In the nearly 20 years since her disappearance, Morgan's story has gained national attention. Thank you! Rector was convicted on both counts and sentenced to death. 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. 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. Maybe somebody knows something who just can't talk about it right now, but down the road they may. A crowd of several hundred in the downtown Jonesboro area was dispersed early Saturday by Jonesboro authorities but not before one man was arrested for allegedly refusing to follow the officers orders. Volume 1. . And we still are.". "And everybody who worked for her obviously she was pretty strong-willedbut she had very loyal people whoworked for her. The reason behind the frenzied housecleaning has never been fully explained. A Randall County grand jury also indicted the lawyer for converting common stock to his own benefit. She had an Arkansas ID with the name "Cheryl Ann Wick," a Bible with various names scribbled inside, and a litany of items from a handful of restaurants in Virginia Beach. The memo also says the backups were supposed to be delivered to a Huckabee aide. In old interviews, Ted Hercutt openly acknowledged his status as a suspect but consistently denied any involvement. 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. Due to the size and population of Little Rock, Arkansas, murders are more common there than in most other cities in Arkansas. The hammer he used to shatter the display case, but the lawn chair had a much more elaborate function. Detectives meet regularly with prosecutors to go over the case, McCarter said, and DNA evidence was recently resubmitted to the state crime labfor testing. At around 10:30 p.m., Morgan asked her mother if she could catch lightning bugs with her friends. Two months later, her skeletal remains were found in a cemetery near her home. According to investigators, the man killed his wife in front of his children. His hope is that his work will lead to justice for families who have suffered without answers for too long. But only nine months after Clinton won the White House, Parks was gunned down in West Little Rock. 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. That may have been why somein the community grew to suspect the father had a hand in his daughter's killing. 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. The property had been sold to a management company created and owned by Horton. The gem once belonged to the Maharajah of Mahratta in the Gujarat region of India. As of June, a $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of whoever killed Mathis. The story did little to dispel the rumors, though. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. "Boys, I'm not afraid," he was reported as saying when guards strapped him in and fastened the electrodes. Usually, its a quiet whisper because you dont want anyone to know you committed this horrible heinous crime.. 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. Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. Print Headline: Work on unsolved Hot Springs killings goes on in '22. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Johnson was released on his 21st birthday, August 11, 2005, having spent seven years in prison. On June 25, 1990, Simmons died by the method he had chosen, lethal injection. Farenthold had filed a complaint against four men subsequently indicted for conspiracy to defraud him of $100,000. Authorities in Arkansas are seeking information in a double homicide that has remained unsolved for 21 years. 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. Their hangings were reportedly well attended. In his newest book, Whispers in the Willows, Jared explores three unsolved murder cases hes covered throughout the years, and more. The police have the man who did it, and he is indeed behind bars. Some of the biggest unsolved murders in Arkansas include the 1994 murder of. 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. However, due to an ever-expanding Pulaski County, the once rural highway is slowly being overrun by suburbia. While most of the stories share similar motifs, the legend seems to have emanated from a report published in 1980. The primary focus is on victims Rebekah Gould, Karen Johnson Swift, and Amanda Tusing. Isadore Banks grew up in that era of oppression. She noted it was a mystery what he was doing in that area of the county and she believes he was "either taken out there and murdered or dumped.". "Yes the son called and told us that their dad had shot their mama," said Stringfellow. Further complicating the case was the mysterious "Mr. During a previous escape, Chism shot and seriously wounded a correctional officer. "She was a hardworking lady. Jared said his book also has chapters that include other cases, too. It began on the night of August 15, 1970, when Roberts, whose real name wasnt Robertshe was born Leroy Seviersummoned his friend and bodyguard Al Bergeron concerning a matter of utmost importance. After finishing some personal business, Bergeron went to the mansion. 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. Four days after they finally left El Paso, a county sheriff found them, dead and mutilated, in the desolate wasteland six miles east of Van Horn and half a mile south of U.S. 80. West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire, H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Public Domain/Wikimedia. Sadly, after more than 20 years, it appears that the deaths of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Chris Byers will forever remain unsolved. The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. On August 19, 2011, they entered Alford pleas, which allow them to assert their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them. It is literally the most comprehensive review of everything which has happened in that case that has been done.. He finally sat down with the lead investigator on the case over a year ago and Jared said they hashed it out. Despite the fact that Horton had a document giving him power of attorney, no Dallas bank would negotiate the transactions. At the time of her death, Ted Hercutt told the News Sentinel in 2009, father anddaughter were embroiled in litigation over a piece of property. Boredom is the eternal curse of the fisherman. But Shannon's life was stopped short on a late summer night on August 3rd, 2009. 