In October 1988, shortly after the broadcast, the results were released. Mike Allen recently flipped through his latest project that dives into a childhood memory that . The term "serial killer" hadn't been coined yet (according to Refinery29, it entered the lexicon via a 1981 article in The New York Times), but authorities in Texarkana strongly believed that a single killer had been behind all of the attacks. In the last 5 years Hot Springs has seen . The reason why you find the wrongfully convicted in my database is simple: when the exonerated is taken out of the . Pierce made a movie loosely based off of the events, titled The Town That Dreaded Sundown. In a statement to USATODAY, Arkansas 911 News chief editor Paul Maddox said the site nevermentioned that there was a serial killerrunning loose in Hot Springs. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. To this date, the unit has investigated over 85 cold cases. 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. Henrys shirt was in tatters, with lacerations all over his body indicative of stabbing. Kevin waited on the porch while Don went inside to talk to his father, Curtis. 7. To further muddy the legend, independent researchers have argued that the tracks found by Ford and others were forgeries. According to Stephen, they questioned the existence of the tarp. On October 23, 2018, Garrett passed away at the age of seventy-two. Prior to working on this case, Garrett never carried a gun. His murder remains unsolved. Additional counties and states will be added to this database as time and funding permit. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Home Email Facebook. Through 2013, over 500 quakes have rocked the town. Now, decades later, that story is the subject of a new book digging deeper into the crime. 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. In August 2016, Linda sued the United States over Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. He said that he and Kevin were going to go out hunting. The victims of the so-called "Whitechapel Murders" Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly all had their throats slashed, and most of them had. All investigators could confirm was that the killer was a man who wore a white hood, preferred to attack young people late at night in isolated areas, and often used a gun to kill his victims. In April, Paul Martin, 16, and Betty Jo Booker, 15, were found murdered after a high school dance. A composite photo of a potential suspect based on DNA was released earlier this year. A remake is tentatively scheduled to start production later this year. The news release and an April 13 statement from the FBI on the investigation make no mention of any additional bodiesdiscovered in the area. A federal judge later dismissed many of the agencies listed, but ordered three of them to turn over the pertinent documents to him. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, They were lying motionless on the tracks, in a position nearly identical to Kevin and Dons. Neither of them was moving. Spotlighting was a fairly widespread activity among the local boys. Reports from news sites Arkansas Democrat Gazette and THV11do not say anything about a serial killer. They put him behind bars for car theft. 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. Arkansas parents dispute ruling on sons' deaths, Parents Doubt Report Blaming Marijuana: Youths' Deaths on Train Tracks Probed, Forensic photos indicate teens were injured prior to being struck by train, Garrett says, Second Autopsy Report Concludes Teens Murdered, Saline County Sheriff criticizes Malak for his handling of deaths, Prosecutor says teens hit by train may have seen drug dealers before death, Prosecutor: Teens killer will be brought to justice, Teens deaths ruled homicides after parents push for facts, Patrick Matrisciana's US Court of Appeals. He claimed that he was hired by a "corrupt Arkansas politician" to provide "muscle" at an Arkansas drug stop. To this date, they have solved 6 cold cases and have evidence pending at the state crime lab that they hope will lead to the identification of more perpertrators in other cold cases. 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. National Park Service spokeswoman Alexandra Picavet directed USA TODAY to an April 13news release that says special agents of the NPS Investigative Service Branch soughttips related to the homicide of Paige Autumn White, 32. . Garrett had another autopsy conducted on Kevin and Don. Just a few months later, on August 24, Kevin's sister, Alicia, passed away at the age of fifty-three. Authorities charged a neighbor, Odus Davidson, with the crime, as mob violence loomed. All the victims and wrongfully convicted people are listed by their last name. Garrett then focused on the green tarp. Residents booby-trapped their houses with pots and pans full of silverware or old nails. Phone: 870-633-2611 (24 hours) Email. The billboard advertises a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 15-year-old case. No suspect was ever identified. Unfortunately, the law barred Peggy from testifying against her husband, and the detectives lacked evidence strong enough to convict Swinney for murder. Inmate Roster Map Message from the Sheriff. In recent years, more designs have been popping up in southern areas of the state as well. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really Friends who were with them that night confirmed this amount. 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. Legal Statement. They were best friends and popular seniors at Bryant High School. In the mid-1980s, a series of articles in The Arkansas Gazette alleged that her disappearance involved Arkansas State Police Commissioner Mike Berg. On December 19, 1959, the entire Walker family was brutally murdered in their home in Osprey, Florida. The FBI was brought in, as well as the Texas Rangers. