who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp," according to Ryals. Box 1817. These sessions will be offered via Zoom from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, March 2REGISTERThursday, May 13REGISTERTuesday, September 14REGISTERThursday, December 2REGISTER. subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. They searched the area, but were unable to find the man. North Little Rock | Powered by CivicLive | document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Intrado Corporation | Contact Us, Real Estate Development Property for Sale, Board of Equalization/Pulaski County Board, Non-uniformed Employees Retirement Board/Pension Board, Residential Housing Facilities Board/Public Facilities Board, Find Community Development Grant Information. Thurman Abernathy, had gotten her pregnant. However, he repeatedly received resistance from authorities, who seemed unwilling to cooperate or change their opinions about the case. The next victims of the Phantom Killer, however, would not be as fortunate as his first. She was found dead on August 22 in a barn in Kennebunk with a rope around her neck. With the trembling becoming more noticeable, residents began to wonder if the quakes were a result of hydraulic fracturing techniques being used to drill for oil and gas in the area. He claimed that he was hired by a "corrupt Arkansas politician" to provide "muscle" at an Arkansas drug stop. He also points out that Dons gun was laying on the gravel. They believe that he found out about their investigation and named them as suspects in order to taint their credibility and hinder their investigation into him. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. In the last 5 years Hot Springs has seen . It was higher than in 97.9% U.S. cities. 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. A Growing Whisper. 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. "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. Neither Kevin nor Don owned such a tarp. Within hours, she had organized a search party. According to Stephen, they questioned the existence of the tarp. Authorities charged a neighbor, Odus Davidson, with the crime, as mob violence loomed. ", Pam Felkins, 32, was kidnapped on Feb. 2, 1990 from a video rental store where she worked in Greenbrier, Ark. As a result, the grand jury changed its ruling from "probable homicide" to "definite homicide." MUHAMMAD, Edward Charles 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. He said that he and Kevin were going to go out hunting. 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. 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. Date: August 23, 1987. In June of that year, police arrested Youell Lee Swinney, 29, for stealing cars. It is also known as the "Boys on the Tracks" case. The third victim was identified as 27-year-old James Barker. Ben Flajnik, who has worked on CrimeDoor, an app that allows users to enter true crime scenes, in his home office on March 3, 2021. The young lovers survived the attack, but had differing reports of who had carried it out. He referenced a YouTube and Facebook video. Despite various theories, the case remains unsolved. (Faulkner County Sheriff's Office). 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. However, he was never charged in the case or officially labeled a suspect. 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. At 9 a.m. the next morning, June 25, 1983, the victim's body was discovered near 2000 E. 22nd Street, hidden in the brush of a semi-secluded area not far from her home. SMITH, Kirt Douglas His behavior had aroused suspicion. 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. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp" in 1994, the sheriff's office said. It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . The FBI is involved in the investigation because the incident took place on federal land. Market data provided by Factset. . Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. An ex-girlfriend of his reportedly told an investigator that Harmon and two other men were responsible for the murders. Most Dangerous Places in Arkansas The 10 Murder Capitals Of Arkansas For 2021 1. That all changed in 2010, when a series of relatively minor earthquakes shook the town. 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. 1. Key witnesses were examined, leads were hunted down, evidence was poured overbut nothing concrete ever came from it. who was the head of the Investigations Division at the time. Welcome To Arkansas Missing Persons Cases & Jane Doe Cases. Arkansas was a hotbed for mob activity in the first half of the 20th century. Arguably the states most notorious cold case, the mysterious deaths of Don Henry and Kevin Ives still haunt Central Arkansas. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. He believes that others were involved or have knowledge of who was involved. By the time Allen got up from his seat, the man was gone. 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 PICKENS, Clay King The billboard advertises a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 15-year-old case. However, it was never found. 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. Curtis was not worried about them going into the woods because he did not think they would get in trouble. Local researchers point to the gruesome slaying of William McClain for the legends authenticity. 