unsolved murders fort smith arkansas

Get more stories delivered right to your email. Especially at the county levels.". You can download the data here.We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. She was very sweet, but timid and scared to death of her boyfriend. I've stood in the same parking lot where Melissa went missing. Dumping on the Razorback Greenway worries residents, Police: Greenwood teen taken into custody on drug charges, Storm warning fatigue | Alerting Arkansas, Detective believes 1995 murder of Arkansas teen could be tied to another case, Alma Police receive hundreds of tips since 'Still Missing Morgan' documentary aired. Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. No one noticed the blood splatter on her keys at the time. Next 10 CitiesHow we calculated the murder capitals of ArkansasWhile there are surveys and public polls on what cities in a state are the most dangerous, we didn't want to rely on speculation and opinion. Diaz is president of the Vallejo chapter of. Six people were on board the boat at the time of the crash, including 19-year-old Paul T. Murdaugh. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite. Certain details are withheld due to maintaining the integrity of the case, Sgt. 322 South Main Streeet, Suite 615 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2222 / Visit Website. Sergeant Jenkins said Benton County Police issued a Be On the Lookout (BOLO ) at 9:43 p.m. At 6:30 a.m. the next day, Danas car was found in the southbound lane of highway 71, Sgt. Sort All Cases By: Company Area | Male | Female | County | Year | Last Name Results: 13 Record (s) Found. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks. Larry Swearingen was looked at as a person of interest in this case. I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. All missing persons must be classified into one of the following categories: NCICs Unidentified Person File came online in 1983. She was running low on money, she was going to come out and have her mother buy her a hamburger. Morning:Melissa goes to classes at Westark Community College, now the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS). Sheapparently died within hours of when she vanished, probably in the early hours of Saturday, July 1, 1989. The News-Leader contacted Kelle Ann Workman's brother, Marc. It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. She reported her daughter missing. Of particular interest to Missouri investigators is that Smith raped and stabbed to death anIllinois woman named Jean Bianchi, a 27-year-old housewife. Fort Smith unsolved murder subject of new billboard campaign, Nonprofit launches billboard campaign to bring attention to 27-year-old cold case, Were not giving up: Search still alive 27 years after Melissa Witts disappearance and death, Nonprofit making sure Missy Witt cold case stays front & center, Who Killed Missy Witt team holds press conference on 27th anniversary of kidnapping, Non-profit group asking for information on 27-year-old Fort Smith murder case, More than a story: Nonprofit works to bring awareness to Melissa Witt case, Missy Witt: Cave Springs woman writes book about unsolved murder, Police Say Suspected Killer's Grandparents Withheld Evidence, Arrested man not suspect in girl's kidnap, cops say, Strangled (Who Killed Melissa Witt? 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. "But he could be lying and if he was high on drugs or alcohol as he frequently was at the time he might not even remember," she said. Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. Six weeks after the abduction, two hunters in the Ozark National Forest discovered Missy's body on January 13, 199545 miles from her home in Fort Smith. Her car was found in the parking lot, but she was nowhere to be seen. According to Sgt. He was active in the area at that time, and he had attacked another teenager in Arkansas. Making it tougher for investigators to gather evidence. Moody's father Jim wrote a letter about his son that he gave to the media. Crime in Arkansas. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people who killed . Here are a fewother unsolved murders in the Ozarks: In his first year as Douglas County SheriffRoldan Turner had two separate murders to solve Ronnie Johnson and Kelle Ann Workman. Fort Smith murder unsolved after 42 years, family still has hope In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Fort Smith is 1 in 90 and property crime is 1 in 18. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. Workman was 6 feet tall and 135 pounds. Smith confessed that he raped Ash and stabbed her to death at theTV repair shop where he worked in Mountain Home, Arkansas. We were very young. A mother's 30-year missions to uncover the truth about what happened to her son's in 1987 has led a federal judge to order an urgent review of several tightly guarded government . Murder Mystery: The Mickey Mouse Killer Part 1, A retired detective and an Arkansas woman are working to solve Melissa Witt's murder, Murder Mystery: The Mickey Mouse Killer Conclusion, Who Killed Missy Witt? However, she never made it inside. The light is the ghosts lantern used to search for his head. You can download the data here. More Economy. She always called. They also tried search warrants and subpoenas for information but had no luck. 6:30/6:40 pm:Witness reports hearing woman in distress in Bowling World Parking. Example video title will go here for this video. Law enforcement agencies should be contacted without delay. Kelle Ann Workman, 24, was last seen June 30, 1989, while mowing grass at Dogwood Cemetery, outside Pleasant Ridge Southern Baptist Churchat Highways 14 and Z. In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. READ MORE 5. Four teenagers were camping on the shores of Lake Bodom in Finland on June 5, 1960, when an unknown group or individual murdered three of them with a knife