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. In the months that followed, the Phantom Killer embarked on a murder spree, which the media coined the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. Some unsolved murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, include the 1989 murder of Anita Shell, the 2015 murder of Ebby Steppach, and the 1993 murder of Jerry Parks, among many others. Nevertheless, the handwriting expert (using copies) testified that Roberts signatures were, in his opinion, not genuine. Hercutt's father, Ted, was strong-willed, too. During his original stories with those subjects, Jared won Feature Writer of the Year from the AP and Arkansas Press Association. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki. Huckabee's staff obliged, wiping the memory of more than 100 computers before smashing their hard drives beyond repair. Mary Isabel Piner/Ball/Johnson lived in Madison Co. AR came from NC and TN to AR. Sep 16, 2019 NEA . 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. Theres a possibility that a law officer may have been involved in her murder.. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office confirmed Thursday there was nothing new in the case to report and the investigation is ongoing. Tommy Sevier, Jr., age 25, and Samantha Sevier, age 19, both of Texarkana, Arkansas are each charged with two counts of capital murder.On February 16th, hunters found the bodies of Patrick Dickey, 22, and Billy Drumm, 32, both of Texarkana, inside a charred vehicle on a hunting lease in Doddridge. Next Horton tried to cash Roberts ample holdings of stocks and bonds. Tusing vanished on June 14, 2000. "I'll be seeing and hearing gunshots over there," said Arbor. According to this same report, in 2019, 242 people were murdered in Arkansas. "I know you have paid someone to kill Shannon," Penny Stephens told Ted Hercutt, his mouth agape. The police have the man who did it, and he is indeed behind bars. Either way, the murders that took place in Arkansas left a mark on the state and made headlines in the news. Bojangles." The Kings last performance came more than a decade ago, in February 1966, and Fannin now says resignedly of the cases, Theyll never be solved.. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. 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. Police in Baxter County think Gary had help, and they believe that the unnamed suspect might also have ties to Jerry's murder. Some northern Arkansas unsolved murders 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. Other advocates of the WM3's innocence point to one of the victim's stepfather, Terry Hobbs, as the real assailant. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. 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. Robbery certainly had to be considered; there was no money on the corpse, but there was an expensive waterproof wristwatch. If youre interested in learning about both solved and unsolved Pulaski County murders, you can find information regarding many Pulaski County murders trial with a simple search, and often times you can find all of the crime scene information if the case is solved. 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. Escorted to the electric chair on January 4, 1946, he was all smiles, laughing and joking with his guards. Her husband and her family are basically from Pocahontas, Jared said. Email Map. Following a successful decision in 2010 by the Arkansas Supreme Court regarding newly produced DNA evidence, the West Memphis Three negotiated a plea bargain with prosecutors. It may be that last trait that can most be closely identified with the author. As late as 1965, Department of Public Safety Director Homer Garrison could say, I think theres a good possibility this case will still be solved someday. If it is, Garrison wont be around to see it. Too late, Farenthold decided that hed been conned and went to the police. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond. 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. "She was a well-kept lady.". Despite the heinous crime, a formal investigation was never performed. He refused to appeal his death sentence. Until then, natives of the Natural State will remain haunted by these unsolved mysteries. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. Billie Jean Phillips She was murdered in her Madison County home on September 2, 1994. In recent years, DNA technology has led to hundreds, if not thousands, of decades-old cold cases being solved, and Arkansas is not the exception. When her mother, Colleen Nick, came to get Morgan to go home, she found no trace of her daughter. Even Rudolf Nureyev would have difficulty performing such a feat. When investigators arrived at the scene, they say Timothy Sharp began approaching from behind the house and he did not have a weapon. Days later, his truck was found in the woods just outside Marion. The following day, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Police believe she was abducted before she was tossed in the ditch. The question on many residents' minds: were the two incidents linked? She was last seen at 10:45 p.m. by her friends, emptying sand out of her shoes at her mother's car. A third possibility caught the attention of the FBI, which entered the case to investigate a possible obstruction of justice. She had also been arrested in Texas under the aliases "Cheryl Wick," "Kelly Carr/Karr," "Sharon Wiley," and "Mercedes.". After her children were dead, Riggs unsuccessfully attempted suicide. IZARD COUNTY, Ark. In 1987, Don Henry and his friend Kevin Ives were found dead in Bryant, Arkansas on the railroad tracks near their homes. Once confident of solving the case, they have lost their optimism with the years. Example video title will go here for this video. The local Packard garage might have had the necessary parts to repair the carbut it had to order them and wait five days instead. Miller county sheriff's deputies have charged a brother and sisterwith the murdersof two Texarkana men who's bodies were found inside a charred car. 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. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Huckabee briefly addressed the issue in 2007, saying the hard drives were destroyed to "protect the privacy" of people whose information was stored in the data. 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, These 11 Arkansas Murder Cases Made Headlines, The Story Of The Serial Killer Who Terrorized This Small Arkansas Town Is Truly Frightening, 9 True Arkansas Stories That Are Way Creepier Than The Clown Takeover, History Has Forgotten This Bizarre Arkansas Event From 50 Years Ago. Bring on the Shiplap? 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. Driftwood? Thank you! Cicada 3301 is the name of a group that has annually for the past three years at least created what's essentially an online scavenger hunt for the technologically savvy. 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. Bergeron looked at the familiar signature again and decided it didnt look quite right. Mention "Woodson Lateral Road" to most Arkansans over 40 and you're bound to hear the Natural State's version of the vanishing hitchhiker legend. 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. Does a killer still roam free in Arkansas? Little is known about the puzzle's creator(s). And thanks to improving forensic science, investigators uncovered a strand of DNA from one of the shoelaces used to subdue the victims that did not match any of the WM3. Even the desert itself is different, a victim of the encroaching city and land developers. Special Report: Plans to exhume 1977 Arkansas murder victim's body are 'underway'. Despite the passing of two decades, LRPD's investigation into the elder Parks' murder is ongoing. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime communitytogether we can do better. Roberts ample fortune has disappeared toothough less mysteriouslyand so have two other people, and an attorney has served a prison term, making the Roberts affair one of the most bizarre missing persons cases on record. In a joint statement on April 13, investigators noted it is believed White's death, which was determined to be a homicide, was "an isolated incident" in response to unconfirmed reports circulating in the community that multiple victims were involved. Sheriff's deputies responded and located a deceased male, Jacob Stone, 22, at the scene. In Buddhism, the willow branch represents compassion. No one knows precisely what he is doing today because Tex Roberts and Jessie Forsyth vanished mysteriously from his suburban Dallas mansion six years ago and havent been seen since. Sheriff Stringfellow adds, "Oh yes, we've had several restraining orders, but the couple would somehow makeup.". The Cortez Hotel, where Hazel and Nancy Frome spent their last five nights, booked its final guest in 1970; it has been converted into a Job Corps center. The maharajahs had little trouble acquiring or keeping precious stones, ancient law automatically imposed the death penalty on any subject who possessed a jewel weighing more than one carat. After trekking through the woods, they eventually found the source of the light. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. When police found a 21-year-old female brutally murdered in her hotel room, the mystery was just beginning. They said it had political overtones, pointing to the untimely suicide of Vincent Foster a childhood friend of Clinton's and one of his closest allies only months earlier as evidence of a connection. Main Page; Discuss; All Pages; Community; Interactive Maps; Recent Blog Posts; Netflix series. Authorities ask anyone with information in the case to call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office at865-453-4668 or 865-428-1899. Over the years, around 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas alone. Hobbs had a history of child abuse and was reportedly the last person seen with three boys. By the time the unknown object reached shallow water, it began to assume the identity of a mana man wrapped in chains, with his hands tied behind his back and a cement block around his neck. Phone: (870) 642-2125 (24 Hours) Emergency: Dial 911. [], JONESBORO, Ark. The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the. All rights reserved. He never cracked a safe but simply lifted the goods from a bathroom dressing table. Shortly after India received its independence from Great Britain, the ruling maharajah decided to convert his jewelry into foreign currency. Miller county sheriff's deputies have charged a brother and sister with the murders of two Texarkana men who's bodies were found inside a charred car. Unsolved murder cases involving three women are the focus of the new book which was just released Friday, Aug 16. . todaysthv.com. Despite being terribly beaten, the two survived. This date marked the first woman executed in Arkansas since 1845. When police found a 21-year-old female brutally murdered in her hotel room, the mystery was just beginning. 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. Sumpter and McLemore's account isn't without precedent. In his book, Jared interviewed investigators and detectives who have worked on the case over many years. 48-year-old Timothy Sharp is in the Sevier County Jail charged in the shooting death of his wife Crystal Sharp. It was one of many reported "airship" sightings that swept the country in the late 19th century. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were 9,951 murders in Arkansas. New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas. Clinton associate murdered execution style. She lived alone on East Milford Haven Drive outside Sevierville,and she never married or had children. 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. Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. 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. Jesse Millinger disappeared early in the year of 1903 and had not been heard of since. His research unearthed a memo that refers to potential backups of the destroyed drives. 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. Valuable jewelry had been ignored. The paper reported that authorities hadn't yet found the precise cause of the fire, but were convinced it wasn't connected to the "meteors." None of his relatives would claim the body, and he was buried in a pauper's grave. 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.