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The Faulkner County Sheriff's Office revealed DNA evidence has identified Edward Keith Renegar as the primary suspect in the 1990 slaying. Her body was never recovered. HOT SPRINGS -- The new year began with some homicides still unsolved. Crawfords last known whereabouts place her at home. The Arkansas Attorney Generals office serves as the main point of contact between theNational Center for Missing and Exploited Childrenand missing children organizations nonprofit in the State. Little Rock, AR. To see a complete list of Butler Center Books, visit www.butlercenter.org/publication. In August 2016, Linda sued the United States over Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Featured Cases. Police who searched the scene later denied that Stephen had told them about the tarp. Upon a close examination of the crime scene, police discovered that each victim had been struck in the head with some kind of blunt object. Real Names:Larry Kevin Ives and Donald George Henry A few months later, Abernathy was formally charged with her murder. 72201. See more ideas about murder mysteries, murder, mystery. 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. Little Rock Just as mysteriously as the killings started, however, they subsided. 5 dead bodies so far is what theyre saying.". The trains engineer didnt see the boys in time to stop. It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. The attacks served partially as the basis for a motion picture, The . Two unsolved Ozarks murders are back in the news this week. This time, he was leaving town, heading down a road less than 200 yards from the spot where the bodies were run over. The Doe Network has 33 Missing Persons listed from Arkansas.. 13 Males & 20 Females. 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. Gould was driven to unearth answers long-buried under decades of gossip and folklore. (Faulkner County Sheriff's Office). In 1971, Bobby Ford told police that he was attacked by a man-like creature standing over 2 meters (7 ft) tall with red eyes. Either way, well take our chances with the well-lit, paved areas of Fouke when passing through. 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. Eventually, Glasgow and his company were cleared of anything illegal by the audit. (Robbi . The task of these retired officers was to review cold case homicide files in an attempt to solve them by using modern science and investigation techniques. Crawford was looking into a potentially illegal transfer of assets between Berg and some of his family members. No suspect was ever identified. The Gurdon Light was first spotted in the early 1930s, following the murder of a railroad foreman. He determined that tears in Don's t-shirt fabric indicated that he had been stabbed in the back with a large knife and that Kevin had apparently been struck in the head with a rifle butt, possibly Don's (the wound to his cheek matched the shape of the rifle butt). Source: HBO. The state medical examiner, Dr. Malak, concluded they had smoked the equivalent of twenty marijuana cigarettes. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. Kevin and Dons families hired a private investigator to try and figure out what happened to them. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help Thank you for supporting our journalism. However, many do not consider him to be a credible source. Authorities charged a neighbor, Odus Davidson, with the crime, as mob violence loomed. These cases are typically fairly old, some having occured as long as twenty years ago. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. It is not known if the boys were Kevin and Don. Earthquake swarms arent entirely unusual in Arkansas. Translate. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The police began searching for her the next morning, but found few clues as to what could have caused her disappearance. 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. Hempstead County Sheriff's Office . Location: Alexander, Arkansas Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial . Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. by Janie Jones | Mar 25, 2022 Murder Mystery: The Moab Murders, Pt. 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 . SEARCY, Ark. 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. Crime Tip Hotline. 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. There are no reports of an active serial killer, and the misinformation started when the FBI and the National Park Service announcedan investigation at Hot Springs National Park after a body was discovered in the woods. Several people were implicated in this conspiracy, which involved numerous investigations and two grand juries. Reports from news sites Arkansas Democrat Gazette and THV11do not say anything about a serial killer. However, the boys parents didnt agree with that conclusionthey were certain their sons died of foul play. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. Remembering Ella is available at bookstores including the Central Arkansas Library Systems Bookstore and Galleries at Library Square. 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 In his first year as Douglas County Sheriff Roldan Turner had two separate murders to solve Ronnie Johnson and Kelle Ann Workman. Within about three seconds, he hit the boys. Nate Coulter, the Executive Director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), has appointed a committee of local historians and CALS staff members to accept RFQs (Requests for Qualifications) from qualified artists who are interested in designing, creating, and installing A MEMORIAL TO AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS WHO SERVED WITH THE UNION ARMY IN ARKANSAS. Police speculated that Kevin and Don's murder may have been related to drug trafficking. After 25 years, though, it appears as if the case will forever remain unsolved. That night, they chose their usual hunting ground, along the railroad tracks that ran behind Dons house. Home Calendar E-Newsletter Email Employment. That night, Mikio Miyazawa, 44, Yasuko Miyazawa, 41, and their children Niina, 10, and Rei, 6, were all stabbed to death by an unknown assailant. The unit is made up of retired North Little Rock Police officers who have agreed to volunteer their expertise in helping solve these cases. 