[16], When Waser returned to the Byers' home he was informed that Ryan Clark still had not returned. The first and likely simplest gauge is continued interest in the case. This is on mara's new website Sheriff to re-examine Byers 'cold case' Posted by Mara on Friday November 10, 2006 Sheriff Dale Weaver, of Sharp County, Arkansas, said in an October interview that his office intends to do some additional work within the next few months to answer questions that have lingered for more than 10 years over the death of Melissa Byers, (shown in the self-portrait above). In 1996, Melissa Byers died. I deeply admire that and I thought it was worthy of putting on film.. The arrests of the two stepfathers of the murdered children at West Memphis tend to underscore questions raised months ago by attorneys for defendants in the triple slaying case particularly about the adequacy of the investigation that led to the arrests of three local teenagers, none of whom had a record of prior violence. On the left side of the bed there was a glass of clear liquid. Benjamin Byers was taken into custody and was facing charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse and endangering the welfare of a child. By the time she got done watching it, her life was forever changed. The sheriffs is now investigating an explosion and subsequent fire that destroyed 1976 Dodge Travelmate motor home that was parked in Atwoods driveway.). As the 20th century turned to the 21st, the movement seemed to be picking up steam. Even without a smoking gun, the circumstantial evidence was enough for a conviction in a place like Crittenden County, Arkansas. The following is a list documenting the deaths of characters throughout the four seasons of Stranger Things. The mother of one of the three boys murdered in West Memphis died, but investigators have yet to figure out how. Help us deliver the latest daily reporting and analysis on news, politics, culture and food in Arkansas. There is some dispute then about how the pocket knife got into Byers passengers hand, but no one disputes that one did or that it belonged to Mark Byers. Consent thus obtained, the team searched the small, two-bedroom house at 75 Skyline Drive, while Byers waited outside. It is perhaps the cause of SuddenAdult Death Syndrome, a little talked about cause of death. But I had to. The documentarians found me in one of the worst things a person could go through, Baldwin says. He's really no creepier than a lot of guys from that area, but why didn't they spend that extra dollar and do a real DNA test on the (dried blood fround in the mechanism of the serrated) knife? For Rollins, it was a moral imperative: Id find myself up at 3:30 a.m. thinking about Damien. She was previously married to John Mark Byers. Hes subdued when discussing the facts of the case, but he comes alive while recounting his work with the Jaycees while in prison, or buying Metallicas Black Album when it came out in 1991. The hospital staff came to his aid and I excused myself to the visitor's room. He said, "No. It was clear that Paradise Lost was resonating. Byers was the stepfather of Christopher. This article was updated after publication to add more context about the honorariums paid to the families of the victims and the West Memphis Three and also to correct the time frame in which Berlinger and Sinofsky informed HBO about the changing scope of the documentary. "[7], At approximately 5:30pm, an ambulance responded to Cherokee Village where Melissa was reported as being unresponsive. Help us deliver the latest daily reporting and analysis on news, politics, culture and food in Arkansas. Baldwin remembers the dire circumstances laid out during the call. [5]Byers said that they heard Ryan knock on the bedroom door around 3:20pm and then they both went back to sleep. She said it was one of the highest-rated pieces they had. Christopher Byers, also known as Christopher Murray, was born on June 23rd, 1984. The woman told Investigator Steve Huddleston that she had known the Byerses for years, that the couple had recently been estranged, and that Melissa had been taking Dilaudid, a powerful narcotic that, when diverted to the black market, is one of the most popular illegal drugs in the country. Now a judgewho coincidentally works part time in the courtroom where Misskelley was convictedStidham spends time speaking to law students about the judicial system. When he was released in 2011, he met John Hardin, who worked with the West Memphis Three support group Arkansas Take Action, and the two bonded over a desire to do for others what had just been done for Baldwin. A month later, authorities arrested Baldwin, Echols, and Misskelleythree teenagers who lived in trailer parks near West Memphis and had previous run-ins with the law, though nothing rising to the level of murder. Michelle McNamara helped crack the Golden State Killer case by poring over thousands of pages of case files while working on her book Ill Be Gone in the Dark, which