Adopted by Mark Byers at a young age. Her body showed no visible signs of trauma. (Devil's Knot (DK), p. 298). He advised he went immediately to the bedroom and saw that Melissa was totally naked lying on the far side of the bed on her back. Robert Adams. He also studied Wicca, which incorporates elements of paganism and witchcraft. The wounds, however, appeared to have been made post-mortem and could be the result of bite marks from animals like turtles and fish. He was never charged in connection with the deaths. For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Whats known is that three young boys were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. To this day, it is still unclear who is responsible for the killings. Christopher had a fractured skull, and his genitals had been mutilated, which authorities believed was done by his killer. Jamie Clark Ballard stated that she heard Terry Hobbs call Stevie back to the house. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. . John Mark Byers alibi. On May 5, 1993, second-graders Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore disappeared from their West Memphis, Arkansas, homes. Wiki User. David Jacoby states that he saw Stevie and two boys pass by outside of him home. Although Misskelley recanted his confession, it was enough evidence to convict him. The neighbor quoted Melissa Byers as having screamed, You cant watch your family 24 hours, and you are going down.. Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were best friends. Christophers cause of death was from "multiple injuries, and both Michael and Stevie died from "multiple injuries with drowning, according to local newspaper the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. ", 6:45pm - (questionable sighting) Bryan Woody said he saw 4 boys playing on Goodwin (not confirmed as Stevie, Michael, and Chris). resonates in virtually every aspect of intercollegiate athletics. Overall, only the boys head injuries appeared to have been inflicted before they died, and their most likely cause of death was drowning, said Dr. Hsu. When the bodies of three 8-year-old boys Steve "Stevie" Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were found in a West Memphis, Arkansas, drainage ditch in 1993, investigators discovered they had sustained multiple, brutal injuries. Christopher Reeve, the one-time Hollywood "Superman" turned activist for spinal cord research after a horse-riding accident in 1995, died Oct. 10, 2004. He was held for 12 hours, during which he waived his right to a lawyer and eventually confessed to being involved in the murders. So youll get these different puncture marks, and its a mixture of punctures and scratches and so forth, she said. Echols lived in a trailer park and stood out in the conservative small town. (29 years old). She died at age 44 on March 6, 2006, and the foundation was subsequently renamed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. It was 7pm because Chris Wahl got out of night school at that time and saw the boys after class let out. Located across from Memphis, on the west bank of the Mississippi River, West Memphis shares many problems with its more famous neighbor. By collecting seeds from your own garden or buying them in bulk, you can save money on future purchases. It even predicted that Eddie would die in Volume 2, and that's exactly what happened. They were both found guilty on three counts of capital murder, according to the Arkansas Times. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. The origin of the other needle puncture woundsin the groin, arms, and feetwas undetermined. Another hair found on a tree stump near the crime scene was found to be consistent with the DNA of David Jacoby, a friend of Hobbs, according to court documents. Try restaurant style recipes at home. By the end of Augustfive months after the deathhe still had received no word from the crime lab concerning the autopsy results. His parents were lawyer Samuel R. Lloyd and singer Ruth Lapham (1896-1984). With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Christopher Byers Jr. of Bumpass, Virginia, who passed away on December 4, 2022 at the age of 29. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Christopher Byers Jr. to pay them a last tribute. Chris left the home at 4p.m. In December, Investigator Stan Witt closed his case on Melissa Byers. . John Mark Byers, Christopher's stepfather, reported the boys missing to the West Memphis Police Department at approximately 8 p.m., reported local newspaper the Memphis Flyer. Traces of one of her prescribed medications, an anti-seizure medicine used to treat post-traumatic stress syndrome, were present, as were traces of lithium, a medication that had been prescribed for her to treat manic depression. Their report was released in 2007 and helped to alter the publics view of the case. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." 6:00pm - Dana Moore saw three boys on two bikes on N 14th. He was 28 years old. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Will, the younger brother of Jonathan Byers and the son of Joyce Byers, is a shy, kind, and often timid boy.In the group's Dungeons and Dragons party, Will is the cleric, but later occasionally plays the role of Dungeon Master; he is referred to as "Will the Wise".In November 1983, he vanishes somewhere near "Mirkwood" after encountering the monster that escaped through a rift to the "Upside . 