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. Arkansas Unsolved Murder--Luther Gerald (Jerry) Parks, Jr. jerrysgirl67. Swinney died in 1994, and no evidence has come out to unequivocally prove whether or not he was the Phantom Killer. (Faulkner County Sheriff's Office). Get App. Neither had they ever seen Kevin spaced out nor any signs that he was into drugs. ", A composite photo of a potential suspect based on DNA was released earlier this year. Nita Gould is an avid student of Ozarks history and a preservation enthusiast. 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. Most Wanted Press Releases Sex Offenders. Pierce made a movie loosely based off of the events, titled The Town That Dreaded Sundown. They thought maybe that was evidence of a possible ransom or extortion, but the money in his bank accounts hasnt been touched. However, since he started working on it, he has carried one. 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. Garrett believes that Kevin and Don were murdered. The West Memphis Three: Arkansas's most controversial murder case involves three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three eight-year old boys (Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers) in West Memphis, Arkansas. In October 1988, shortly after the broadcast, the results were released. Again, the victims were a couple of sweethearts out for a night of intimacy on a local lovers' lane, but this time the Phantom Killer didn't leave anyone alive. Garrett had another autopsy conducted on Kevin and Don. Little Rock, AR. Unsolved Cases . 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. Don was a natural comedian and Kevin was his best audience. Four days later, the police had found her dead body in a box buried in the woods. That led police to suspect that they had ended up arresting the Phantom Killer. This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. 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. Both bodies were found in 1989 in different months in different. The exception to this is when DNA evidence can be processed. Gould, who was from Mountain View, was found dead . NeverForgotten.ar.gov includes all missing persons from Arkansas and will be updated regularly. Gould explains that her goal was to create a complete account of the crime and its consequences. 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. Phone: 870-633-2611 (24 hours) Email. The Doe Network has 49 Unidentified Victims listed found in Arkansas.. 32 John Doe's & 17 Jane Doe's.. In October 1988, shortly after the broadcast, the results were released. Maine's oldest unsolved murder case is that of 13-year-old Mary Catherine Olenchuk. What had caused Kevin and Don to lie side-by-side on the railroad tracks? Linda wondered, if they were that stoned, how were they able to lie down in identical positions? But some citizens still believed the wrong man had gone to the gallows. 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. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 08:40 PM CST. All rights reserved. Cold cases are reported incidents of crime that were not solved during the initial investigation. For almost 20 years Ernestine Andregg's family has not only suffered her loss, but also not knowing . This contradicted official statements from the Ouachita Sheriffs department that they had yet to turn up any clues in her disappearance. Viral posts on social media warn of a purported serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Featuring both well-known and more obscure cases spanning across the 20th and 21st century, Unsolved Murders combines page-turning text . They have spent many hours at the spot where they were killed, wondering how it could have happened. To cover their tracks, they laid them on the railroad tracks and covered them up with a tarp. Ursula Herrmann (10), disappeared on 15 September 1981 and she was found dead in mysterious circumstances. While the appeal wound its way through the courts, the case was passed along to newly appointed prosecutor Dan Harmon. Newly appointed prosecutor Richard Garrett had Kevin and Dons bodies exhumed for a second autopsy to be performed by a noted expert. Extra Notes: Results: Unresolved. 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. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. Eventually, in 1975, the state attorney generals office requested that he be buried, and Mike was finally laid to rest later that May. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Congestion was also found in their lungs which indicated that they had been hurt before being hit by the train. 50 of these have been sexual assualt cases, 15 of which had evidence suitable for modern DNA testing. Through 2013, over 500 quakes have rocked the town. Arkansas: The West Memphis murders of Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and James Moore. Sports reporter by day, internet sleuth at night, keep up with Brandon at On Campus Sports, Highlands Today, or on Twitter. 870-777-6727 or . One of Richard Garretts first directives was to have the bodies exhumed for further examination. MISSING : 16 Year Old Thwana Mithsell Darrough Picavettold The Sentinel-Record that the FBI is working with local law enforcement because the investigation involves an incident on federal land. Five months after the deaths, Kevin and Dons parents held a press conference.