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 08:40 PM CST. Officials recently used the DNA recovered from Felkins to run a genealogy test and family-tree building technique to identify Renegar as the primary suspect. However, no suspects were identified. All rights reserved. 3.75. Morgan Nick Missing. Maybe they had seen a drug drop that was connected to alleged cocaine smuggling via the Mena Airport. Knowing him only by his first nameand after a postmortem search failed to turn up any identificationthe townspeople did the only sensible thing they could think of. 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. The film alleged that Kevin and Don were killed after they accidentally witnessed a clandestine drug deal that involved top state officials. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. The sheriff's office said that investigators collected DNA from Renegars biological daughter, which also confirmed a 99.99% match with the DNA found on Felkins. 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. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp" in 1994, the sheriff's office said. On March 11, 2002 at approximately 5:42 P.M. a 71 year-old woman identified as Mrs. Jane Murdaught was found brutally beaten in her residence located at 835 Fairview Road in White County. Explore the mysteries of 20 compelling unsolved murder cases, from the Zodiac Killer to the death of JonBent Ramsey, with this true crime book. One day, residents found Mike lying motionless under a tree. Another attributes the light to his wifes lantern, as she eternally searches for her husbands body. Along with their stormy relationship, further implicating Abernathy in her murder was testimony from Edwards friend, Mary Patterson, who told police that Edwards was going to meet Abernathy the night she disappeared. That was her immediate reaction to the ruling. 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 . Five people were killed, and three were wounded. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. In Izard County, a billboard advertising a reward in the murder case of Rebekah Gould was installed near Melbourne. Families don't accept explanation, Marijuana coma? Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. 869 ratings108 reviews. Kevin and Dons parents are determined to continue working on and investigating the case until it is solved. I got the youtube clip from the Arkansas Times Blog. The story haunted Gould for years, especially after she inherited a small tin box filled with Ellas personal belongings. Thank you for supporting our journalism. CrimeDoor opens the 'AR' door to unsolved murders. Nita Gould is an avid student of Ozarks history and a preservation enthusiast. A traveling salesman, he would swing by each month to sell stationery to homes and local businesses. They embalmed him and put his corpse on display outside of the local funeral home. Post Sep 03, 2007 #1 2007-09-03T19:31. . Arkansas: The West Memphis murders of Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and James Moore. Congestion was also found in their lungs which indicated that they had been hurt before being hit by the train. However, Matrisciana successfully appealed the verdict, which was overturned in 1999. Date: August 23, 1987. The two victims were identified as 16-year-old Don Henry and 17-year-old Kevin Ives, best friends and popular seniors at Bryant High School. Hope, AR 71801. A composite photo of a potential suspect was released in hopes of generating local leads, but it did not generate any. Central Arkansas Library System Just hover over the cold case database tab in the menu bar and you will see a drop down menu with the index and summaries all split up in three parts. 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. "As far as an investigating technique, it was a very good one but it actually just wasn't enough," Director of Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Kermit Channel told FOX16. 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. Arkansas Studies Catalog & Digital Collections, NIFI Dialogue Series / NIFI Serie de Dilogos, Mystery of Notorious Arkansas Murder Explored in New Book, CALS and Arkansas Symphony Call for Spoken Word Submissions, Business and Technology Center Opens at Williams Library. 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. Freeguidesto include checklists to follow when a loved one goes missing and resources are available. (Faulkner County Sheriff's Office). 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. The Natural State has more than enough of its dark secrets and skeletons in the closet to ruin the serenity. Besides being a frequent visitor to the video rental storethe 32-year-old was abducted from, Renegar lived near the dump site in Greenbrier and also had a history of sexual assault and abuse of women, according to the sheriff's office. The bodies of Richard Griffin, 29, and Polly Ann Moore, 17, were discovered the following morning. When a fight broke out between the two, he allegedly killed her. Gould, who was from Mountain View, was found dead . They have spent many hours at the spot where they were killed, wondering how it could have happened. 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 two boys were identified as sixteen-year-old Don Henry and seventeen-year-old Kevin Ives. USA TODAY was unable to reach the Facebook users for comment. A $10,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime. 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. Felkins, 32, was kidnapped Feb. 2, 1990 from a video rental store in Greenbrier, Ark., located about 40 miles northwest of Little Rock. Examiners concluded that both were dead before being run over by the train. While traveling through this part time or even full time jobs in Arkansas have come to call home. 