was published two years after her 2016 death, while Chris Lambert and his podcast Your Own Backyard were highlighted by authorities after two arrests in April in connection with the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. It s not between you, its between them. And, Rose added, he does admit to saying that, too., The boys did back off, in part because Byers was holding what appeared to be a gun. WWE legend Melissa Coates has died at the age of 50 after undergoing a leg amputation last year to stop her arteries being blocked by blood clots, leaving her former colleagues from around the wrestling world to voice their shock. Dan Stidham, the original attorney for Misskelley, who would also work on Baldwins and Echols appeals, says he has the answer. Disintegrated by the Prototype Gate Explosion. Growing up and over a 6 foot trellis and trailing back down to the ground, this plant looks incredibly healthy with no leaf loss anywhere. "She was a beautiful woman. He advised her mouth was wide open, her eyes were closed, she was totally limp, and her arms were down by her side. She was not injured and taken into custody, police say. Going by what was said in the article about the ME not being able to determine cause of death, we can safely assume it wasn't a natural death caused by something like a heart attack or massive cerebral hemmorage, both of which leave definite signs. We were finally winning, he says. What is known is that over the course of the next year, Byers worked as an informant, at least for police in Memphis and West Memphis, and possibly others. I've been suspicious of the Byers family since the beginning. Melissa Byers, Self: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. When the pair got the call from Nevins, they mobilized immediately, landing in Arkansas shortly after the arrests. The presence of this drug in the urine indicates recent use and it cannot be ruled out that this drug did not play a contributory role in death with a delay between a toxic reaction and death allowing clearing of the drug into the urine. 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. Here were these guysat best they were neutral. At midnight, Witt went to the house next door to interview Norm Metz, a neighbor who had followed John Mark Byers to the hospital. Maybe, maybe not, but there's no evidence (aside from that knife, which never underwent full DNA testing as far as I know). Melissa Byers (mother of Chris Byers) died believing they were guilty. She died at . All of those factors combined to create a tipping point, says Leveritt. He advised that when [Ryan] left, he almost flipped the car over he left so fast, spinning gravel. According to Witts notes, when Metz later joined Mark Byers at the hospital, Mark told him he was afraid Melissa had overdosed on a drug that is in the streets of Memphis. It just needed a catalyst. American actress, TV director, producer, politician, and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, Melissa Gilbert's cause of death is spreading as a rumor since reports claimed she passed away on October 27, 2022. He was never charged in connection with the deaths. Creator Payne Lindsey, a filmmaker with no previous experience investigating crimes, had no connection to the victim before he discovered her while Googling cold cases in hopes of finding his own version of runaway successes like Serial and Making a Murderer. Our collection includes both England & Wales birth, marriage and death index for 1837-2006 as well as an extensive collection of Parish records dating back as far as the 16th century. Arkansas Times reports that Byers was in a single-car crash on Chambers John Mark Byers and Melissa Byers. Instead, on the reports final page, the word hydromorphone, or Dilaudid, appeared as hydrocodone, which is another drug entirely. Rollins not only gave interviews to keep the effort alive in the press, he organized a string of benefit shows and released an album featuring Iggy Pop and Chuck D, with proceeds going to the defense. However, he could not produce any papers showing that he had custody of the kids. The IMDb credits page for the first Paradise Lost is modest, but impressive. When Alex Sinofsky is asked about his fathers work on the film, he recalls the frequent trips and long hours spent editing film on a Steenbeck he kept in the house. Court records show the charges were later amended. (Police questioned Byers several times during the investigation, but never considered him a suspect.) Deputy Sheriff C.L. Police also noted what appeared to be attempts to clean the dining room, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Christopher, known to family and friends as "Chris" was one of three murder victims in the "Robin Hood Hills Child Murders" case. He advised that when he left, he almost flipped his car over he left so fast, spinning gravel. He served three years probation. But most of defense lawyers efforts to bring that information before the jury