Murder Mystery: Most Likely To Be Murdered Part 2. And Nancy and her mother might be alive todaybut they arent. "As long as they don't give up, I think there's hope.". At the time of her death, Ted Hercutt told the News Sentinel in 2009, father anddaughter were embroiled in litigation over a piece of property. One caller even told the Jefferson County sheriff's department that he saw a mushroom cloud-like explosion in the vicinity of the fire. During the final week of 2020, three homicides were reported that are still unresolved despite the respective agencies and families of the victims involved reaching out for help. Your email address will not be published. Convicted of murder after a two-day trial in May 1945, Hall was sentenced to death. She left behind two college-age sons and two grade-school age daughters.. JONESBORO, Ark. Hes willing to tell where it is, toobut not unless the feds or the state grant him favors. It is a different world now. (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.) Due to the size and population of Little Rock, Arkansas, murders are more common there than in most other cities in Arkansas. The sheriff's office launched a homicide investigation. McCarter, the chief detective, would not releasethe initial report a decade after the crash. His large, 300-pound frame had been set on fire and burned beyond recognition. 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. Investigators say the Sevier's parents turned them in after being contacted by police. They were seen dancing with an unknown American in a Mexican cabaret. All of the links in this post refer back to the author's references. 48-year-old Timothy Sharp is in the Sevier County Jail charged in the shooting death of his wife Crystal Sharp. He would not elaborate onShannon Hercutt's cause of death, nor would he say what deputiesfound when they went to her home. into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. 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. If you have any information that could help crack it, please call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office. All police have is a single description, plus the certain clue that the King must have had close contacts in Dallas society. The man in the rain shoes is not Fannins long-lost rich uncle (though he is rich); indeed, Fannin doesnt even know his name. 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. 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. 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. Despite the fact that Horton had a document giving him power of attorney, no Dallas bank would negotiate the transactions. That may have been why somein the community grew to suspect the father had a hand in his daughter's killing. Golden was released on May 25, 2007, also his 21st birthday, after spending nine years in prison. Parks' security firm was later contracted to guard Clinton's presidential campaign headquarters in 1992. Her case received assistance from the FBI, was the subject of several television specials, and inspired her mother to establish the Morgan Nick Foundation. Crow at jdcrow@garlandcounty.org or call (501) 622-3751. The local Packard garage might have had the necessary parts to repair the carbut it had to order them and wait five days instead. Some examples of the most gruesome murders which you can find on their list of unsolved murders include the 1998 abduction and murder of Brittany Locklear, the 2000 murder of Keke Jefferson-Moore, the 2001 murder of Michelle Howard, the 1992 murder of Tammy Zywicki, the 1994 murder of Melissa Witt, the 2017 murder of Brandi Seals, and the 1985 But while the murder was an open and shut case, figuring out the victim's true identity has been impossible. 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. She was last seen at 10:45 p.m. by her friends, emptying sand out of her shoes at her mother's car. "I know you have paid someone to kill Shannon," Penny Stephens told Ted Hercutt, his mouth agape. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond. Jared said his book also has chapters that include other cases, too. New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas New book investigates unsolved murders across Northeast Arkansas. It's unknown whether or not they were Kevin and Don. The first victims, Jimmy Hollis, 25, and Mary Jeanne Larey, 19, were attacked while parked at a local lovers' lane. Her possible birthday is 22Jun1862--d. 1936 around Grenola, KS. 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. Authorities ask anyone with information in the case to call the Sevier County Sheriff's Office at865-453-4668 or 865-428-1899. 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. According to their YTD report, which shows crimes from January to the end of May 2021, there have been roughly 27 murders in Little Rock alone. Once inside, deputies found Crystal Sharp in the house with gunshot wounds to the head and face. Crystal Sharp's body has been sent to Little Rock, Arkansas for an autopsy. That autopsy found Hercutt suffered headinjuries she couldn't possibly have sustained in the crash. Until then, natives of the Natural State will remain haunted by these unsolved mysteries. Since her disappearance, Colleen Nick has founded the Morgan Nick Foundation, which helps parents cope with the disappearances of children. Bidding farewell to their new acquaintance who said he was on his way to, of all places, Nashville the two officers left. Police in Baxter County think Gary had help, and they believe that the unnamed suspect might also have ties to Jerry's murder. 