document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes, Fowler Center Presents Singer/Songwriter Kaia Kater in Concert, Multiple arrested in Poinsett County explosive investigation, WBUs Anderson Senior Recital Set for March 7, Bicyclists Invited to Enjoy Arkansas Roots Ride Between A-State Heritage Sites, Arkansas man wins $5.75 million lottery prize, I just have a feeling that a lot of murderers, at some pointthese [killers] told somebody, Jared said. The decision remains controversial as the families of the three victims are divided in their opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the West Memphis Three. He also consulted a handwriting expert and Paul Chitwood, an attorney who had previously done legal work for Roberts. Isadore Banks grew up in that era of oppression. In his newest book, Whispers in the Willows, Jared explores three unsolved murder cases hes covered throughout the years, and more. According to Arkansas investigators, she told her friends she was originally from Florida. Ive got some expert analysis in that chapter of the new evidence that has come out. After serving in World War I, he returned home to Marion and began working at a utility plant. Riggs' defense said she was suffering from depression and apparently did not want to have her children split up after her envisioned suicide. Barnett may have been the same John Barnett who, at the time of the 1900 census, was living in Independence Township (Lee County). The primary focus is on victims Rebekah Gould, Karen Johnson Swift, and Amanda Tusing. She was very passionate about her company," said Madewell, who now runs Auntie Belham's alongside his wife. Texarkana Siblings Charged in Burned Bodies Case. In early January 2014, Cicada 3301 released another message in its three year journey. The Springtime Jonquil Festival In Arkansas Thats Unlike Any Other, Spend A Magical Evening Savoring This Wine And Fondue Experience In Arkansas, Arkansas Oldest Drive-In Theater Is Hiding In A Small Town And Youll Want To Visit, Dine At The Historic Spot In Arkansas Where The Legendary Gangster Al Capone Drank Whiskey, 15 Movies You Probably Didnt Know Were Filmed In Arkansas, The Story Of The Serial Killer Who Terrorized This Small Arkansas Town Is Truly Frightening, History Has Forgotten This Bizarre Arkansas Event From 50 Years Ago, Not Many Folks Remember The Dark Tale Of The Arkansas Assassin. Since the beginning of 2021 through the end of May, there have been 27 murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, alone. Tommy Sevier, Jr., age 25, and Samantha Sevier, age 19, both of Texarkana, Arkansas are each charged with two counts of capital murder. It took one last cruel act of chancethe wrong meeting with the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong timeto produce a double torture-murder case that 38 years later remains in the Department of Public Safetys files, unsolved. The property had been sold to a management company created and owned by Horton. Her husband and her family are basically from Pocahontas, Jared said. into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. In August 1998, both boys were sentenced to confinement until they reached the age of 21, which is the maximum sentence available under Arkansas law. In one of Echols' many interviews while in prison, he issued a sobering notion to filmmakers of the West of Memphis documentary: "The person who killed those three kids is still out there walking on the street.". Stephens did not return requests for comment for this story. Authorities ask anyone with information in the case to call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office at865-453-4668 or 865-428-1899. In most of the cases, authorities have made appeals to the public for help. He was serving a 40 year state sentence for armed robbery and narcotics violations and an additional 30 year federal sentence for kidnapping and airplane hijacking. The local Packard garage might have had the necessary parts to repair the carbut it had to order them and wait five days instead. Main Page; Discuss; All Pages; Community; Interactive Maps; Recent Blog Posts; Netflix series. ", Texarkana Siblings Charged in Burned Bodies Case, La. Roten checked in with other districts all across the state, but the only two incidents appeared to come from Little Rock. A willows branches reach toward the ground and raindrops falling from the branches resemble tears, giving it the name weeping willow. Willow trees are prevalent in fiction but throughout cultures across the world, too. The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the head by her boyfriend. Entry Category: Criminal Activities - Encyclopedia Of Arkansas This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The FBI maintains that Banks' case is one of many unsolved civil rights-era cases that it is still investigating. Arkansas has its share of unsolved mysteries for supernatural sleuths Clinton's far-right critics pounced on the murder. He refused to appeal his death sentence. January 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Morgan's friends told police that they saw her talking to a "creepy" man. Sumpter and McLemore's account isn't without precedent. Someone likely killed her at her home, detectives determined, then placed her body in her SUV and sent it tumbling off an embankment near some rental cabins she owned. Over the years, around 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas alone. On April 17, 1905, an African-American levee worker named John Barnett was hanged by a black mob near Askew (Lee County) for allegedly murdering a fellow worker. According to their YTD report, which shows crimes from January to the end of May 2021, there have been roughly 27 murders in Little Rock alone. A litany of theories emerged as motives for the murder. He went on to criticizethe state highway patrol, whichworked the crash, and the sheriff's office, whichreceived the case after the autopsyon Aug. 6, 2009. Constable John J. Sumpter, Jr. and Deputy Sheriff John McLemore were investigating reports of "cattle rustling" in Hot Springs when they watched a bright light descend behind some trees. Uncovered: Unsolved Murders By State These Uniform Crime Reports show not only the information for the state as a whole, but also include data for many cities and counties as well, organized by the law enforcement agency. Giles says they're still working to pinpoint a motive in the case. Why these two cities were chosen among some of the more exotic locations, which include Seattle, New Orleans, London, Tokyo, and Paris, is unclear. "We don't know if it's drug related or some sort of payback or what. It worked. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Five famous cases the police may never mark closed.. 1. Madewell recalled drivingbackto Sevier County from Ohio the day after Hercutt's death on Aug. 3, 2009. In the months that followed, the Phantom Killer embarked on a murder spree, which the media coined the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. Arkansas was no different. 21 years after Arkansas couple found dead, authorities seeking answers Simmons was charged with 16 counts of murder, found guilty, and sentenced to death. A local business owner was hit with check fraud, her report to police said, after a check from her account for several thousand dollars was cashed in North Little Rock. The reason behind the frenzied housecleaning has never been fully explained. Some of the most famous Arkansas murders that made and remained in headline news for an extended period of time, and are still considered some notorious Arkansas criminals, include former NFL player Raphel Cherry, who killed his wife in 1999; Curtis Vance, who murdered popular news anchor Anne Pressley in 2008; and Christina Riggs, who killed her two young children in 1997, among many other Arkansas famous murders. Uncovered: Unsolved Arkansas Murders Some of the biggest unsolved murders in Arkansas include the 1994 murder of Melissa Missy Witt, the 1995 murder of Marlo Taylor, and the 1987 double murder of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, among many others. Dawn Shannon Hercutt's bizarre killing remains unsolved a decade later Jesse Millinger's 1903 Unsolved Murder - sevier.tngenealogy.net Ted Hercutt, for example, said the SUV's airbags did not deploy,there were no skid marks at the scene and an electronic device in the Escalade showed it was going just 7 mph before it wrecked. At around 10:30 p.m., Morgan asked her mother if she could catch lightning bugs with her friends. The Cadillac Escalade was towed to an impound lot, andthe 40-year-old businesswoman's body was sent to a funeral home to be preparedfor burial. The latest murder happened in DeQueen, Arkansas. She had also been arrested in Texas under the aliases "Cheryl Wick," "Kelly Carr/Karr," "Sharon Wiley," and "Mercedes.". There's just something that comes together at some point, and I truly believe that it will here, too. There were, however, plenty of clues. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Here are 10 more mysteries to explore. The two youths were among the youngest people ever charged with murder in American history. Sevier County Sheriff Monte Stringfellow says that they responded to a call at a home in the 300 block of Dogtown Road, just after 11 p.m. Thursday night. Others describe a girl in a white dress, draped in a motorcycle jacket, who forever wanders the highway in search of her deceased prom date. Bring on the Shiplap? According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were around 9,951 murders in Arkansas alone. In those halcyon days the dollar seemed like a good investment, and so the diamond found its way to New York, where it was purchased by E. B. McFarlin of San Antonio in 1956. Arkansas murderers list | Murderpedia The search centered for a while on a young gigolo, but the police could prove nothing. (It was still working.) James Hendricks and Kimberlin Mills (known as Jimmy and Kim respectively) are American murder victims who were discovered on June 17, 1978. He owned several businesses, along with nearly 1,000 acres of land. The Phantom Killer: Behind An Unsolved Murder Spree In Arkansas Johnson was released on his 21st birthday, August 11, 2005, having spent seven years in prison. (It is perhaps worth noting that the laws of the state of Texas are somewhat more lenient, and its citizens have considerably more difficulty keeping their jewels.) The train engineer noticed them but was unable to stop in time to prevent running over them; he later rationalized that due to the noise of the oncoming train, the boys had to have been dead and positioned on the tracks before he arrived. We've shared with you 10 unexplained mysteries of Arkansas, but don't think it stops there. One caller even told the Jefferson County sheriff's department that he saw a mushroom cloud-like explosion in the vicinity of the fire. There are rumors of an unidentified figure in military fatigues loitering in the area before the train ran over Kevin and Don. "And don't sit there and act like you're so innocent.". Hailing from Forrest City, Arkansas, Larry Porter Chism is wanted by the United States Marshals for charges related to his escape from the Lonoke County Jail in the December of 1978. And yet another account says drivers pick up a young girl asking for a ride home. More specifically, in Little Rock, Arkansas most populated city, in 2018 the homicide rate was 20.07 per 100,000 residents. IZARD COUNTY, Ark. When investigators arrived at the scene, they say Timothy Sharp began approaching from behind the house and he did not have a weapon. The Sharp's neighbor, Lisa Arbor can see their home from her front yard, but says although she's shocked, she's not surprised. "I know you have paid someone to kill Shannon," Penny Stephens told Ted Hercutt, his mouth agape. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. The local police quickly rushed to the conclusion, claiming the boys had died from a drug overdose on the tracks. A lot of new witnesses and implications have come to the surface, Jared said. Although there are around 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas, most people with an interest in true crime may only know some of the better-known murders. The hammer he used to shatter the display case, but the lawn chair had a much more elaborate function. However, a local witness claims that he saw two police officers beating two boys senseless in a store parking lot before tossing them into a truck and driving away. On April 30, shortly after 5 p.m., the body of Joseph Darnell Frazier, 48, of Hot Springs, was found in the 2500 block of Glazypeau Road. The cars spare tire had no inner tube; perhaps the Fromes had stopped to fix a flat tire, only to encounter a not-so-good Samaritan. After her children were dead, Riggs unsuccessfully attempted suicide. The couple's son's are now in the custody of relatives. Those with information can call or text the ISB Tip Line at (888) 653-0009; leave tips online by visiting http://www.nps.gov/ISB and clicking "Submit a Tip;" or by email at nps_isb@nps.gov. 2023 www.knoxnews.com. It was not unusual for the 85-year-old Roberts to leave the house suddenly, but it was virtually unprecedented for 89-year-old, infirm Jessie Forsyth to accompany him. Some unsolved murders in northern Arkansas include the 1998 murder of Valeria Christina Roberson, the 2000 murder of Amanda Renee Tusing, the 2001 murder of Tammy Jarvis, and the 2002 murder of Edward Choi, among many others. She was last seen at 10:45 p.m. by her friends, emptying sand out of her shoes at her mother's car. ", Mathis' aunt, Misty Ely, told the newspaper Mathis had gone to a friend's house on Christmas Eve but left around 11 p.m. and it was unknown what happened to him between then and Christmas morning. The overall violent crime rate in Arkansas as of 2019 was 867.1 per 100,000 residents, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Authorities in Arkansas are seeking information in a double homicide that has remained unsolved for 21 years. One of the individuals who will be included in Arkansas serial killer list is James Waybern Hall, also known as Big Jim, who was convicted of killing 4 people in 1944 and 1945. He claimed to have sauntered into the Witte carrying a lawn chair and a concealed hammer. He would not elaborate onShannon Hercutt's cause of death, nor would he say what deputiesfound when they went to her home. But only nine months after Clinton won the White House, Parks was gunned down in West Little Rock. When the Sevier County officers arrived, appellant admitted to being in his parents' home to get the keys to a family vehicle, a Chrysler Conquest, on the night of the murders. One of the survivors, Henry Greenbaum, describes watching five of his siblings die at the hands of the Nazis. Jared was present for three of the four executions including the first double execution in 20 years in the United States. Bergeron looked at the familiar signature again and decided it didnt look quite right. The 40-year-old was a hardworking business owner, a loving sister and an incredible aunt to Penny's daughter. The area where White was found is part of Hot Springs National Park and on federal land, resulting in both the National Park Service and FBI taking the lead on the investigation. Some of the biggest unsolved murders in Arkansas include the 1994 murder of. He claimed that his father had collected a file on Clinton's salacious activities and that he was subsequently executed because of its contents. No one has ever been charged in any of the three aforementioned cases. The suspect's race was an important factor in the case, as the hair of black male was discovered in one of the sheets used to wrap the victims. This case immediately caught national attention when three teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelly Jr., and Jason Baldwin, were arrested and charged with the murders of the three young boys, with the killings being portrayed as being a part of a Satanic ritual. Easily the state's most infamous missing persons case, 6-year-old Morgan Nick was abducted from a little league baseball game in Alma in June of 1995. And Nancy and her mother might be alive todaybut they arent. At first, her mother was uncertain, but eventually let her go. Cherry was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, but upon appeal of his conviction, his sentenced was reduced to 30 years. For much of the 20th century, the South was an inhospitable place for African Americans. Sheriffs deputies thought they were on the right track a month after the murder when they found a car with hair and traces of blood similar to Farentholds in the trunk. In 2001, the AMBER Alert itself an acronym tied the abduction of a young girl in Texas, was renamed in Arkansas to the Morgan Nick AMBER Alert. But police believe that other parties unknown could have had a motive, toosomeone who arranged the contact, perhaps, or helped finance Farentholds part of the deal and didnt want his role exposed in court. Boredom is the eternal curse of the fisherman. MCSO Notable - Arkansas A local black coalition offered a $1,000 reward to anyone with information, but no one came forward. Chitwood decided a court of inquiry was necessary, and Judge Dee Brown Walker agreed. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. The McFarlin family gave the 49.2 carat stone to the Witte two years later, where it was prominently displayed as the McFarlin diamond. Uncovered: Unsolved Tennessee Murders AR man allegedly kills wife in front of sons, La. Rumors swirled. "The Hot Springs Police Department and the Watts family are asking for help from the media and public to bring light on this case as it will be one year as of Dec. 29 since this horrendous crime took place," Anaya said, noting they are seeking any information leading to the arrest of the individuals involved.