never got out of the judges chambers. Maines won the lawsuit; police have never named Hobbs a suspect or charged him in connection with the killings.). Mandy said that later that night Byers located the syringes and threw them away after police were done searching his home. "He ask [sic] John Mark if Melissa was dead. When this was complete, Waser was asked to return to Byers' home because he had "seemed to gain John Mark's trust". But it wasnt in the ways its directors had hoped. They said the boy with him lived at Cherokee Village. Social media didnt fully exist yet, but the group managed to harness the potential of the nascent information superhighway to bring attention to their cause. The other drugs found in the blood were at low or therapeutic levels which have not been associated with sudden death."[35]. A quarter-century later, what does the documentary tell us about citizen activism, the criminal justice system, and the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 90s? The Byers family has been part of the news in Arkansas since the morning of May 6, 1993, when the bodies of three 8-year-old boysSteven Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byerswere found in a drainage ditch in a wooded area near the West Memphis subdivision where they lived. The Paradise Lost cameras captured not only the defenses discussions, but the full testimony, in Misskelleys trial, of an expert on coerced confessions. The trials were sensational from start to finish, partly for the gruesomeness of the crimes, and partly because the police case was predicated on the belief that the killings had been part of a Satanistic orgy. John Mark called to Ryan twice. The following year, three West Memphis teen-agers were convicted for the killings in a pair of sensational trials, which hinged on allegations of Satanism. Byers himself was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. They told reporters they wanted to escape the publicity that had engulfed them and live peacefully, but police say, rather, that, since arriving, the couple has disturbed the peace. The results suggest that Melissa had not been using hydrocodone for an extended length of time; otherwise, the drug would have been in her blood and her liver. Did Byers do it? Her body showed no visible signs of trauma. All of the documents pertaining to the investigation of Melissa Byers' death may be found here. He said, Stay where you are. Melissa was the biological mother of Chris Byers and Ryan Clark. No one disputes, however, that the boy with him then reached out the window with a can of Mountain Dew and poured it over the prone boys head, saying, This will wake him up., A highway department employee working nearby heard the altercation and ran over to intervene. (Associate Medical Examiner), Charles Kokes, M.D. After the murders, restitution was made for the watches, and the matter was never prosecuted. That was on May 5, a year to the day before the three boys murders. If the state of Arkansas has a deep and abiding belief that the West Memphis Three are child murderers and did these terrible crimes, then shame on them for letting them out after 18 and a half years because a bunch of celebrities are whining about it, Berlinger says. Even today, years after his name was cleared and authorities ruled Lams death accidental, Morbid still receives threats. Dilaudid was not among them. Byers said he was worried because he had asked Ryan to take his girlfriend, Amanda, home and come right back. Melissa Byers' death has been a crushing blow to people who knew her through Healing House, a live-in, addiction-recovery program in Kansas City's Old Northeast. We know that Melissa A. Melissa Byers was only 40 years old. The second time he requested a towel. He told Witt that at a little after 5 p.m. that evening, John Mark Byers had called him on the phone, saying that he could not awaken his wife. The murders shocked West Memphis, but weeks passed without an assailant or assailants being found. Misskelly and Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison, and Echols, who was identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Once there got to be this global pressure, and there was a big concert here with really big-name musicians within a mile of our Supreme Court building, things started suddenly to change, she says. Byers mentioned two people in Memphis whom he put in that category, and he referred to helping authorities at Marion on their investigation into an illegal methamphetamine lab. [34], The final cause of death for Melissa was listed as "undetermined". Melissa was the biological mother of Chris Byers and Ryan Clark. Byers acted strange, the report noted. In fact, for the better part of 1993, it was nearly impossible to find anyone who believed they were innocent. Either way, after an emotional Season 4, it looks like Will's character . Melissa's heart was reportedly enlarged and her atrioventricular node was narrowed. He advised that John Mark