas, was rocked by a series of brutal attacks that ultimately left five people dead and three gravely injured. Maybe they had seen a drug drop that was connected to alleged cocaine smuggling via the Mena Airport. They embalmed him and put his corpse on display outside of the local funeral home. But some citizens still believed the wrong man had gone to the gallows. Garrett was later interviewed by Robert Stack; he claimed that there was drug trafficking throughout Bryant and Saline County that was also connected to several other counties and states. Translate. They cite both killers specific victims, method of operation, preferred murder weapon, and the similaralbeit stretchedtime period as evidence of a connection. One of them would shine a light in the animals eyes, transfixing the prey while the other fired. When police officer Danny Allen stopped to question him, the man opened fire. Controversy erupted over Davidsons guilt or innocence, and whether he had acted alone. Texarkana was on high alert, but despite the best efforts of the authorities, the violence continued. Virgil and Katie Starks were shot in their own home in May. Kevin and Dons parents are determined to continue working on and investigating the case until it is solved. A composite photo of a potential suspect was released in hopes of generating local leads, but it did not generate any. PICKENS, Clay King Murder Mystery: Scandalous Arkansas Trials By Janie Jones Detective Al Dawson escorts Orsini to jail.Photographs courtesy of Central Arkansas Library System Archives On the morning of Sept. 26, 1974, a housekeeper discovered the body of 67-year-old Fern Rodgers, wife Here's what is known about them SABRINA LYNN UNDERWOOD:. CrimeDoor opens the 'AR' door to unsolved murders. In April, Paul Martin, 16, and Betty Jo Booker, 15, were found murdered after a high school dance. It ranks as one of the most remembered cases in the entire series. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Simply go tokrogercommunityrewards.com, click Create an Account to sign in, and selectCALS Foundationas your organization to support. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp" in 1994, the sheriff's office said. USA TODAY contacted the Hot Springs Police Department about the claimand was referred to the National Park Service. The next victims of the Phantom Killer, however, would not be as fortunate as his first. He placed the train into an emergency stop position and laid down on the horn. He is not sure why someone would do that, however. A reporter from the local paper thought enough of the incident to file a story, earning the attention of low-budget filmmakers, who turned the encounter into a clumsy horror movie that propelled the creature to national stardom. Jimmy Hollis, 25, and Mary Jeanne Larey, 19, had gone to see a movie and then went to park on a local lovers' lane. Don was a natural comedian and Kevin was his best audience. He told police that they were laying motionless on the tracks, parallel to one another with their arms straight down at their sides, their bodies partially covered by a green tarp. Two unsolved murders of young women from the 1970s have now been linked to one suspect through DNA and genetic genealogy, according to Northern California prosecutors. The first time you log in to our catalog you will need to create an account. "You may not know a thing, you may know something you don't realize you know, so we would love to be able to speak to anyone who had a relationship with Mr. Renegar," the sheriff said. P.O. It started as a normal Saturday night on August 22, 1987 in Bryant, Arkansas. Then under the direction of Captain Leonard Montgomery, the cold case squad was officially in operation. Yet the true story behind the "Texarkana Moonlight Murders" is as chilling as anything seen on the silver screenand made all the more unsettling because the case remains unsolved nearly 70 years later. On most weekends, the two double dated. The train was over a mile long and was traveling at a speed of fifty-two miles per hour. He said that he and Kevin were going to go out hunting. Spotlighting was a fairly widespread activity among the local boys. Arkansas On Sunday, August 23, 1987, at around 4:00 a.m., the bodies of teens Kevin Ives and Don Henry were spotted by the crew of a Union Pacific locomotive near Crooked Creek trestle in. In recent years, sightings have been sporadic. However, on the night of Saturday, August 22, 1987, Kevin and Don met a group of friends on the outskirts of Little Rock at a favorite gathering place for the local teenagers. By the time Allen got up from his seat, the man was gone. Mike Allen recently flipped through his latest project that dives into a childhood memory that . jerrysgirl67. Phone: 870-633-2611 (24 hours) Email. In the mid-1980s, a series of articles in The Arkansas Gazette alleged that her disappearance involved Arkansas State Police Commissioner Mike Berg. Families don't accept explanation, Marijuana coma? Nearly three decades after the investigation hit a dead end, Texarkanas Charles B. (Faulkner County Sheriff's Office). