Rector survived the surgery and was put on trial, his defense arguing that Rector was intellectually impaired and not competent to stand trial. Two weeks later, the two killers were caught in Portland, Oregon, and were sentenced by the state of Arkansas to die for their crimes The executions were carried out on January 8, 1997 by lethal injection. 2. The indictment alleges that the four mentwo from Corpus Christi, two from Louisville, Kentuckyarranged, for Randy to buy Mafia skim money at a discount. Susie m. Isaac Piner. The pair were believed to have been seen together at a truck stop in Missouri, which is where the murders are presumed to have taken place.Hendricks was left at the crime scene, while Mills was found in Mississippi County, Arkansas. In Buddhism, the willow branch represents compassion. They may have information. Bidding farewell to their new acquaintance who said he was on his way to, of all places, Nashville the two officers left. She had also been arrested in Texas under the aliases "Cheryl Wick," "Kelly Carr/Karr," "Sharon Wiley," and "Mercedes.". In old interviews, Ted Hercutt openly acknowledged his status as a suspect but consistently denied any involvement. Looking at this year to date, the answer to how many murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2021 or how many homicides in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2021 can be found on the citys government website. By the late 1940s, he had amassed a small fortune. "And I think that sometimes it takes years and years to solve a case. Investigators never found any evidence that he was involved in the killing, McCarter said. Thank you! But while the murder was an open and shut case, figuring out the victim's true identity has been impossible. Mysteriously, she vanishes before they reach the destination, where her parents tell the driver that their daughter perished in a car accident many years ago. The 40-year-old was a hardworking business owner, a loving sister and an incredible aunt to Penny's daughter. "She was kind of vain in the fact that she wanted her hair to be perfect all the time," said her first cousin, John Madewell. On Aug. 31, 1997, Garland County deputies found the bodies of 17-year-old Teela Hudson . Five famous cases the police may never mark closed.. A few examples of Arkansas cold cases which have been solved by DNA in recent years include the 2000 murder of Tawana Blunt and the 1985 murder of Mildred Lee Matheny, as well as many others. Little is known about the puzzle's creator(s). Even the desert itself is different, a victim of the encroaching city and land developers. Hobbs had a history of child abuse and was reportedly the last person seen with three boys. Jared said his book also has chapters that include other cases, too. As expected, until these murders are solved, Little Rock murders discussion will continue on social media platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and Websleuths, where individuals speculate and share information regarding Little Rock murders pictures, Little Rock murders crime scene photos, and Little Rock, Arkansas, murders autopsy photos, which are most often not released even after a case is solved. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. According to this same report, in 2019, 242 people were murdered in Arkansas. He said he once received a phone call with no caller ID; someone breathed the word "murderer," then hung up. Garland County Prosecutor Michelle Lawrence confirmed Thursday the case was still under review by her office. She and her husband were getting divorced and she vanished a few weeks after filing. "I'll be seeing and hearing gunshots over there," said Arbor. They were seen dancing with an unknown American in a Mexican cabaret. Print Headline: Work on unsolved Hot Springs killings goes on in '22. In June of 2000, Amanda Tusing was found dead in the Big Bay Ditch in Craighead County, Arkansas, 14 miles from where her car was discovered three days earlier. $2000.00 Reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or person (s) responsible for the death of Billy Jean Phillips, she was murdered in her Madison County home on September 2, 1994. Now she was appearing on national television to accuse her father whom she described as a "pathological liar" who made her "fear for her life" of having her sister killed. All rights reserved. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. Her friends said that there was a "creepy" man talking to Morgan around the last time she was seen. 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. 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. Another man at the scene was initially taken into custody on an unrelated charge and questioned about the incident, but was later released. 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. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki. Jared takes a deep personal interest in these cases and others he covers, often becoming close with the family of the victims. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were around 9,951 murders in Arkansas alone. After the body was initially found, it was sent to the state crime lab where positive identification was later made on May 11. Both women had been shotbut by different guns. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. Does a killer still roam free in Arkansas? Police interrogated more than 3000 persons, from highway travelers to narcotics addicts, all to no avail. 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. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. Their hangings were reportedly well attended. At first, her mother was uncertain, but eventually let her go. The inquiry was hampered from the start when Horton was assaulted in the courthouse parking garage; his briefcase, containing important documents including the original power of attorney, was stolen. In his book, Jared interviewed investigators and detectives who have worked on the case over many years. Dr. Doug [], JONESBORO, Ark. Riggs' defense said she was suffering from depression and apparently did not want to have her children split up after her envisioned suicide. In early January 2014, Cicada 3301 released another message in its three year journey. Nevertheless, the handwriting expert (using copies) testified that Roberts signatures were, in his opinion, not genuine. 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. Parks' son, Gary, also tried to link Clinton to the murders. [], JONESBORO, Ark. In the months that followed, the Phantom Killer embarked on a murder spree, which the media coined the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. "Boys, I'm not afraid," he was reported as saying when guards strapped him in and fastened the electrodes. Karen Johnson Swift, a mother of four, went missing. Cherry was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, but upon appeal of his conviction, his sentenced was reduced to 30 years. Four days after Mathis was found, on Dec. 29, around 1:30 p.m., the bodies of Shaquilla Watts, 21, and her son, Zay'vion Watts, 5, were found inside their residence at Pebble Creek Apartments, 201 Wynn St. "It was determined both had been shot to death," Cpl. And we still are.". Police were summoned to the scene, but officers took the report via the drive-thru window and never entered the building to interview the suspect. Susie Ward/Piner and Mary Isabell Piner/Ball/Johnson are the focus of my search. These gruesome acts took place in the Natural State, and for the most part justice was served. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. 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. Forty minutes later, they returned, but found no trace of the pilot or his mysterious airship. Hercutt's father, Ted, was strong-willed, too. The police have the man who did it, and he is indeed behind bars. Further complicating the case was the mysterious "Mr. (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.) According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were 9,951 Arkansas murders. After serving in World War I, he returned home to Marion and began working at a utility plant. On June 25, 1990, Simmons died by the method he had chosen, lethal injection. ", 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. 1. Thank you! Other than Horton himself, no one except Ardis ODell Reed may know for certain where Tex Roberts is, but after he was released on $15,000 bond, Ardis ODell Reed vanished for over two years. During a previous escape, Chism shot and seriously wounded a correctional officer. Main Page; Discuss; All Pages; Community; Interactive Maps; Recent Blog Posts; Netflix series. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. In his telling, the father quickly realized his daughter did not die by accident, recruited a retired park ranger to investigate and pushed for an autopsy to be performed. "We don't know if it's drug related or some sort of payback or what. Either way, the murders that took place in Arkansas left a mark on the state and made headlines in the news. Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. Anyone with information can call the sheriff's office at (501) 622-3660 or the criminal investigation division at (501) 622-3690. She would'veworn her seat belt. Some examples of cases where Little Rock murders DNA was used to solve or bring new information to light include the 1990 murder of Treva Parks and the 1990 murder of Pamela Felkins, among many others. The Jonesboro prosecutor later stated that were it not for their ages, he would have sought a death sentence for the pair. Cherry's estimated release date is January 9, 2020. This serial killer who made a wrong turn into the Natural State found his way back to Illinois and was sentenced consecutively to a total of 500 years in prison in Illinois in 1971. According to investigators, the man killed his wife in front of his children. Without a doubt, the most famous murders in Arkansas, as well as the most controversial and infamous Arkansas murders case, is the 1993 triple homicide of 8 year olds Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, more commonly known as the West Memphis Three case. All rights reserved. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He owned several businesses, along with nearly 1,000 acres of land. [ Feb 15, 2023 ] Two severe crashes in Greene County Crime [ Feb 15 , 2023 . Address: 137 W. Robinson Road De Queen, AR 71832. National Park Service special agents are working with the other agencies "to find out more about the days leading up to White's death," the statement said, and seeking tips from the public to determine the circumstances related to her homicide. Authorities in Arkansas are seeking information in a double homicide that has remained unsolved for 21 years. Indeed, the evidence has pointed to someone outside the family, someone who knew Shannon Hercutt, McCarter said. His hope is that his work will lead to justice for families who have suffered without answers for too long. In his newest book, Whispers in the Willows, Jared explores three unsolved murder cases hes covered throughout the years, and more. She was last seen chasing fireflies with her friends on the outskirts of the ball fields. After serving 18 years in prison, Echols, along with the two other suspects, Jessie Miskelley, Jr. and Jason Baldwin subsequently dubbed the West Memphis Three were released per the controversial Alford Plea in 2011. Sheriff's Deputy Courtney Kizer, the public information officer, said Wednesday the case is still active and they "are still investigating all possible leads." The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the head by her boyfriend. Until then, natives of the Natural State will remain haunted by these unsolved mysteries. And a decade later, the case remains unsolved. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime communitytogether we can do better. The couple's son's are now in the custody of relatives. According to investigators, the man killed his wife in front of his children. If you have any information that could help crack it, please call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office. Jimmy Dunn, the districtattorney general, declined to comment. Moreover, witnesses who originally testified against the trio later said they were pressured by law enforcement officials to do so. as well as Little Rock. An El Paso truck driver reported seeing a black sedan following the Packard early on the afternoon of the murders; several hours later the two cars passed him going the opposite direction, followed closely by a third car with mysterious markings on the side. No conclusive proof of their cause of death has ever been established. Bergeron looked at the familiar signature again and decided it didnt look quite right. Two months later, her skeletal remains were found in a cemetery near her home. Why these two cities were chosen among some of the more exotic locations, which include Seattle, New Orleans, London, Tokyo, and Paris, is unclear. Isadore Banks grew up in that era of oppression. Where is the diamond? There are rumors of an unidentified figure in military fatigues loitering in the area before the train ran over Kevin and Don. A hairy creature that stood seven feet tall, was 3 feet wide at the chest, walked upright like a human and it grabbed bobby ford outside his home near Fouke. Once Hazel Frome and her daughter Nancy had decided to drive from San Francisco to Parris Island, South Carolina, they might have chosen the northern transcontinental route instead of the southern road through El Pasobut they didnt. The book also delves into Arkansas death row, which made it back into the news in 2017. Murder Mystery: Most Likely To Be Murdered Part 2. So when authorities found her body inside her crashed SUV at the bottom of a steep slope off Walker Trail 10 years ago on Saturday they quickly ruled her deathan accident. 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. "And don't sit there and act like you're so innocent.". Bojangles." Police in Baxter County think Gary had help, and they believe that the unnamed suspect might also have ties to Jerry's murder. Driftwood? In January 2007, outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee made a peculiar request of his staff: destroy the office computers. Phone: (870) 642-2125 (24 Hours) Emergency: Dial 911. There was, in short, no apparent motive. Penny Stephens said she went to her sister's house after the killing and sawa baseball bat, blood on the outside refrigerator and two busted bottles of alcohol onthe floor. The fence supposedly got it out of the country through Chicago. 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.". On May 24, shortly before 12:30 p.m., a shooting was reported at 234 Adcock Road. The Sevier County Sheriff's Office, he insisted, has not forgotten about the killing. Investigators never found any physical evidence linking the WM3 to the crime scene. Jjesus Anaya, a Hot Springs Police Department public information officer, told the newspaper on Nov. 30, while appealing to the public for help in the almost year-old case. Finally, some others include east Arkansas unsolved murders, which include the 1986 murder of Sandra Alberda, the 1989 murder of Jimmie Wade Martin, the 1994 murder of Marty Bradley, the 1987 murder of Stella Patterson, and the 1970 murder of John Leonard, among many others in the remainder of the state. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation releases a Uniform Crime Report every year which shows the crimes, crime rates, and locations of crimes in every state, county, and city, including a report for crime in Arkansas. The objective of this department is to serve the Public within our jurisdiction, to enforce laws, investigate crimes and do our best to solve these crimes and to protect the citizens of Sevier County as LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were 9,951 murders in Arkansas. It is a different world now. Here are 10 more mysteries to explore. Both women had been savagely beaten and choked; in addition, a large piece of flesh had been bitten from Mrs. Fromes arm and Nancys body was marred by cigarette burns. Noted now for being an obsolete method of execution, death by electrocution is still a legal secondary execution practice in Arkansas. The Sevier County officials told appellant that they had a subpoena issued by the Sevier County Prosecuting Attorney and that they wanted to question him further in . The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the. I just have a feeling that a lot of murderers, at some pointthese [killers] told somebody, Jared said. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. These names were given to the FBI, and authorities later discovered that the victim was also wanted for bank robbery in various states on the East Coast. Standing in the surf off Mustang Island, he looks for variety wherever he can find it, noting minute shifts in the tide, the direction of the current, the timing of the waves.