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. After the body was initially found, it was sent to the state crime lab where positive identification was later made on May 11. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. He discovered that another elderly woman who had sold real estate to Horton had disappeared in 1969, in an apparently unrelated case. The fence supposedly got it out of the country through Chicago. Authorities also discovered that the names in the Bible belonged to a family the victim stayed with while living in Dallas. However, due to an ever-expanding Pulaski County, the once rural highway is slowly being overrun by suburbia. These cases are still remembered by many Arkansanswhopray for justice. Indeed, the evidence has pointed to someone outside the family, someone who knew Shannon Hercutt, McCarter said. Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. "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. 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. After the discovery of her nude body in a dry creek bed, the medical examiner ruled . Jared was present for three of the four executions including the first double execution in 20 years in the United States. (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.) 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. Its available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. 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. 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. He died in 196830 years after Hazel and Nancy Frome. On May 24, shortly before 12:30 p.m., a shooting was reported at 234 Adcock Road. With the first season of the Hell and Gone podcast bringing new attention and life to the case of Rebekah Goulds murder, Jared plans a very comprehensive break-down of all the new findings in the needless murder. 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 countless others which receive much less media attention. Few reporters have covered as many murder cases with the passion of long-time journalist and author, George Jared. John Burnett was apprehended and hanged a month later in Fayeteville as well. 1. Police assume he cut it up into little pieces (greatly reducing its value) and kept it. The telling of the story varies wildly. This case, I had to use more anonymous sources because people didnt want to talk about it, Jared said. 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. 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. 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. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. In the nearly 20 years since her disappearance, Morgan's story has gained national attention. The victim of the gangland-style slaying was Randy Farenthold, a 32- year-old Corpus Christi playboy euphemistically described as a sportsman in press accounts. One year later, a robber arrested in Kingsville for a different offense confessed to stealing the diamond. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. ", 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. At around 10:30 p.m., Morgan asked her mother if she could catch lightning bugs with her friends. Huckabee's staff obliged, wiping the memory of more than 100 computers before smashing their hard drives beyond repair. On June 4, 1968, while the museum was open to the public, a thief smashed the display case and snatched the jewel. "And everybody who worked for her obviously she was pretty strong-willedbut she had very loyal people whoworked for her. Family members said he was all but cut out of her will. He said he once received a phone call with no caller ID; someone breathed the word "murderer," then hung up. Love Arkansas? You don't have to tell us who you are, but please tell us what you know," the release said. Driftwood? Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. 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. 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. Over the years, 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas today. On Aug. 31, 1997, Garland County deputies found the bodies of 17-year-old Teela Hudson . The search centered for a while on a young gigolo, but the police could prove nothing. 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. Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. Another man at the scene was initially taken into custody on an unrelated charge and questioned about the incident, but was later released. We've shared with you 10 unexplained mysteries of Arkansas, but don't think it stops there. The first victims, Jimmy Hollis, 25, and Mary Jeanne Larey, 19, were attacked while parked at a local lovers' lane. Print Headline: Work on unsolved Hot Springs killings goes on in '22. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Despite the fact that Horton had a document giving him power of attorney, no Dallas bank would negotiate the transactions. Usually, its a quiet whisper because you dont want anyone to know you committed this horrible heinous crime.. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. The local police quickly rushed to the conclusion, claiming the boys had died from a drug overdose on the tracks. Despite a handful of photos scattered across the internet, along with unsolicited help from members of the web, the victim's identity is still shrouded in mystery. And she never would havehad a window down. Blood samples taken from the bathroom were later lost by WMPD investigators before the WM3 went to trial. 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. Lavinia and her husband were sentenced to death in October 1845. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Farenthold had filed a complaint against four men subsequently indicted for conspiracy to defraud him of $100,000. But he would like to. It may be that last trait that can most be closely identified with the author. HOT SPRINGS, Ark. 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. One of the survivors, Henry Greenbaum, describes watching five of his siblings die at the hands of the Nazis. Also, the Federal Bureau of Investigation releases a Uniform Crime Report every year which shows, in detail, the crimes, crime rates, and locations of crimes in every state, county, and city. Billie Jean Phillips She was murdered in her Madison County home on September 2, 1994. Their hangings were reportedly well attended. 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. A lot of new witnesses and implications have come to the surface, Jared said. 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. Once confident of solving the case, they have lost their optimism with the years. Dr. Doug [], JONESBORO, Ark. "We've heard numerous things," Giles said. There are rumors of an unidentified figure in military fatigues loitering in the area before the train ran over Kevin and Don. And Nancy and her mother might be alive todaybut they arent. 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. By the late 1940s, he had amassed a small fortune. Since the beginning of 2021 through the end of May, there have been 27 murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, alone. 6720, he said. 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. 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. Does a killer still roam free in Arkansas? Convicted of murder after a two-day trial in May 1945, Hall was sentenced to death. Sheriff Stringfellow adds, "Oh yes, we've had several restraining orders, but the couple would somehow makeup.". A Randall County grand jury also indicted the lawyer for converting common stock to his own benefit. The man in the rain shoes is not Fannins long-lost rich uncle (though he is rich); indeed, Fannin doesnt even know his name. Each time the thief knew exactly what he was doing. Almost four years later, theyre still looking for the driver. 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. These gruesome acts took place in the Natural State, and for the most part justice was served. The puzzle is still currently ongoing and its progress can be followed here. Another of many Arkansas killers, who is considered to have been a spree killer, is Ronald Gene Simmons Sr., who killed 16 people in a week-long murder spree in 1987. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. UNSOLVED MURDER: Garland County, AR- TEELA HUDSON (17) and FRANK DELANEY (18) was found August 31, 1987 shot to death "execution-style " inside Delaney's car in eastern Garland County, and authorities are still trying to bring the killers to justice. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. A successful businesswoman,Shannon Hercutt founded her company,Auntie Belham's Realty and Nightly Rentals, as the demand for vacation rental properties in the Great Smoky Mountains skyrocketed in the 1990s. Later that night, a large fire sprung up in parts of Pulaski, Lonoke, and Jefferson Counties. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. "I can take it." The transaction, according to the indictment, was to have taken place in a Houston motel room, but just as the exchange was about to begin, the group was held up and robbed by a menaced man brandishing a shotgun. Additional Arkansas unsolved murders include unsolved murders Little Rock, Arkansas, including the 1989 murder of Anita Shell, the 2015 murder of Ebby Steppach, and the 1993 murder of Jerry Parks, among many others. 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. He never cracked a safe but simply lifted the goods from a bathroom dressing table. He would not elaborate onShannon Hercutt's cause of death, nor would he say what deputiesfound when they went to her home. Dig deeper They were seen dancing with an unknown American in a Mexican cabaret. 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. When he finally surfaced, the Dallas DAs office mysteriously lost interest in the case and agreed to a probated sentence. On June 25, 1990, Simmons died by the method he had chosen, lethal injection. Two days after Roberts disappeared, Horton filed deeds to virtually all of Roberts real property, including the mansion on Spring Valley Road, at the Dallas County courthouse. Nevertheless, the handwriting expert (using copies) testified that Roberts signatures were, in his opinion, not genuine. Maybe somebody knows something who just can't talk about it right now, but down the road they may. 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. I just have a feeling that a lot of murderers, at some pointthese [killers] told somebody, Jared said. Inexplicably, though, Banks' case file was destroyed in 1992. Thank you! According to Arkansas State Trooper Robert Roten, his office had two separate reports of drivers picking up a "clean-cut, well-dressed" man who frightened them with his claims of the Second Coming. 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. Crime Tips HOTline (870) 642-2125 or Submit Via Email. HOT SPRINGS -- The new year began with some homicides still unsolved. Love Arkansas? James Hendricks and Kimberlin Mills (known as Jimmy and Kim respectively) are American murder victims who were discovered on June 17, 1978. If you enjoy coverage like this, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Police believe she was abducted before she was tossed in the ditch. Unsolved murder cases involving three women are the focus of the new book which was just released Friday, Aug 16. . Roten checked in with other districts all across the state, but the only two incidents appeared to come from Little Rock. 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. 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. Adding another twist in the case, Gary was recently charged with the murder of his mother's new husband, David Millstein. Other advocates of the WM3's innocence point to one of the victim's stepfather, Terry Hobbs, as the real assailant. Here are 10 more mysteries to explore. After the mysterious deaths of Kevin Ives and his friend Don Henry in Bryant, theories were rampant as to how these two young men died. It is a different world now. In January 2007, outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee made a peculiar request of his staff: destroy the office computers. SEVIERVILLE At first glance, it looked like Dawn Shannon Hercutt went for a late-night drive, veered off the roadand plummeted 125 feet to her death. 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. Parks' security firm was later contracted to guard Clinton's presidential campaign headquarters in 1992. Where is the diamond? Despite the heinous crime, a formal investigation was never performed. Friday Sept. 8, Bausdell and Stewart Ownby two huntsmen came upon a skeleton of a human being about a mile and a half from the . Cherry was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, but upon appeal of his conviction, his sentenced was reduced to 30 years. But only nine months after Clinton won the White House, Parks was gunned down in West Little Rock. In old interviews, Ted Hercutt openly acknowledged his status as a suspect but consistently denied any involvement. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. The siblings are being held without bond.Captain Toby Giles of the Miller County Sheriff's Department says interviews and good police work led them to the suspects. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies continue to work on the cases, which date from the last week of 2020 through . 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. However, this neat package overlooks one minor. Over the years, around 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas alone. Forty minutes later, they returned, but found no trace of the pilot or his mysterious airship. Tommy Sevier, Jr., age 25, and Samantha Sevier, age 19, both of Texarkana, Arkansas are each charged with two counts of capital murder. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. His hope is that his work will lead to justice for families who have suffered without answers for too long. Both women had been shotbut by different guns. The two youths were among the youngest people ever charged with murder in American history. He asked to be put in touch with Tex personally, but Horton insisted on protecting his clients strict request for secrecy. 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. From the name on the ID, authorities found that the deceased had stolen the identity of a Cheryl Ann Wick in Minnesota. The police have the man who did it, and he is indeed behind bars. 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. 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 . 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. The real Wick claimed she didn't know the victim. Morgan's friends told police that they saw her talking to a "creepy" man. He finally sat down with the lead investigator on the case over a year ago and Jared said they hashed it out. The following day, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Packard was found abandoned 56 miles east of the spot where the bodies were discovered. After her children were dead, Riggs unsuccessfully attempted suicide. 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. Theres a possibility that a law officer may have been involved in her murder.. Vance was reportedly a fan of Pressly, and was a frequent viewer of her morning news show. 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. They ranged from punishing Banks for an alleged affair with a white woman to sending a grim warning to the few successful black citizens of Crittenden County. The reason behind the frenzied housecleaning has never been fully explained. 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. The long-time reporter told NEA Report his book title has meaning in correlation with a lot of the cases in the book, especially the three unsolved murder cases. According to investigators, the man killed his wife in front of his children. If you have an interest in learning more about the statistics and data surrounding crimes in Arkansas, you can easily find multiple law enforcement agencies which release annual reports on their websites that show, in detail, the crimes in that area.