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Renegar died from natural causes on Sept. 5, 2002, in Salt Lake City. On April 16th, 2004 Chester Roberson was found murdered inside AA Auto Sales on Highway 161 where he was employed. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 08:40 PM CST. The mysterious Moonlight Murders rocked the sleepy southern town of Texarkana in 1946. William Gardiner, a preacher of the Primitive Methodist Chapel, was suspected due . Arkansas Category page Edit The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. They appeared as a series of 10 circles as large as 9 meters (30 ft) in diameter. SHARES. In 1995, the investigation into Kevin and Don's murders was officially closed without their killer(s) captured or identified. Gould, who was from Mountain View, was found dead . His findings did little to sway the rest of the force, Henry recounted, and he was reportedly told by his superiors that theres too much money involved before being reassigned. To keep creating Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. He felt that was like questioning the existence of the bodies on the tracks. Friends who were with them that night confirmed this amount. The killings were also the inspiration for the 1976 movieThe Town That Dreaded Sundown, which Texarkana still shows each Halloween in a park near one of the crime scenes. EMERGENCY 911. The only items missing were his keys and wallet. In June 1988, a local man came forward, claiming that on the night of the murder, he saw two police officers beating two boys senseless in a store parking lot before tossing them into a police car and driving away. In January 2018, former wrestler Billy Jack Haynes came forward, claiming that he had witnessed Kevin and Don's murders and knew who was responsible. The Natural State has more than enough of its dark secrets and skeletons in the closet to ruin the serenity. Most Wanted Press Releases Sex Offenders. Leave your legacy with a planned gift that can help ensure quality materials, programming, and services for our libraries. Picavettold The Sentinel-Record that the FBI is working with local law enforcement because the investigation involves an incident on federal land. Spreading your gift out through monthly contributions is a great solution for your budget and ours. The FBI was brought in, as well as the Texas Rangers. The officers later returned to the scene without the boys. He also found evidence to indicate that one of them was already dead and one unconscious when the train hit them. Crawfords last known whereabouts place her at home. He does not believe Don would do that because he would not want the wood getting scratched. Welcome To Arkansas Missing Persons Cases & Jane Doe Cases. Garrett then focused on the green tarp. That was her immediate reaction to the ruling. It is not known if the boys were Kevin and Don. Pierce made a movie loosely based off of the events, titled The Town That Dreaded Sundown. However, he repeatedly received resistance from authorities, who seemed unwilling to cooperate or change their opinions about the case. Now author Nita Gould unveils the remarkable story in her book Remembering Ella: A 1912 Murder and Mystery in the Arkansas Ozarks, just released by Butler Center Books. After 25 years, though, it appears as if the case will forever remain unsolved. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. General Services Administrations Missing Child Notice Program. Al Capone was a frequent visitor to the state in the 1920s, spending ample time in Hot Springs to bet on horse races at Oaklawn and relax in some of the many bathhouses that lined Central Avenue. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. On December 19, 1959, the entire Walker family was brutally murdered in their home in Osprey, Florida. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Teenagers Don Henry, 16, and Kevin Ives, 17, popular students who were gearing up for their senior year at Bryant High School, had decided to hang out with a group of friends at a local commuter parking lot, a popular gathering place for teens. To cover their tracks, they laid them on the railroad tracks and covered them up with a tarp. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Butler Center Books is the publishing division of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. 1. Arkansas State Parks kicks off centennial celebration 16 hours ago. Police quickly orchestrated an intense investigation. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp," according to Ryals. I got the youtube clip from the Arkansas Times Blog. Some said that it was a result of his strained relationship with Dillards, the parent company of CDI, as he was being audited at the time. HOT SPRINGS -- The new year began with some homicides still unsolved. HOT SPRINGS, Ark. Ghost lightsor will-o-the-wisps, as theyre known in Europeare staples of paranormal folklore. Her husband, Clyde, returned to their house to find her car still in the driveway, the TV on, and money in her purse. vetoes transgender youth treatment ban, View Gallery: Meet the candidates running for US senate from Arkansas, The claim: There is an active serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Cold cases are reported incidents of crime that were not solved during the initial investigation. He ruled their deaths an accident. A $10,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime. Scott Johnson and Norman Ladner are two other cases involving youths who might have been murdered after observing drug drops. The movie spawned four sequels. He also points out that Dons gun was laying on the gravel. When 18-year-old Ella Barham was raped, murdered, and dismembered in broad daylight, the crime sent waves of shock through surrounding counties, the Ozarks, and even the national press. The secret starts in the wooded terrain of Jack Mountain in Hot Spring County, where hunters found the remains of Linda Edwards back in 1977. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Location: Alexander, Arkansas He was only active for a three-week period between April and May, but in that span, he attacked eight people, killing five. Submit Via Email. A mother's 30-year missions to uncover the truth about what happened to her son's in 1987 has led a federal judge to order an urgent review of several tightly guarded government . ", Pam Felkins, 32, was kidnapped on Feb. 2, 1990 from a video rental store where she worked in Greenbrier, Ark. The first to volunteer in 2004 was retired NLRPD sergeant James "Butch" Swain. "ATTENTION Be on high alert in HOT SPRINGS, AR, and surrounding areas," reads a widely shared Facebook imageposted April 12. Police ruled their deaths accidental, with the state medical examiner declaring that they were under the influence of marijuana and had passed out on the tracks. 100 Rock Street The investigators would then work on each case when time would allow. But their tryst was interrupted by a man wearing a white sack with eye and mouth holes cut into it, shining a flashlight into their car. by Janie Jones | Mar 25, 2022 Murder Mystery: The Moab Murders, Pt. It is also known as the "Boys on the Tracks" case. Arkansas: The West Memphis murders of Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and James Moore. Gould was driven to unearth answers long-buried under decades of gossip and folklore. It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. What the media quickly dubbed the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, carried out by a shadowy figure the local paper called the "Phantom Killer," sent the small southern city into a panic. Having had no formal legal classes, she aced the exam and eventually became an expert in abstract and title law. The states had a handful of them before, but none have reached the magnitude of those in Guy. This Side of Seven: Arkansas' First School Shooter by Jason Pederson | Dec 23, 2021 ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. On April 16th, 2004 Chester Roberson was found murdered inside AA Auto Sales on Highway 161 where he was employed. Witnesses came forward with testimony that theyd seen police officers beating the boys senseless before tossing them in the back of a truck and speeding off. Ives, meanwhile, had blunt force trauma to his skull. At the time, Edwards had been missing for months. When Linda Edwards got a job as dispatcher for the Garland County Sheriffs Office, she considered it a godsendbut just six months after joining the force, she vanished. Local gun shops enjoyed a flurry of business, as people flocked to buy up firearms to defend themselves against a possible attack. Eventually, in 1975, the state attorney generals office requested that he be buried, and Mike was finally laid to rest later that May. At 5:30 am on 7 January, 1977, a young boy, Phillip Watts, aged 11, left his house to deliver newspapers around his home in St. Laurent, Montreal. Neither Kevin nor Don owned such a tarp. Crime in Arkansas. Earthquake swarms arent entirely unusual in Arkansas. He referenced a YouTube and Facebook video. Hope, AR 71801. Two more appeared in the following yearsone in 2004 in Peach Orchard and another in Delaplaine three years later, two towns less than five miles apart. Rebecca Pocklington; Holly Christodoulou; Published: 15:31, 19 Feb 2020; - It was the scandal that rocked the state of Arkansas in the mid-1970s - a well-known doctor's affair leading to a murder for hire. NeverForgotten.ar.gov, launched in 2016 and hosted by Arkansas Crime Information Center, enables the public to access information on missing persons cases with an easy-to-use searchable database. Unfortunately, the law barred Peggy from testifying against her husband, and the detectives lacked evidence strong enough to convict Swinney for murder. They have spent many hours at the spot where they were killed, wondering how it could have happened. who was the head of the Investigations Division at the time. Legally declared dead by Ouachita County in 1969, Crawfords death was found to be the result of foul play perpetrated by person or persons unknown.. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies continue to work on the cases, which date from the last week of 2020 through . However, he was never charged in the case or officially labeled a suspect. In an effort to halt the violence and capture the suspect, police put the city under lockdown each day at dusk, patrolling the streets in heavily armed patrols. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Larey claimed that the man had been black, despite not having seen his face, but Hollis said he believed the man to have been white. In the meantime, Captain Mask began contacting retired North Little Rock Police officers to seek out interested individuals who would be willing to volunteer their expertise and help solve some of these cold cases. Thats where Mike sat for the next six decades. They put him behind bars for car theft. Homicides are the most commom types of cases worked by the cold case investigators as there is no statute of limitations on when a person can be charged for committing this crime. They thought maybe that was evidence of a possible ransom or extortion, but the money in his bank accounts hasnt been touched. In March 1990, Kevin and Don's manner of death were officially changed from "accidental" to "homicide." The first two victims' remains, those of an adult woman and young . The trains engineer didnt see the boys in time to stop. Map. Harmon dropped all charges against Abernathy, who had recently been promoted to lieutenant. When they were about six poles away from Kevin and Don, his conductor yelled out big-o and he immediately realized that there were bodies on the tracks. He claimed that he was hired by a "corrupt Arkansas politician" to provide "muscle" at an Arkansas drug stop. The police failed to find any blood from a supposed wound inflicted by Ford, but they did find a strange set of tracks out in the woods, as well as scratches on Fords door. NeverForgotten.ar.gov is also made possible by the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Arkansas Sheriffs Association, Arkansas State Crime Lab, Arkansas State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation Little Rock Division, Morgan Nick Foundation and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. He occasionally stayed overnight, but he always left the following day on the afternoon train. Results: Unresolved. It was alleged that they were the officers seen beating the two boys in a store parking lot. NeverForgotten.ar.gov includes all missing persons from Arkansas and will be updated regularly. Residents booby-trapped their houses with pots and pans full of silverware or old nails. CALS will select the site and provide landscaping and lighting as necessary. Arkansas Unsolved Mysteries Who was Angeline Patrick? From chilling 'deep freeze' murder to mum torched in a churchyard, the terrifying unsolved crimes that time forgot. He does not believe that anyone could sleep through that kind of noise. A few months later, Abernathy was formally charged with her murder. However, he was unable to stop it in time. The claim that there is an active serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is FALSE, based on our research. While the 70s saw interest in the Fouke Monster peaka local radio station even put out a bounty for its capturethe late 90s was the last time the mysterious beast ever saw a resurgence in popularity. Ryals said over the years, DNA tests were performed on "numerous persons of interests" with negative results. Links: Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. I relied extensively on primary, legal, and academic sources such as court case files, original newspaper articles, history and law books, and Barham family documents.. The exception to this is when DNA evidence can be processed. Under the guidance of Captain Montgomery, the NLRPD cold case team has been awarded a federal grant to use for cold case investigation. One week before Kevin and Don were killed, a man wearing military fatigues had been spotted in the vicinity. In October 1988, shortly after the broadcast, the results were released. In September of 2004, the North Little Rock Police Department started a pilot program designed to reduce the number of open investigations by using retired law enforcement officers to supplement the existing group of investigators. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. Details: In the pre-dawn hours of August 23, 1987, a seventy-five car, 6,000 ton Union Pacific cargo train made its regular night run to the UP freight yard in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The ensuing investigation unearthed an intriguing lead. NEW YORK WOMAN, WHO VANISHED ON BUS TRIP TO FIND TWIN SISTER, STILL BEING SOUGHT 8 YEARS LATER. Remembering Ella is available at bookstores including the Central Arkansas Library Systems Bookstore and Galleries at Library Square. Police speculated that Kevin and Don's murder may have been related to drug trafficking. For more information, contact 501-918-3025 orcalsfoundation@cals.org. As a result, the grand jury changed its ruling from "probable homicide" to "definite homicide." Swinney died in 1994, and no evidence has come out to unequivocally prove whether or not he was the Phantom Killer. Administrative Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. Arkansans who have missing loved ones should share as much information as possible, especially the most recent available photographs with their local law enforcement agency. While there, he allegedly witnessed the murders. The murder