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 claimed to have sauntered into the Witte carrying a lawn chair and a concealed hammer. Now the bodyguard began to investigate in earnest. The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. "She was kind of vain in the fact that she wanted her hair to be perfect all the time," said her first cousin, John Madewell. Love Arkansas? IZARD COUNTY, Ark. Print Headline: Work on unsolved Hot Springs killings goes on in '22. Here's what is known about them SABRINA LYNN UNDERWOOD:. 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. More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. If you have any information about these cases, please contact our office at (870) 642-2125. Parks was leaving El Chico when he was ambushed by two men in a white Chevrolet Caprice at the intersection of Chenal and Highway 10, where witnesses say the men shot Parks to death before speeding away. Mary Isabel Piner/Ball/Johnson lived in Madison Co. AR came from NC and TN to AR. On Aug. 31, 1997, Garland County deputies found the bodies of 17-year-old Teela Hudson . Arrests were made, some jewels recovered, but the King himself was never caught. Unfortunately, it seems there may never be an end to the growing number of Arkansas homicide and true crime stories in Arkansas, although advancements in forensic technology gives us hope that we can finally see justice for many cold cases which have remained unsolved for decades. The Cadillac Escalade was towed to an impound lot, andthe 40-year-old businesswoman's body was sent to a funeral home to be preparedfor burial. Much of the publicly available information has come from family members and remains independently unconfirmed. 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. "We've heard numerous things," Giles said. She would'veworn her seat belt. He went on to criticizethe state highway patrol, whichworked the crash, and the sheriff's office, whichreceived the case after the autopsyon Aug. 6, 2009. The Sharp's neighbor, Lisa Arbor can see their home from her front yard, but says although she's shocked, she's not surprised. Damien Echols was the lead suspect in the murders of three West Memphis boys in 1993. The area where White was found is part of Hot Springs National Park and on federal land, resulting in both the National Park Service and FBI taking the lead on the investigation. The two had a tumultuous relationship characterized by bouts of estrangement and reconciliation. Karen Johnson Swift, a mother of four, went missing. The FBI maintains that Banks' case is one of many unsolved civil rights-era cases that it is still investigating. He said he once received a phone call with no caller ID; someone breathed the word "murderer," then hung up. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. 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. Today (Friday, August 16) is the official release date for Jareds new book. So when authorities found her body inside her crashed SUV at the bottom of a steep slope off Walker Trail 10 years ago on Saturday they quickly ruled her deathan accident. Easily the state's most infamous missing persons case, 6-year-old Morgan Nick was abducted from a little league baseball game in Alma in June of 1995. In Japan, the willow represents ghosts. In Chinese culture, a willow branch can ward off evil spirits. Jjesus Anaya, a Hot Springs Police Department public information officer, told the newspaper on Nov. 30, while appealing to the public for help in the almost year-old case. Bring on the Shiplap? 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. He died in 196830 years after Hazel and Nancy Frome. According to Arkansas investigators, she told her friends she was originally from Florida. A litany of theories emerged as motives for the murder. Sep 16, 2019 NEA . OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Why these two cities were chosen among some of the more exotic locations, which include Seattle, New Orleans, London, Tokyo, and Paris, is unclear. Crime Tips HOTline (870) 642-2125 or Submit Via Email. But in 1897, two Arkansas lawmen allegedly had a face-to-face encounter with a UFO and its pilot. Her friends said that there was a "creepy" man talking to Morgan around the last time she was seen. It worked. Frazier had been reported missing out on Feb. 8. Police were able to track down the man responsible, James Roy McAlphin, and he's now in prison. ", Texarkana Siblings Charged in Burned Bodies Case, La. 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. "You may remain anonymous. Riggs' defense said she was suffering from depression and apparently did not want to have her children split up after her envisioned suicide. Parks' son, Gary, also tried to link Clinton to the murders. She and her husband were getting divorced and she vanished a few weeks after filing. as well as Little Rock. The fence supposedly got it out of the country through Chicago. Maybe somebody knows something who just can't talk about it right now, but down the road they may. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Once Hazel Frome and her daughter Nancy had decided to drive from San Francisco to Parris Island, South Carolina, they might have chosen the northern transcontinental route instead of the southern road through El Pasobut they didnt. 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. 