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.. He beat her as well, and sexually assaulted her with the barrel of the gun he had threatened them with. On April 16th, 2004 Chester Roberson was found murdered inside AA Auto Sales on Highway 161 where he was employed. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. The book is also available from online retailers and through the University of Arkansas Press (via University of Chicago Press) at (800) 621-2736. Arkansas Category page Edit The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. Little Rock or remote Pocahontas, records on Arkansas warrants for arrest in the unsolved murders in arkansas of the unsolved murders in arkansas is strong here, and gay travelers are welcomed in many of the unsolved murders in arkansas at least 75 hours of hands-on training. EMERGENCY 911. - 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. Newly appointed prosecutor Richard Garrett had Kevin and Dons bodies exhumed for a second autopsy to be performed by a noted expert. Virgil and Katie Starks were shot in their own home in May. He feels that his life could be in danger. Administrative Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. Whether it was by choice, though, well never know. Ives, meanwhile, had blunt force trauma to his skull. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. It ranks as one of the most remembered cases in the entire series. The parents did see some justice from all these developments. "It is with 99.99% accuracy that it is Edward Keith Renegars DNA that was collected as evidence from Pam Felkins during the initial investigation," Ryals told reporters. Suspects: The man wearing military fatigues witnessed by police and others remains a possible suspect, but police have never been able to locate or positively identify him. The trail went cold from there. Captain Mask directed the Crimes Against Persons Unit to gather up all of the open case files, making sure they had as much of the original files as possible. Having had no formal legal classes, she aced the exam and eventually became an expert in abstract and title law. SUBSCRIBE TO FOX NEWS FIRST -- YOUR BRIEFING ON ALL THE STORIES TO START THE DAY. Over the years, 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas today. Dr. Frank Schambagh, a professor at Southern Arkansas University, said that the tracks were man-made and that the anatomy of the Fouke Monster didnt fit with the known species of primates. Kevin and Don set off to go spotlighting, a form of night hunting which is illegal in Arkansas. For author interviews, please inquire at author@rememberingella.com. The Doe Network has 49 Unidentified Victims listed found in Arkansas.. 32 John Doe's & 17 Jane Doe's.. P.O. The train was over a mile long and was traveling at a speed of fifty-two miles per hour. Linda at first trusted Harmon, but later came to believe he was involved. He is not sure why someone would do that, however. Abdulhakim Mujahid Earthquake swarms arent entirely unusual in Arkansas. 2023 Central Arkansas Library System. The kit includes a fingerprint strip and place for fingerprints, as well as a photograph. They had both been shot several times in the back of the head. Local researchers point to the gruesome slaying of William McClain for the legends authenticity. Like a handful of other states in the South, Arkansas has two ghostly orbs of its own, one in Gurdon and another in Crossett. Little Rock Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. After 25 years, though, it appears as if the case will forever remain unsolved. Hempstead County SHERIFF. USA TODAY contacted the Hot Springs Police Department about the claimand was referred to the National Park Service. Mother of boy found dead on tracks in 1987 suing United States of America, Judge to look at files in 1987 deaths of 2 boys found on central Arkansas railroad tracks, Former wrestler claims he witnessed murders of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, Mom of cold case victim dies; Linda Ives sought answers in the deaths of 2 teens for decades, Linda Ives, mother who sought answers in 'Boys on the Tracks' case, dies at 71, SitcomsOnline Discussion of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, This case originally aired on the October 12, 1988 episode of. The brutal murder of a young girl in the Arkansas Ozarks triggered shock and the threat of mob violence, followed by decades of mystery. 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. In April, Paul Martin, 16, and Betty Jo Booker, 15, were found murdered after a high school dance. By then, it was almost 1AM. Ryals said over the years, DNA tests were performed on "numerous persons of interests" with negative results. Crime Tip Hotline. Cold Case Investigations is responsible for the reopening and investigation of older, unsolved cases that occurred in North Little Rock. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. He placed the train into an emergency stop position and laid down on the horn. However, many do not consider him to be a credible source. Curtis was not worried about them going into the woods because he did not think they would get in trouble. They believe that Kevin and Don walked up on something that they were not supposed to see; they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. This Side of Seven: Arkansas' First School Shooter by Jason Pederson | Dec 23, 2021 Residents honored their memory with a memorial last spring. 1. Alma, ARJune 9, 1995; A six-year-old vanishes while at a little league game. However, the swarms continued over the next two years and increased in magnitude, with one reaching as high as 4.7 in February 2011.
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