Karen Johnson Swift, a mother of four, went missing. But he would like to. Driftwood? As of this writing, however, the latest mention of this story dates back to late 2011. 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. If you have any information about these cases, please contact our office at (870) 642-2125. In Buddhism, the willow branch represents compassion. He finally sat down with the lead investigator on the case over a year ago and Jared said they hashed it out. McCarter, the chief detective, would not releasethe initial report a decade after the crash. While browsing the internet for a list of murders in Arkansas, list of Arkansas murders, or all murders in Arkansas, youll find both solved and unsolved cases, some of which have received a lot of media attention, and others that have almost no information or receive no attention from the media. A look at what bills could become laws in Arkansas next week, Tornado impacts Pike County, community begins clean up, Your Arkansas weather forecast from THV11, School bus crash causes traffic delays on I-630, The Democrat-Gazette ran a follow-up story, The story did little to dispel the rumors, though, famous philosophers and complex mathematical theorems, investigating reports of "cattle rustling", swept the country in the late 19th century, a handful of restaurants in Virginia Beach, Her case received assistance from the FBI, Arkansas' ugliest years of racial bloodshe, a formal investigation was never performed, the latest mention of this story dates back to late 2011, Parks' security firm was later contracted, Clinton's far-right critics pounced on the murder, also tried to link Clinton to the murders, dismissed such claims as "unsubstantiated", unnamed suspect might also have ties to Jerry's murder, were released per the controversial Alford Plea in 2011, physical evidence linking the WM3 to the crime scene, witnesses who originally testified against the trio, DNA from one of the shoelaces used to subdue, On the evening of the murders a "disoriented", was discovered in one of the sheets used to wrap the victims. 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. North Arkansas Murder Remains Unsolved, Billboard Now Offers $25K Clues have been hidden in digital images, spread physically across the globe, and often reference the work of famous philosophers and complex mathematical theorems. At the sound of the alarm, the exit from the room containing the diamond was blocked by a gate descending from the ceilingbut the thief left the lawn chair in the doorway to keep the gate from dropping all the way to the floor. The list of his victims read like the Dallas social register: James Ling, Clint Murchison, Sr., P. E. Haggerty (then president of Texas Instruments), and at least a dozen others. He lived withand perhaps still lives withan older female companion, Jessie Forsyth. The FBI maintains that Banks' case is one of many unsolved civil rights-era cases that it is still investigating. Clinton's far-right critics pounced on the murder. He refused to appeal his death sentence. Usually, its a quiet whisper because you dont want anyone to know you committed this horrible heinous crime.. 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. Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. 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. Over the years, 7,797 of those murders were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved murders in Arkansas today. For much of the 20th century, the South was an inhospitable place for African Americans. 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. At first, her mother was uncertain, but eventually let her go. Authorities ask anyone with information in the case to call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office at865-453-4668 or 865-428-1899. 2009 KSLA-TV & Raycom Media. The Democrat-Gazette ran a follow-up story about a week later. Well, two of the clues were posted in Fayetteville and Little Rock. On Christmas Day 2020, shortly after 8 a.m., the body of Ethan Mathis, 18, of Hot Springs, was found in the 1400 block of Bald Mountain Road after deputies responded to a 911 call about a possible deceased person. A vehicle with a similar insignia had been used by narcotics smugglers, leading police to speculate that the Fromes may have been mistaken for dope runners who double-crossed their ringleaders. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The two had a tumultuous relationship characterized by bouts of estrangement and reconciliation. 4. They were seen dancing with an unknown American in a Mexican cabaret. But Shannon's life was stopped short on a late summer night on August 3rd, 2009. Print Headline: Work on unsolved Hot Springs killings goes on in '22. Tommy Sevier, Jr., age 25, and Samantha Sevier, age 19, both of Texarkana, Arkansas are each charged with two counts of capital murder. Adding another twist in the case, Gary was recently charged with the murder of his mother's new husband, David Millstein. Hercutt's family fell apart as accusations flew. Police had noted in earlier posts Frazier had not been in contact with his family since Feb. 3 and had missed scheduled medical appointments and not reported to work. Since the case against the men depended on his testimony, charges had to be dismissed after his death. 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. 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. HOT SPRINGS -- The new year began with some homicides still unsolved. 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. There was, in short, no apparent motive. This date marked the first woman executed in Arkansas since 1845. Roten checked in with other districts all across the state, but the only two incidents appeared to come from Little Rock. The Murder Accountability Project Cold Case Homicide Statistics Breakdown of Homicide Clearance Rates Nearly 340,000 cases of homicide and non-negligent manslaughter went unsolved from 1965 to 2021, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report data studied by The Murder Accountability Project. Convicted of murder after a two-day trial in May 1945, Hall was sentenced to death. 