clearance rate hit an all-time low in 2020, and data analyzed by a nonprofit shows that trend continued last year. In the early morning hours of August 23, 1987, the mangled bodies of Henry and Ives were discovered on a set of railroad tracks in Bryant, a suburb just south of Little Rock. 2023 Central Arkansas Library System. While traveling through this part time or even full time jobs in Arkansas have come to call home. Examiners concluded that both were dead before being run over by the train. According to the New York Daily News, the terror began on February 22, when a date that was going pretty well ended in tragedy. Police who searched the scene later denied that Stephen had told them about the tarp. . No answers 29 years after murder of Arkansas teen Dana Stidham Eighteen-year-old Dana Stidham was last seen on July 25, 1989 leaving a grocery store in Bella Visa, Arkansas with medicine for. Witnesses say that they saw her standing next to a maroon car driven by a man in his 30s on August 9, 1970. Newly appointed prosecutor Richard Garrett had Kevin and Dons bodies exhumed for a second autopsy to be performed by a noted expert. Kevin and Don had avoided being caught. In August 2016, Linda sued the United States over Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Arkansas was a hotbed for mob activity in the first half of the 20th century. 100 Rock Street Your monthly donation provides ongoing and predictable support we can count on to fund educational and cultural programming for the patrons, communities, and neighborhoods being served by CALS. Relatively little new information ever surfaced in subsequent years. All the victims and wrongfully convicted people are listed by their last name. The weight of the heavy cargo train carried it for a full half mile. 870-777-6727 or . To see a complete list of Butler Center Books, visit www.butlercenter.org/publication. It's time she . (Robbi . An unidentified assailant often known as the Texarkana Phantom Killer committed a number of murders and assaults in Texarkana (Miller County, Arkansas, and Bowie County, Texas) through the spring of 1946. The 2019 crime rate in Hot Springs, AR is 620 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 2.3 times higher than the U.S. average. Don and Kevin's parents, however, could . Their parents would not accept Dr. Malaks conclusion. Inmate Roster Map Message from the Sheriff. His behavior had aroused suspicion. In Cold Blood: The Brutal 1959 Murder of the Walker Family. Arkansas911news said the bodies were dismembered and chopped up. Very interesting article from AY Magazine. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Curtis was not worried about them going into the woods because he did not think they would get in trouble. He was usually present when Kevin returned home from school and his mother, Linda, was always home at nights. In late December 1988, the grand jury investigating the case released their final report, stating that the deaths were the result of foul play; however, no indictments were issued regarding the deaths. He believes that others were involved or have knowledge of who was involved. The Attorney Generals office supports families of the missing, law enforcement and social service agencies by hosting an annual Never Forgetten event. Garrett also believes that the tarp existed. It was higher than in 97.9% U.S. cities. ", Another user wroteApril 12, "Dang! Maddox said that inanarticle that was removed because of a computer glitch,Arkansas 911 News reported that it was not able to verify that five women were murdered or that a serial killer was found. Before this website was created, the public had limited access to information on missing persons. Unsolved Cases . Anonymous tips to the telecenter suggested that Kevin and Don were murdered by drug traffickers, and that they may have stumbled into the middle of a "drug drop." The Doe Network has 33 Missing Persons listed from Arkansas.. 13 Males & 20 Females. The state medical examiner said the boys had been under the influence of marijuana and he ruled the deaths accidental. When 18-year-old Ella Barham was raped, murdered, and dismembered in broad daylight, the crime sent waves of shock through surrounding counties, the Ozarks, and even the national press. Friends said he was anxious over it. Little Rock, AR. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. The news release and an April 13 statement from the FBI on the investigation make no mention of any additional bodiesdiscovered in the area. The state medical examiner, Dr. Fahmy Malak, said they had been under the influence of marijuana and ruled the deaths accidental. . Prior to working on this case, Garrett never carried a gun. Kevin Ives and Don Henry on Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Friends, Train Crew Subpoenaed In Investigation Of Deaths Of Teens, Malak Ruling In Train Deaths Of Teens Challenged By Pathologist, Jury asks FBI to probe train deaths in Newton County, Jury 'not completely pleased' with progress in investigation of two Bryant teens' deaths, Drugs cause of deaths? Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder.
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