However, he was unable to stop it in time. Shortly after 7 a.m., Phillip's little body was found. Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. Local agencies will provide updated information to ACIC to be included on the website. It is not known if the boys were Kevin and Don. Kevin Ives and Don Henry on Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Friends, Train Crew Subpoenaed In Investigation Of Deaths Of Teens, Malak Ruling In Train Deaths Of Teens Challenged By Pathologist, Jury asks FBI to probe train deaths in Newton County, Jury 'not completely pleased' with progress in investigation of two Bryant teens' deaths, Drugs cause of deaths? 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. Goulds book draws on reliable sources to recreate the last day of Ella Barhams life, her disappearance, the discovery of her remains, and a heated courtroom trial with over 35 witnesses and a seething mob outside the courthouse. 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. In the last 5 years Hot Springs has seen . She works in the field of information technology in Tulsa, where she lives with her husband and two catsbut her passion is wandering the hills of the Arkansas Ozarks. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Murdered Ella Barham was the authors long-dead cousin. Market data provided by Factset. "You may not know a thing, you may know something you don't realize you know, so we would love to be able to speak to anyone who had a relationship with Mr. Renegar," the sheriff said. While there, he allegedly witnessed the murders. He ruled their deaths an accident. FAQs Facebook Hot Cases Inmate Roster. Anonymous tips to the telecenter suggested that Kevin and Don were murdered by drug traffickers, and that they may have stumbled into the middle of a "drug drop." Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp" in 1994, the sheriff's office said. 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. By all accounts, Kevin and Don were typical teenage boys who both loved to work on their cars and hunt. Similar versions of the claim have been shared across Facebook, many users citing Arkansas 911 News as their source. Western Arkansas was also on the circuit of back roads Clyde Barrow used to evade lawmen from other states. 1. Halloween night, back in 1995, a Rogers mother was stabbed to death while passing out candy. Police quickly orchestrated an intense investigation. The legends telling varies, though, with one version claiming that the light is the ghost of the decapitated rail worker looking for his head. Swinney died in 1994, and no evidence has come out to unequivocally prove whether or not he was the Phantom Killer. These cases are typically fairly old, some having occured as long as twenty years ago. After 25 years, though, it appears as if the case will forever remain unsolved. It was on his porch and presumably seeking revenge. Real Names:Larry Kevin Ives and Donald George Henry Linda at first trusted Harmon, but later came to believe he was involved. Arkansas was a hotbed for mob activity in the first half of the 20th century. On most weekends, the two double dated. While there was one major suspect, he was never convicted of these crimes. HOT SPRINGS -- The new year began with some homicides still unsolved. 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. In March 1990, Kevin and Don's manner of death were officially changed from "accidental" to "homicide." It seemed especially unlikely that it would happen to two people at the same time. A traveling salesman, he would swing by each month to sell stationery to homes and local businesses. . The states had a handful of them before, but none have reached the magnitude of those in Guy. Newly appointed prosecutor Richard Garrett had Kevin and Dons bodies exhumed for a second autopsy to be performed by a noted expert. Inmate Roster Map Message from the Sheriff. This contradicted official statements from the Ouachita Sheriffs department that they had yet to turn up any clues in her disappearance. Curtis had the trains sound checked and found that it was ninety-eight decibels, which is equivalent to the sound of a jackhammer or an air compressor running. She wanted to keep the baby, he didnt. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. Knowing that most of the evidence against him was hearsay, Abernathy decided to appeal his case. The third victim was identified as 27-year-old James Barker. On October 23, 2018, Garrett passed away at the age of seventy-two. At the time of her disappearance, she was even assisting Sen. John McClellan with a congressional investigation into supposed mob ties with organized labor. After two weeks after her disappearance, a grid search was undertaken in the forest where she had disappeared. A composite photo of a potential suspect was released in hopes of generating local leads, but it did not generate any. The investigators would then work on each case when time would allow. Picavettold The Sentinel-Record that the FBI is working with local law enforcement because the investigation involves an incident on federal land. Local researchers point to the gruesome slaying of William McClain for the legends authenticity. Theres not much evidence to support ET being behind the crop circles, and farmers are similarly skeptical that its the work of pranksters. Pam Felkins, 32, was kidnapped on Feb. 2, 1990 from a video rental store where she worked in Greenbrier, Ark. or redistributed. 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. Little Rock, AR. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Curtis was not worried about them going into the woods because he did not think they would get in trouble. In recent years, sightings have been sporadic. NeverForgotten.ar.gov is also made possible by the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Arkansas Sheriffs Association, Arkansas State Crime Lab, Arkansas State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation Little Rock Division, Morgan Nick Foundation and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Others insisted that they saw a Bryant officialthat Dan Harmon fellow we mentioned earlier, to be exactpartaking in a drug deal, and the boys were simply victims of being potential witnesses that could jeopardize a political career. The FBI was brought in, as well as the Texas Rangers. (Robbi . While the missing persons case dragged on for close to a year, things took a frightening turn when a hunter stumbled upon Edwards partially buried remains in the woods. Yall carry your weapons. From chilling 'deep freeze' murder to mum torched in a churchyard, the terrifying unsolved crimes that time forgot. As his train drew closer, he made the horrifying discovery that two boys were lying motionless across the railroad tracks. Suspects: The man wearing military fatigues witnessed by police and others remains a possible suspect, but police have never been able to locate or positively identify him. Viral posts on social media warn of a purported serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The two boys were identified as sixteen-year-old Don Henry and seventeen-year-old Kevin Ives. They believe that Kevin and Don walked up on something that they were not supposed to see; they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. The 2019 Hot Springs crime rate rose by 12% compared to 2018. Crime Tip Hotline. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. They traveled to Petit Jean Mountain, the location of his last cell phone signal, and found his SUV parked outside the Mather Lodge. They hoped to force the authorities to reopen the investigation. 100 Rock Street Witnesses say that they saw her standing next to a maroon car driven by a man in his 30s on August 9, 1970. That night, they chose their usual hunting ground, along the railroad tracks that ran behind Dons house. Authorities charged a neighbor, Odus Davidson, with the crime, as mob violence loomed. Featuring both well-known and more obscure cases spanning across the 20th and 21st century, Unsolved Murders combines page-turning text . Two unsolved Ozarks murders are back in the news this week. On June 3, 2021, Linda passed away at the age of seventy-one. In 1995, the investigation into Kevin and Don's murders was officially closed without their killer(s) captured or identified. All investigators could confirm was that the killer was a man who wore a white hood, preferred to attack young people late at night in isolated areas, and often used a gun to kill his victims. 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. The number of homicides stood at 10 - an increase of 4 compared to 2018. They had both been shot several times in the back of the head. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. They were lying exactly across the tracks; their legs were across the rails, their torsos were between the tracks, and their arms were straight down by their sides. However, no suspects were identified. Arguably the state's most notorious cold case, the mysterious deaths of Don Henry and Kevin Ives still haunt Central Arkansas. The FBI is involved in the investigation because the incident took place on federal land. At the time of that incident, Renegar was armed with a knife and bound his victim. However, Linda and her attorney did not find anything in the documents related to the murders. Eventually, in 1975, the state attorney generals office requested that he be buried, and Mike was finally laid to rest later that May. 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 However, the boys parents didnt agree with that conclusionthey were certain their sons died of foul play. Hempstead County SHERIFF. They had both been shot several times in the back of the head. She successfully nominated several Boone County, Arkansas, properties to the National Register of Historic Places, including her own Barham ancestral home. 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. The killings were also the inspiration for the 1976 movieThe Town That Dreaded Sundown, which Texarkana still shows each Halloween in a park near one of the crime scenes. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A well-known public figure in Camden and a pioneer for women in Arkansas, Crawford worked as a court stenographer before she decided to take the bar exam. Other medical experts and researchers stated that it was highly unlikely, if not impossible, for a person to pass out from smoking marijuana. There is a homicide investigation in Hot Springs involving a 32-year-old woman found. 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. Sports reporter by day, internet sleuth at night, keep up with Brandon at On Campus Sports, Highlands Today, or on Twitter. To keep creating This Side of Seven: Arkansas' First School Shooter by Jason Pederson | Dec 23, 2021 The Creepy Truth About The Texarkana Murder Mystery, The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders: The Story of a Town in Terror. Post Sep 03, 2007 #1 2007-09-03T19:31. . The claim that there is an active serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is FALSE, based on our research. It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, rapedand then murdered -- but authorities announced Monday they may finally know who killed her. Cold cases are reported incidents of crime that were not solved during the initial investigation. The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the. Harmon dropped all charges against Abernathy, who had recently been promoted to lieutenant. 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. He claimed that he was hired by a "corrupt Arkansas politician" to provide "muscle" at an Arkansas drug stop. Residents honored their memory with a memorial last spring. P.O. 