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. Arkansas was no different. 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. After her children were dead, Riggs unsuccessfully attempted suicide. You don't have to tell us who you are, but please tell us what you know," the release said. Special Report: Plans to exhume 1977 Arkansas murder victim's - FOX16 Texarkana Siblings Charged in Burned Bodies Case - KSLA This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Jared takes a deep personal interest in these cases and others he covers, often becoming close with the family of the victims. 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. Vance was reportedly a fan of Pressly, and was a frequent viewer of her morning news show. 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. Burnett's teenage daughter Minerva led authorities to find that her parents had planned Selby's murder and her brother John had carried it out. 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." Email Map. Here are 10 more mysteries to explore. The fence supposedly got it out of the country through Chicago. Investigators never found any evidence that he was involved in the killing, McCarter said. 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. Crow at jdcrow@garlandcounty.org or call (501) 622-3751. When Harding College Associate Professor Ruby Stapleton was kidnapped from a Searcy laundromat in October 1963, her anxious students, colleagues and family had to wait an excruciating 11 days to learn her fate. We've shared with you 10 unexplained mysteries of Arkansas, but don't think it stops there. The exact cause of death in Frazier's case has not been released. If you should happen to spot a short, muscular man with a long stride walking down the street with a screwdriver in his hand, wearing cheap rubber rain shoes and surgical gloves and possibly even a handsome piece of jewelry or two, Walter Fannin would like to hear from you. She was last seen chasing fireflies with her friends on the outskirts of the ball fields. He watches the waves prod it landward and his imagination plays over the shape. Thank you! Murder Mystery: Most Likely To Be Murdered Part 2. Volume 1. . "I can take it." He took only womens jewelryand only the best pieces at that, never costume jewelry and never ordinary items like pearls. "Detectives have been working diligently on this case, but no arrests have been able to be made because of information lacking up to this point," he said. While the authorities' search for the "highway apostle" yielded no tangible evidence, the story permeated Little Rock by word of mouth. Unsolved Murder in Sevier County. This case, I had to use more anonymous sources because people didnt want to talk about it, Jared said. 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. She vanished in Halloween 2011 and then her body was found in a cemetery not far from her house underneath some bushes. A third possibility caught the attention of the FBI, which entered the case to investigate a possible obstruction of justice. Escorted to the electric chair on January 4, 1946, he was all smiles, laughing and joking with his guards. Administrative Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm It's unknown whether or not they were Kevin and Don. 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. There's just something that comes together at some point, and I truly believe that it will here, too. 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. We believe the more resources we can provide to digital volunteers and citizen solvers mean more citizen detective communities. Why these two cities were chosen among some of the more exotic locations, which include Seattle, New Orleans, London, Tokyo, and Paris, is unclear. The Phantom Killer: Behind An Unsolved Murder Spree In Arkansas Despite Rector's mental state, then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton made a point of returning to Arkansas to oversee Rector's January 24, 1992 execution during the 1992 U.S. Presidential campaign. On the evening of March 9, 2000, a litany of Arkansans reported seeing "balls of fire" falling from the sky. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. "You may remain anonymous. New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. But Jim Parsons is determined to solve the mystery. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were around 9,951 murders in Arkansas alone. 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.. He made impossible, Topkapi-like entrances through seemingly inaccessible windows and slipped away unobserved on all but one occasion. [ Feb 15, 2023 ] Two severe crashes in Greene County Crime [ Feb 15 , 2023 . The Little Rock Police Department dismissed such claims as "unsubstantiated". "As long as they don't give up, I think there's hope.". He owned several businesses, along with nearly 1,000 acres of land. Despite this, the many different law enforcement agencies in Arkansas will never stop trying to solve all of Arkansas true crimes, and seeking justice for the victims. He also consulted a handwriting expert and Paul Chitwood, an attorney who had previously done legal work for Roberts. The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the. Here are 10 more mysteries to explore. On April 17, 1905, an African-American levee worker named John Barnett was hanged by a black mob near Askew (Lee County) for allegedly murdering a fellow worker. The train engineer noticed them but was unable to stop in time to prevent running over them; he later rationalized that due to the noise of the oncoming train, the boys had to have been dead and positioned on the tracks before he arrived. as well as Little Rock. 21 years after Arkansas couple found dead, authorities seeking answers In January 1975, Carolyn Dianne Zachry of Ashdown paid two men (the exact amount is in dispute) to kill her husband -- the men took Curtis Eugene Zachry to a remote location under the pretense of. Five famous cases the police may never mark closed.. 