3:30-4pm - Goes to Stevie's house to watch Muppet Babies with Amanda in the Den (per Pam's statement to police as well as her interview with Dimension Films). At the time of her youngest son's murder in May of 1993, Melissa was married to John Mark Byers . Here is our latest episode. His parents divorced when he was four years old & shortly afterward his mother married John Mark Byers, who adopted the boy. Stevies mother, Pamela Hicks, said the last time she spoke to her son, he asked for permission to go bike riding with his friends, according to Memphis NBC affiliate WMC-TV. Chris, The Daily Beast's foreign editor, died suddenly in Paris at the age of 68. His wife, Elaine Taylor, told The New York Times that the actor . Byers first became a suspect when he gave the HBO filmmakers a knife, that had some blood on the handle of it. John Mark Byers, Christopher's stepfather, reported the boys missing to the West Memphis Police Department at approximately 8 p.m., reported local newspaper the Memphis Flyer. Posted on . No physical evidence was produced linking any of the accused teen-agers with the crime, and no motive for the killings was introduced other than that the murders had been part of an demonic ritual. Autor de l'entrada Per ; Data de l'entrada calexico west port of entry hours; 12 month libor rate 2021 . Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims, Following a series of documentaries that cast doubt on the investigation and law enforcements conclusion, high-profile supporters began to rally behind the imprisoned , The debate rages to this day, and no one has a definitive answer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern. He was outside cleaning up the carport and had come into the house a couple of times. Instead, he had the crime labs vague conclusion that, because of the lack of definitive anatomic or toxicological findings, the cause and manner of death are left undetermined. According to Clark, the causes of about 4 to 8 percent of deaths that are presented to medical examiners nationally are found to be undetermined. But that was all, and the amounts of neither of those substances exceeded therapeutic levels. The puncture marks on the top of her right and left foot were not covered. Its unknown whos responsible for the slayings of Branch, Byers and Moore, and their families continue to fight for justice. He was the stepfather of Christopher Byers, one of three children killed in 1993 in a case that sent three men to prison, ultimately freed after a long campaign that they had been wrongfully convicted. Furthermore, a hair found in one of the ligaturesused to bind the boys was found to be consistent with the DNA of Terry Hobbs, Stevies stepfather, according to court documents obtained by Oxygen.com. Christopher's cause of death was from "multiple injuries," and both Michael and Stevie died from "multiple injuries with drowning," according to local newspaper the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Medics rushed Byers to Methodist Hospital, but he died a short time later. Noah Schnapp Confirmed Chester's Death The date of the Autopsy is dated May 7, 1993 & was performed by Frank J. Peretti, M.D. The right thoracic puncture mark and the right wrist puncture mark were both covered by Band-Aids. To learn more about the injuries, Ruff met with forensic pathologist Dr. Rebecca Hsu, who examined the autopsy reports and crime scene photographs, and noted that the injuries appeared to be a mixture of ante-mortem and post-mortem. Nov. 1, 2007 -- For 14 years, John Mark Byers said, he has been sure who murdered his son. The first thing people might be inclined to say is could this be some sort of torture, some kind of ritualistic thing? Dr. Hsu said. While the Arkansas State and U.S. Supreme Courts repeatedly denied the West Memphis Threes appeals, a new batch of DNA testing done in 2007 showed that no genetic material on the crime scene evidence was a match to Echols, Baldwin or Misskelley, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. John Mark Byers, father of murder victim Christopher Byers, holding lit cigarette as he sits in chair at home; Christopher's ravaged body, along w.. Police tape blocking off end of street leading to Robin Hood Park, the swampy, bush-choked woods, where the ravaged bodies of three 8-yr-old boys,. Echols and Baldwin went on trial a month later, and the prosecution argued they had murdered the boys in a Satanic ritual. The side of Branchs face was ripped apart, and Byers' genitals were so badly mutilated he was essentially castrated, according to the documentary special , Host Bob Ruff, who is also the creator of the, , noted that the mutilation led the original investigators to believe that this was a Satanic ritual., Ultimately, they were tried and convicted of the murders. May 5 Three eight-year-old boys Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore are reported missing several hours after they left Weaver Elementary School in West Memphis. 3 2020, Updated 3:12 p.m. On the afternoon of May 6, 1993, the dead bodies of three 8-year-old boys were discovered less than half a mile from their homes in West Memphis, Arkansas. On March 31, 1932, Byers died at the age of 51. Byers was the stepfather of Christopher and gained notoriety from his outspoken [] Dilaudid was not among them. Byers was the stepfather of Christopher. John Mark Byers, West Memphis Three figure, dies in car crash, Two shot at North Little Rock funeral home. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Her body was sent for autopsy to the office of the medical examiner at the Arkansas Crime Laboratory in Little Rock. They were later dubbed The West Memphis Three.. His body was found near Stevie Branch's, south of Michael Moore. In July, John Mark Byers was involved in an incident in which a group of teen-agers fought while Byers reportedly stood watch with a rifle to make sure the fight went on. In October, Melissa Byers was arrested once again and charged with aggravated assault, this time for pointing a rifle at carpet layers who refused to work in her home until the floors were cleaned. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today. He advised that Byers did not clarify who they were.. His funeral notice says he was 62. The police department has said that they are investigating the death as a suicide after the ABC 33/40 newsman was found deceased just after 8 am on June 12.