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. Her body was found a month later in a shallow grave in South Lake Tahoe, according to the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office. The ensuing investigation unearthed an intriguing lead. These cases surround themselves with weird clues, strange evidence and testimony, and odd circumstances, all of which serve to launch them into the realms of the most mysterious unsolved crimes. Like a handful of other states in the South, Arkansas has two ghostly orbs of its own, one in Gurdon and another in Crossett. He also suspects that there was some sort of police cover-up involved in the case; however, he was not sure if it was inadvertent or deliberate. SEARCY, Ark. Ursula Herrmann (10), disappeared on 15 September 1981 and she was found dead in mysterious circumstances. As northeast corner of Arkansas was home to one of the countrys most violent swarmsthe 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakesthe seemingly endless quakes have left some residents particularly on edge. Arkansas: The West Memphis murders of Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and James Moore. 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. The unit is made up of retired North Little Rock Police officers who have agreed to volunteer their expertise in helping solve these cases. The initial investigation was swift. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. As of this writing, though, no one has come forward claiming responsibility. who was "fortunate enough to escape his grasp," according to Ryals. On December 19, 1959, the entire Walker family was brutally murdered in their home in Osprey, Florida. 72201. Arkansans who have missing loved ones should share as much information as possible, especially the most recent available photographs with their local law enforcement agency. Within about three seconds, he hit the boys. 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. 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. According to the New York Daily News, the terror began on February 22, when a date that was going pretty well ended in tragedy. Meanwhile, the Crossett Light also originated from a fatal railroad incident, this time with the unlucky worker being beheaded by the train. 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. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. One of Richard Garretts first directives was to have the bodies exhumed for further examination. Nearly three decades after the investigation hit a dead end, Texarkanas Charles B. "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. He does not believe Don would do that because he would not want the wood getting scratched. However, it was never found. To this date, the unit has investigated over 85 cold cases. Family history says that her maiden name was Carpenter and that her mom was from TN and father from KY. She was supposedly born in Illinois ca 1850. These are the three cases that remain unsolved. AR 72336. He does not believe that anyone could sleep through that kind of noise. The Doe Network has 33 Missing Persons listed from Arkansas.. 13 Males & 20 Females. 2 A surveillance camera at Woody's Tavern in Moab, Utah, filmed Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner in the hours leading up to. The idea was born in late 2003 by Captain Charles Mask (ret.) Remembering Ella reveals the truth behind an atrocity that has been a staple of local folklore for more than a century and still intrigues true crime sleuths and historians across America. USA TODAY was unable to reach the Facebook users for comment. need your help for this. "She's waited 42 years for answers. She hoped to force eight federal agencies and three Arkansas-based law enforcement agencies to produce any documents they had about the case. In the early morning hours of August 23, 1987, the mangled bodies of Henry and Ives were discovered on a set of railroad tracks in Bryant, a suburb just south of Little Rock. The other most investigated type of crime is rape, as the statute of limitations on this type of crime is 6 years. Medical examiners reported that she died from blunt-force trauma to her skull. Ryals said over the years, DNA tests were performed on "numerous persons of interests" with negative results. However, the swarms continued over the next two years and increased in magnitude, with one reaching as high as 4.7 in February 2011. It's time she . You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Curtis recalls that Don came into his bedroom at around 12:15am. In 1946, the town of Texarkana, which straddles the state line between Texas and Arkansas, was rocked by a series of brutal attacks that ultimately left five people dead and three gravely injured. For more information, contact 501-918-3025 orcalsfoundation@cals.org. On the night Kevin and Don died, witnesses again reported seeing a man in military fatigues. According to the articles, Odis A. Henley, the officer originally assigned to the case, reported to his superiors that all the evidence he uncovered implicated Berg as her killer. Neither Kevin nor Don owned such a tarp. In the 1970s, Arkansas wasnt the most hospitable place for an unwed mother of three. When a fight broke out between the two, he allegedly killed her. Examiners concluded that both were dead before being run over by the train. Having had no formal legal classes, she aced the exam and eventually became an expert in abstract and title law. Thats where Maud Crawford came in. Both bodies were found in 1989 in different months in different. 