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. Usually, its a quiet whisper because you dont want anyone to know you committed this horrible heinous crime.. No one has ever been charged in any of the three aforementioned cases. Moreover, witnesses who originally testified against the trio later said they were pressured by law enforcement officials to do so. The primary focus is on victims Rebekah Gould, Karen Johnson Swift, and Amanda Tusing. "I'll be seeing and hearing gunshots over there," said Arbor. "Even though an arrest has not been made, it's never been put on a shelf and ignored," said Sevier County Sheriff's Office Chief Detective Jeff McCarter, who worked on the case back in 2009. Police believe she was abducted before she was tossed in the ditch. Noted now for being an obsolete method of execution, death by electrocution is still a legal secondary execution practice in Arkansas. Few reporters have covered as many murder cases with the passion of long-time journalist and author, George Jared. Arkansas, USA : C : Hoyt Franklin CLINES March 25, 1981: 1: Arkansas, USA : Johnie Michael . Kizer said the case is still active "on our end," but the case file has been turned over to the prosecutor's office for review. Rector was convicted on both counts and sentenced to death. Bergeron looked at the familiar signature again and decided it didnt look quite right. Finally, some unsolved central Arkansas murders include the 2011 murder of Kimberly Steele, the 2002 murder of Jane Murdaugh, the 1987 murder of Sandra Lynn Williams, and the 1995 murder of Robin Lynn Farnsworth, among others. Since the beginning of 2021 through the end of May, there have been 27 murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, alone. When they returned to the hotel shortly before midnight, they got the bad news about the car, and for the next four days, they shopped in the Juarez marketplace and danced away the nights. The attempt effectively resulted in a lobotomy. Two months later, her skeletal remains were found in a cemetery near her home. On . Get more stories delivered right to your email. Others describe a girl in a white dress, draped in a motorcycle jacket, who forever wanders the highway in search of her deceased prom date. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were 9,951 murders in Arkansas. These cases are still remembered by many Arkansanswhopray for justice. Family members said he was all but cut out of her will. The Hercutt family said a $45,000. 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. And she never would havehad a window down. The 2013 murder of Patricia Collins, the 2009 murder of Terry Sullivan, the 2006 murder of Hosea "Junior" Prince, the 1977 murder of Stanley Smith, and the 1996 murder of Lela Mae Adcock can also be found listed under a separate category of Tennessee murders, unsolved central Tennessee murders. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. After the discovery of her nude body in a dry creek bed, the medical examiner ruled . In the months that followed, the Phantom Killer embarked on a murder spree, which the media coined the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. Most of these recent Little Rock murders have not been solved, and law enforcement continues to investigate their homicides. She and her husband were getting divorced and she vanished a few weeks after filing. "She was a well-kept lady.". However, this neat package overlooks one minor detail: a flawless emerald-cut canary diamond that was worth $365,000 when it disappeared from its case in the museum eight years ago. HOT SPRINGS, Ark. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond. She was very passionate about her company," said Madewell, who now runs Auntie Belham's alongside his wife. Some of those chapters chronicle Holocaust survivors that Jared interviewed throughout the years. "And don't sit there and act like you're so innocent.". He found the usually locked front door ajar but no one home. $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. Some would argue, however, that not all of these cases were properly handled or the criminals involved truly got what they truly deserved. 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. The King reaped so much publicity he became an inspiration for lesser thieves, who attempted to emulate him without success. Its available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. When a case goes cold its especially haunting to remember that there are actual people out there either waiting for their stories to be told or desperately trying to hide a secret from the world. The reason behind the frenzied housecleaning has never been fully explained. Fannin has been looking for him, unsuccessfully, for almost twenty years. 10 more unsolved Arkansas mysteries | thv11.com Thank you! Investigators said the case remains under investigation. If you have any information that could help crack it, please call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. The report was []. Arkansas murderers list | Murderpedia We've always constantlytried to do things to try to solve it. However, due to an ever-expanding Pulaski County, the once rural highway is slowly being overrun by suburbia. Where is the diamond? 