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. The victim was a young blonde, and she had been savagely beaten before being shot in the. The gem once belonged to the Maharajah of Mahratta in the Gujarat region of India. Well, two of the clues were posted in Fayetteville and Little Rock. Both women had been savagely beaten and choked; in addition, a large piece of flesh had been bitten from Mrs. Fromes arm and Nancys body was marred by cigarette burns. When police found a 21-year-old female brutally murdered in her hotel room, the mystery was just beginning. Since the case against the men depended on his testimony, charges had to be dismissed after his death. "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. HOT SPRINGS, Ark. No conclusive proof of their cause of death has ever been established. If you enjoy coverage like this, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Ted Hercutt was never charged, and he died in 2017. The lawmen at the scene, he said,did not go down the embankment to view his daughter's body. "I can take it." Where is the diamond? Other friends had also received similar cards, Bergeron learnedall with the addresses typed. Anyone with information regarding Frazier's death is asked to email sheriff's Investigator J.D. Susie m. Isaac Piner. He claimed that his father had collected a file on Clinton's salacious activities and that he was subsequently executed because of its contents. Andy Taylor and Barney Fife meet Spock and Captain Kirk? According to this same report, in 2019, 242 people were murdered in Arkansas. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki. 2. Sumpter and McLemore's account isn't without precedent. He had been beaten to death early on the morn- of June 4, only a few short hours after his stepmother Sissy had lost her first bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to Dolph Briscoe. At around 10:30 p.m., Morgan asked her mother if she could catch lightning bugs with her friends. These cases that involve Arkansas have yet to be solved and victims have yet to see justice. Usually, its a quiet whisper because you dont want anyone to know you committed this horrible heinous crime.. Investigators never found any evidence that he was involved in the killing, McCarter said. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. 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. 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. "Boys, I'm not afraid," he was reported as saying when guards strapped him in and fastened the electrodes. She was very passionate about her company," said Madewell, who now runs Auntie Belham's alongside his wife. Robbery certainly had to be considered; there was no money on the corpse, but there was an expensive waterproof wristwatch. In August 1998, both boys were sentenced to confinement until they reached the age of 21, which is the maximum sentence available under Arkansas law. The report was []. So what's all this got to do with Arkansas? Some of those chapters chronicle Holocaust survivors that Jared interviewed throughout the years. Horton and Ardis ODell Reed, the notary who witnessed Roberts signatures, were subsequently indicted for their roles. "We don't know if it's drug related or some sort of payback or what. Mention "Woodson Lateral Road" to most Arkansans over 40 and you're bound to hear the Natural State's version of the vanishing hitchhiker legend. Leave them blank to get signed up. The objective of this department is to serve the Public within our jurisdiction, to enforce laws, investigate crimes and do our best to solve these crimes and to protect the citizens of Sevier County as LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. Arkansas, USA : C : Hoyt Franklin CLINES March 25, 1981: 1: Arkansas, USA : Johnie Michael . Johnson has since faced run-ins with Arkansas law subsequent to his release and is currently serving a four-year federal sentence on weapon and drug charges. Rector was convicted on both counts and sentenced to death. Next Horton tried to cash Roberts ample holdings of stocks and bonds. 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. Police were summoned to the scene, but officers took the report via the drive-thru window and never entered the building to interview the suspect. The organization's primary goals are to comfort parents of missing children, while also helping law enforcement find missing youngsters. The King reaped so much publicity he became an inspiration for lesser thieves, who attempted to emulate him without success. The question on many residents' minds: were the two incidents linked? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This case immediately caught national attention when three teenagers, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelly Jr., and Jason Baldwin, were arrested and charged with the murders of the three young boys, with the killings being portrayed as being a part of a Satanic ritual. [ Feb 15, 2023 ] Two severe crashes in Greene County Crime [ Feb 15 , 2023 . 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. 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. Further complicating the case was the mysterious "Mr. - A poem titled "New Lite" sparks memories of an old, dark secret. She was dead before she hit the water. We believe the more resources we can provide to digital volunteers and citizen solvers mean more citizen detective communities. 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. The only evidence left behind were 10 9-mm bullet casings scattered on the pavement. He asked to be put in touch with Tex personally, but Horton insisted on protecting his clients strict request for secrecy. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. He lived withand perhaps still lives withan older female companion, Jessie Forsyth. It was not unusual for the 85-year-old Roberts to leave the house suddenly, but it was virtually unprecedented for 89-year-old, infirm Jessie Forsyth to accompany him. 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. Five famous cases the police may never mark closed.. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? In his newest book, Whispers in the Willows, Jared explores three unsolved murder cases hes covered throughout the years, and more. Timothy Sharp is in the Sevier County Jail on a first degree murder charge. The third case began in October, 2011. These cases are still remembered by many Arkansanswhopray for justice. 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. A willows branches reach toward the ground and raindrops falling from the branches resemble tears, giving it the name weeping willow. Willow trees are prevalent in fiction but throughout cultures across the world, too. The stranger then showed Sumpter and McLemore his vessel: a cigar-shaped amalgamation of blimp and balloon that was nearly 60 feet long The pilot even offered them a ride, but the officers refused. Over the years, roughly 7,797 of those murders in Arkansas were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved Arkansas murders today. Unsolved Murder Files; Unsolved Mystery Files; Legend Files; Suggested Cases; The Investigators; Contributing . Technically the 1968 robbery of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is not unsolved. In January 2007, outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee made a peculiar request of his staff: destroy the office computers. It began on the night of August 15, 1970, when Roberts, whose real name wasnt Robertshe was born Leroy Seviersummoned his friend and bodyguard Al Bergeron concerning a matter of utmost importance. After finishing some personal business, Bergeron went to the mansion. 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. He never cracked a safe but simply lifted the goods from a bathroom dressing table. Either way, the murders that took place in Arkansas left a mark on the state and made headlines in the news. Once confident of solving the case, they have lost their optimism with the years. 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. Since the beginning of 2021 through the end of May, there have been 27 murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, alone. At the time it was thought he had been caught in a bear trap, frozen to death and thrown aside. Rector survived the surgery and was put on trial, his defense arguing that Rector was intellectually impaired and not competent to stand trial. They said it had political overtones, pointing to the untimely suicide of Vincent Foster a childhood friend of Clinton's and one of his closest allies only months earlier as evidence of a connection. Some unsolved murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, include the 1989 murder of Anita Shell, the 2015 murder of Ebby Steppach, and the 1993 murder of Jerry Parks, among many others. On June 9, 1995, Morgan Nick and her mother, Colleen Nick, went to a Little League baseball game in their town of Alma, Arkansas. 48-year-old Timothy Sharp is in the Sevier County Jail charged in the shooting death of his wife Crystal Sharp. In old interviews, Ted Hercutt openly acknowledged his status as a suspect but consistently denied any involvement. Unsolved murder cases involving three women are the focus of the new book which was just released Friday, Aug 16. . The Jonesboro prosecutor later stated that were it not for their ages, he would have sought a death sentence for the pair. Jimmy Dunn, the districtattorney general, declined to comment. Despite the passing of two decades, LRPD's investigation into the elder Parks' murder is ongoing. In 1987, Don Henry and his friend Kevin Ives were found dead in Bryant, Arkansas on the railroad tracks near their homes. Little is known about the puzzle's creator(s). Dig deeper Both women had been shotbut by different guns. (It was still working.) The police have the man who did it, and he is indeed behind bars. 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. Hercuttwouldn't have been out driving that late. If youre interested in learning about both solved and unsolved Pulaski County murders, you can find information regarding many Pulaski County murders trial with a simple search, and often times you can find all of the crime scene information if the case is solved. A quick search for Arkansas serial killers will result in a short list of serial killers in Arkansas, some of whom are lesser known, and others who are considered to be famous Arkansas serial killers. It was one of many reported "airship" sightings that swept the country in the late 19th century. After serving in World War I, he returned home to Marion and began working at a utility plant. Anyone with information can call the sheriff's office at (501) 622-3660 or the criminal investigation division at (501) 622-3690. Authorities also discovered that the names in the Bible belonged to a family the victim stayed with while living in Dallas. Huckabee's staff obliged, wiping the memory of more than 100 computers before smashing their hard drives beyond repair. Possible motives for the crime were numerous. Some northern Arkansas unsolved murders 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. Theres a possibility that a law officer may have been involved in her murder.. 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. 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. todaysthv.com.