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. Linda wondered, if they were that stoned, how were they able to lie down in identical positions? Then things got weirder. It was unusual for husband not to keep in touch. I got the youtube clip from the Arkansas Times Blog. Three hours later, Stephen Shroyers locomotive came speeding down Bryant Hill. It was higher than in 97.9% U.S. cities. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Garrett then focused on the green tarp. It was featured in a two-part episode of "The Trail Went Cold" podcast. The mysterious Moonlight Murders rocked the sleepy southern town of Texarkana in 1946. Adding to the creepiness of the case, some self-proclaimed web-sleuths have tenuously linked the Phantom with San Franciscos notorious Zodiac Killer. In August 2016, Linda sued the United States over Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The claim that there is an active serial killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is FALSE, based on our research. They began a crusade to find out what really happened and salvage the reputation of their sons. Their parents could not accept that ruling. However, he was never charged in the case or officially labeled a suspect. Home Calendar E-Newsletter Email Employment. Spreading your gift out through monthly contributions is a great solution for your budget and ours. USA TODAY contacted the Hot Springs Police Department about the claimand was referred to the National Park Service. Submit Via Email. Crawfords last known whereabouts place her at home. "So we continued on from there to do actual genealogy work. Kevin and Don set off to go spotlighting, a form of night hunting which is illegal in Arkansas. Read on to find out the 10 creepiest. Who had covered them with it and why? The sheriff office's said that Renegar drove a red 1984 B2200 Mazda Pickup with a white camper shell. One day, residents found Mike lying motionless under a tree. He took Curtis spotlight and took his own .22 rifle. "I daresay every lawman who worked this case never quit mulling the story over and over in hopes of turning up the hard evidence that could have convicted Swinney of the murders," Presley told the magazine. Spotlighting was a fairly widespread activity among the local boys. These sessions will be offered via Zoom from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, March 2REGISTERThursday, May 13REGISTERTuesday, September 14REGISTERThursday, December 2REGISTER. After serving a 10-month sentence in north Arkansas, he was released from prison in May of 1995. He was certain that the tarp was there. The Arkansas Geological Survey was called out to investigate, and while the group noted that there is some evidence that fracking can cause minor earthquakes, they found no link between the drilling and these particular swarms. Butler Center Books is the publishing division of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Man charged with murder in North Carolina is not George Floyd's brother, Ballot positions are done by a random draw in each county in Arkansas, National Park Service seeks tips from the public to aid homicide investigation in Hot Springs National Park, National Park Service and FBI Seek Information Regarding Hot Springs National Park Homicide Investigation, Woman found dead in Hot Springs National Park; death investigated as homicide, Police investigating after woman's remains found at Hot Springs National Park, Investigation by FBI, NPS closes part of Blacksnake Sunday. He had apparently passed away the night before. Renegar died from natural causes on Sept. 5, 2002, in Salt Lake City. Arkansas911news said the bodies were dismembered and chopped up. NeverForgotten.ar.gov, launched in 2016 and hosted by Arkansas Crime Information Center, enables the public to access information on missing persons cases with an easy-to-use searchable database. Despite his death, investigators are working to collect evidence in the case and the sheriff is asking for anyone who knew Reneger to come forward. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Hempstead County Sheriff's Office . To cover their tracks, they laid them on the railroad tracks and covered them up with a tarp. Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. He was only active for a three-week period between April and May, but in that span, he attacked eight people, killing five. While traveling through this part time or even full time jobs in Arkansas have come to call home. The only evidence that could possibly ID her killer was semen found onFelkins' body, according to the sheriff's office. Five months after the deaths, Kevin and Dons parents held a press conference. In September of 2004, the North Little Rock Police Department started a pilot program designed to reduce the number of open investigations by using retired law enforcement officers to supplement the existing group of investigators. "Five bodies have been discovered since March, each dismembered and left in secluded areas in local Arkansas. For almost 20 years Ernestine Andregg's family has not only suffered her loss, but also not knowing . Arkansas, USA : C : Hoyt Franklin CLINES March 25, 1981: 1: Arkansas, USA : Johnie Michael . Crime in Arkansas. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. Suddenly, while going through the town of Alexander, he saw something in his path; he could not tell what it was. See more ideas about murder mysteries, murder, mystery. Those brave enough to wander into the woods risk running into the nefarious Fouke Monster. NeverForgotten.ar.gov includes all missing persons from Arkansas and will be updated regularly. Arkansas Cold Cases. The gang's criminal exploits in Arkansas included murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, and automobile theft. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. The reported green tarp was never seen again. He was usually present when Kevin returned home from school and his mother, Linda, was always home at nights.