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. Maybe somebody knows something who just can't talk about it right now, but down the road they may. Johnson was released on his 21st birthday, August 11, 2005, having spent seven years in prison. In his book, Jared interviewed investigators and detectives who have worked on the case over many years. A well known, quasi-political figure around Arkansas in the late 1980s and early 90s, Luther Gerald "Jerry" Parks, Jr. oversaw Bill Clinton's security detail while Clinton was governor. He died in 196830 years after Hazel and Nancy Frome. Now, however, he is singing a different tune. The lawmen at the scene, he said,did not go down the embankment to view his daughter's body. 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 . 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. Unsolved murder cases involving three women are the focus of the new book which was just released Friday, Aug 16. . Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. Susie m. Isaac Piner. Anyone with information regarding Frazier's death is asked to email sheriff's Investigator J.D. Both women had been shotbut by different guns. Too late, Farenthold decided that hed been conned and went to the police. Sadly, after more than 20 years, it appears that the deaths of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Chris Byers will forever remain unsolved. For Fannin is chief of detectives for the Dallas police force and the short, stocky man is the King of Diamonds, the most daringand most successfuljewel thief ever to operate in Dallas. She lived alone on East Milford Haven Drive outside Sevierville,and she never married or had children. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies continue to work on the cases, which date from the last week of 2020 through the end of 2021. 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. A litany of theories emerged as motives for the murder. Madewell recalled drivingbackto Sevier County from Ohio the day after Hercutt's death on Aug. 3, 2009. Jared was present for three of the four executions including the first double execution in 20 years in the United States. As of June, a $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of whoever killed Mathis. Inexplicably, though, Banks' case file was destroyed in 1992. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Rumors swirled. A-State Announces 2017 Spring Graduation List, JPD: One arrested after downtown crowd gets out of hand, Two teens arrested in Jonesboro shootings, Sheriff investigating raw sewage dumped in Izard County, Suspect breaks into home and refuses to come out: JPD, Report: Male assaulted, shot at in Jonesboro. There are rumors of an unidentified figure in military fatigues loitering in the area before the train ran over Kevin and Don. 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. On the evening of the murders a "disoriented" African American man, covered in blood and mud, entered a Bojangles restaurant not far from where the bodies were found. Travis Dorman covers crime, breaking news and law enforcement. At the time it was thought he had been caught in a bear trap, frozen to death and thrown aside. Robert L. Tex Roberts wasperhaps still isan aging, eccentric, cigar-smoking millionaire. 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. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Deputy dining at IHOP makes arrest for disorderly conduct, JONESBORO Arkansas State University has released the list of students who were awarded diplomas on the undergraduate and graduate levels during the 2017 Spring Commencement ceremony May 13 in the Convocation Center. The gem once belonged to the Maharajah of Mahratta in the Gujarat region of India. In January 2007, outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee made a peculiar request of his staff: destroy the office computers. 48-year-old Timothy Sharp is in the Sevier County Jail charged in the shooting death of his wife Crystal Sharp. After serving in World War I, he returned home to Marion and began working at a utility plant. Uncovered: Unsolved Arkansas Murders Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. Some say it involves a motorcycle headlight, the remnant of a rider killed by a carload of drunk drivers. But only nine months after Clinton won the White House, Parks was gunned down in West Little Rock. 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. Later that night, a large fire sprung up in parts of Pulaski, Lonoke, and Jefferson Counties. 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. 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 Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition. The man in the rain shoes is not Fannins long-lost rich uncle (though he is rich); indeed, Fannin doesnt even know his name. 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. 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. 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. The real Wick claimed she didn't know the victim. At first, her mother was uncertain, but eventually let her go. The local Packard garage might have had the necessary parts to repair the carbut it had to order them and wait five days instead. In Japan, the willow represents ghosts. In Chinese culture, a willow branch can ward off evil spirits. 1. Arrests were made, some jewels recovered, but the King himself was never caught. 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. Remnants of a sunken ship? 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. More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were around 9,951 murders in Arkansas alone. The latest murder happened in DeQueen, Arkansas. Hes willing to tell where it is, toobut not unless the feds or the state grant him favors. The case was solved in 2019, however the prime suspect, Rory Allen Gregory, died in prison before the case could go to trial. The local police quickly rushed to the conclusion, claiming the boys had died from a drug overdose on the tracks.