advised no, and Ryan had a funny, eery [sic] look on his face. A benefit album was released in 2000, and the phrase made it into a Dawsons Creek episode when Pacey shouted Free the West Memphis Three over an airport intercom. That person reportedly contacted other relatives in Blytheville, and together they drove to Memphis, where they confronted Terry Hobbs about the assault. He stated he continued CPR until the EMTs arrived and took over. He said he was at the Byers' residence on March 29th, 1996. But then the verdicts arrived: Both Baldwin and Echols were found guilty on all counts, just like Misskelley had been six weeks before them. Yes, the West Memphis Three are out of prison, but as long as they are considered guilty in the eyes of the state, the case is closed, meaning no further investigation can occur. He and John Mark Byers were informed that Melissa was deceased at 6:30pm. He just didnt know it would take another 14 years to happen. "), Also, the guy I think was Byers said that the last time he saw his son, he was giving him a beating because the son had been riding his bicycle in the street or something like that. Mojo had a different idea of what might get the man he affectionately called J.B. out of prison. And without substantial physical evidence, police zeroed in on a pair of teens they knew well: Echols, a self-professed Wiccan who wore all black and read Stephen King, and his best friend Baldwin, who was considered an outsider because of his love of drawing and bands like Metallica. At that point, the boys watching the fight moved in and tried to stop it. Witt arrived at the hospital about 35 minutes later. The deputy signed an agreement stating that, if they did, Byers would not be charged with possession. Metz observed Ryan and his girlfriend on the couch, nude. Waser wrote, "They went to bed, spent time talking, had intercorse (intercourse) and went to sleep, at approximately 2:30PM they went to sleep". The idea, Berlinger says, was to tell a story of disaffected youthabout kids killing kids., There was no reason not to believe the press, Berlinger says. He was sentenced to a year in jail, with nine months suspended, and ordered to pay half of the injured boys medical bills. Join us in the fight for truth. In January 1995, John Mark Byers was found guilty on the charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Before the three teens were arrested, Beyers was giving the police the names of pawnbrokers and drug dealers as possible suspects (he's a police drug informant), claiming that there were a lot of people with grudges against him (diverting attention from himself? They saw the same thing you did. The whole point of the web sleuths presented in the Cecil Hotel is that you cannot assume something is truthful just because circumstantially it seems interesting. A year later, when the film Paradise Lost was shown on television and then released to theaters, John Mark and Melissa Byers were brought to national attention. 3 0 obj The Alford plea is a seldom-invoked and somewhat confusing legal maneuver, but the basics are fairly straightforward. In general, who is most likelyto commit a crime against a child: A family member or A devil worshipingcult? There were a few small bruises on the body, some or all of which may have occurred on the way to and at the hospital. Melissa and John Mark Byers were having problems in their marriage in 1996. He declared he. Two bandaged needle puncture wounds were described. Stidham, who is preparing Misskelleys appeal, says that one of the points he will raise is that Misskelley denied any involvement in the murders until police told him he had failed a lie-detector test. He had always maintained he didnt commit the crimes, and outside the Varner Units walls, a growing chorus of activists and legal observers were arguing that same thing on his behalf. > > NightShade [email protected]>. Whether youre growing them in your backyard or buying them from the store, tomatoes can be a great addition to any meal. She also described seeing lots of blood in the home and seeing the body in the basement with what she thought was a stab in the back. Sharp County Sheriff T.J. "Sonny" Powell wouldn't say whether the. 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. Ryan asked if his mother was alright and Byers told him he did not know. Baldwin, who had been coached by his lawyers to avoid speaking to the press, says money was the only reason he agreed to the added pressure of appearing in the documentary, especially when everyone else in a position of authority seemed adversarial toward him. They saw this movie and they felt like, I have to do something.. endobj I have my doubts as to whether the teens actually committed the murders, and I consider Byers suspicious, but that's a long way from declaring him guilty. Misskelley and Echols were 36; Baldwin was 34. 24 Jun . whittier union high school district superintendent. 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