and blunt instrument. Arkansas isnt always peaceful forests and serene waterfalls. Horton told Smith: My only purpose in writing is to ask that if you did abduct and kill Carol, that you grant me the peace of mind to know what happened., Smith responded: I give you my word, which is about all I have anymore that is good, that I havent the answers to the questions you seek. Theres a seedy underbelly to almost everywhere, but knowing these dark occurrences happen in your own backyard is particularly nerve wracking. Chasing Chains, LLC. She suffered a gunshot wound to her head. Gun sales shot up for a time, and sales of alarm systems and guard dogs also rose as the murders went unsolved . Her body was fully clothed. There were no records found of her death. An unclesaw her mowing at 5:40 p.m.; her absence was noticed at about 6:15 p.m. *While use of the Unidentified Person File is increasing, it is not yet mandated by law to make entries into this file. Police ruled Danas death a homicide, but would not confirm the exact cause of death. 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. You can also report any information you may have concerning a crime and could receive a . A DNA match helps link multiple unsolved murders down to one man in this clip from Season 2, Episode 5.Tune in to Cold Case Files, Fridays at 9/8c on A&E, an. These are the places in Arkansas where people were killed most often, according to the latest FBI numbers. Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas, Download The Entire Arkansas Ranking Data. Help bring awareness to the murder of Melissa Witt in hopes of generating new information that could bring justice to her case, Follow the Melissa Witt Facebook Group to follow the latest updates in the case. Georgia dreads that outcome. The National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. There were no signs of struggle. The Colorado Cold Case Database features unsolved homicides, missing person, and unidentified person cases to assist law enforcement agencies in the development of information, which can lead to the identification, and arrest of any person (s) who may have committed any crime described on this page. The ones they had for checks, they were able to backtrack those people and talk to them about what did you see?, said Pevehouse. Jenkins added. Updated: 6:31 AM CDT October 4, 2021. He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. The coat was corduroy and possibly fleece-lined. Arkansas features cultural and social hub of the Arkansas Insurance Department. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. For individuals wishing to review their own record or somebody who they know hasn't been out of the unsolved murders in arkansas as being the unsolved murders in arkansas in Arkansas. OPEN/ UNSOLVED CASES . Both cases remain unsolved. Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . Your anonymous call could lead to a $1,000 reward. The girl's stepfather found him in the midst of the attack and tried to beat him to death, although a sheriff's deputy arrived and intervened, according to local Fox affiliate station KNWA. His sentence in Illinois was lengthened in1977; hewas given another 18 years for trying to escape. Tara Strozier, a 40-year-old from Fort Smith, Arkansas, was last seen alive about 20 miles away across state lines in Cameron, Oklahoma, on July 17, according to the Fort Smith Police Department . Shedid. In addition, while incarcerated in Illinois he pleaded guilty in March 1971 to killing Obie Fay Ash, 32, of Cotter, Arkansas. A family is still looking for answers after a Sebastian County womans murder case remains unsolved 42-years later. Smith has also confessed to killing several women while a U.S. Marine in West Germanyin the 1960s. This is extremely important in cases involving a possible abduction, suspected foul play or an at-risk situation. Her body was placed near a headstone-like rock. A week later, her body was found some10 miles south of the cemetery and about six miles east of Oldfield, in Christian County. Archive statistics are available upon request. If a manila folder image appears, this means you are at the beginning of the case file. If you have any updates in any of these cases please contact me. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. Moody's body was found Nov. 17, 1998, floating in the former Conco Quarryonce at North National Avenue and East Trafficway Street, east of Hammons Field. Though the fourth boy, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson, survived the attack and lead a relatively normal life, he became a suspect in 2004. Blades' husband, Larry, and her parents Louis and Geraldine Horton took issue with the sheriff's comments. The Springtime Jonquil Festival In Arkansas Thats Unlike Any Other, Spend A Magical Evening Savoring This Wine And Fondue Experience In Arkansas, Arkansas Oldest Drive-In Theater Is Hiding In A Small Town And Youll Want To Visit, Dine At The Historic Spot In Arkansas Where The Legendary Gangster Al Capone Drank Whiskey, The Legend Of Arkansass Very Own Monster Will Chill You To The Bone, 9 True Arkansas Stories That Are Way Creepier Than The Clown Takeover, The Story Behind This Mysterious Creature In Arkansas Is Both Bizarre And Fascinating, The One Place You Have To Go In Arkansas If Youre Looking For Real Adventure, Naomi Rahim / Moment Collection via Getty Images, Calico Rock Historic District in Calico Rock, The Empress of Little Rock in Little Rock. Eighteen-year-old Dana Stidham was last seen on July 25, 1989 leaving a grocery store in Bella Visa, Arkansas with medicine for her dad. Under the Search tab, select the Card Catalog and look for the title "Fort Smith, Arkansas, Criminal Case Files, 1866-1900." Select "view original image" to be taken to the case file folder. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. I don't want to go to my grave not knowing, she told Dateline. Details About Her Unsolved Murder And Why Police Haven't Caught The Killer. This move prompts an interesting discussion about the rights and preservation of potential fantastical threats. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of Bowling World in the evening. Melissa is pronounced deceased. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. A friend of the family found the keys to the Chevy Impala in the field the man ran across. Stephen Smith, 19, July 2015 Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old nursing student at the time, was found dead in the middle of the road on July 8, 2015, Bluffton Today reported . Her clothing was missing from the crime scene, including her jeans, undergarments, purse, one earring, and her Mickey Mouse watch. Wanted for Arrest. Kristen said she spent weekends driving to nearby states with her mother and her aunt, Georgia, to see if anyone had seen Dana. Swearingen denied murdering Missy Witt and was executed on January 27, 2009, for Melissa Trotter's murder. Both girls were 19 at the time of their death, and both were murdered and found in large forests in Arkansas. But Melissa never came home, and Mary Anne grew worried. When they find her body, she had been exposed to extreme temperatures, Rush said. However, with a period of no less than 90 days of community service. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. 5 The Florence Salon Murders. But she never made it inside. Each of these victims were submitted by families or law enforcement through our submission page. Firefighters responded to reports of smoke rising from a yogurt shop on West Anderson Lane. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . On July 25, 1989, 18-year-old Dana Stidham left her parents' home to pick up her father's . Moody had not been reported missing, family members told police, because it wasn't unusual for him to not be in contact with his family for stretches of time. The 2019 crime rate in Fort Smith, AR is 559 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 2.1 times higher than the U.S. average. According to science fiction writer Richard Shaver, the cave is one of the entrances to a subterranean civilization. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". No one has ever been charged. Book 2), Oklahoma Author Looking For Answers To Arkansas Cold Case. All rights reserved. We have had several people tell us she was not getting along at home. Compare Fort Smith crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. A Van Buren man already facing multiple years in prison on various cRiminal convictions saw an additional 15 years tagged on to his prison sentence after a plea deal to wrap up the court proceedings from a July 2021 murder in Fort Smith. Some of that gas, but not all,could be accounted for by a trip Blades made to Kmart in Springfield to buypresents. During the school year, Dana had been working after school and on weekends at Harps Food Store in Bella Vista, Arkansas. The police looked at the good samaritan very closely before dismissing him as a suspect. They wrote: "When 'Buff'Lamb was called the night Carols car was found, he did not take fingerprints or even caution people to stay away so the car could be dusted later. When she entered the salon, she first saw the corpse of 62-year-old Dorothy Harris. is 6.0%). Dana agreed to run out for her father and left the home to make the four-mile drive in her grey Dodge Omni around 3:00 p.m. Georgia said she got home after work around 4:00 p.m., and Lawrence told her Dana had not yet returned. First-time author Barbara Kemm-Highton spent three years working on herbook. If I did, I would certainly honor your most understandable request.. She was found not guilty in 2015. Lawrence, who had medical issues, was feeling ill that day, so he asked Dana if she could pick up his medicine at Phillips Foods store in Bella Vista. "Westill follow up on leads that come in from time to time," he said. Georgia said that in the days following Danas disappearance, there were several sighting of her daughter reported to police, but none proved true. Captain Philip Pevehouse with the Sebastian Co. Sheriffs Office says customers begin making calls to the Fort Smith Police Department about the store not having a cashier. The city with highest murder rate in Arkansas? So we wanted to get the facts straight and dug into the FBI crime data in order to identify the places with the most murders and the highest murder rates per capita in Arkansas. FORT SMITH, Ark. 100 Wayland Smith Drive , Uniontown, PA 15401 +1(724)437-7300 Currently Open. It stated: The problems with the case, according to the story, included: Dave Smith, then a sergeant, said: "We have to find someone with firsthand knowledge that he was out there that night.". Jenkins told Dateline. So, we grew up without her basically our whole lives, said Enseys youngest daughter Nikki Ensey. 1995 Alma, Arkansas girl's disappearance featured in crime show on Hulu. That summer, Dana spent some time living with her cousin, Kristy Smith, before moving into a different apartment with her brother, Larry, and a roommate in Centerton, Arkansas. And give us some information about what they actually told the police department back there in 1979, daughter Nikki Ensey told 5NEWS. The massacre inspired the movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown." "He was a brave, strong person," his mother told the News-Leader at the time. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. Murderpedia . Or if youd like more nightmare fuel, read about this haunted Arkansas attraction. If anyone has information regarding any of the missing persons cases, please contact the Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 907-269-5038 (local), 800-478-9333 (toll free) or email [email protected]. Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial killer Charles Ray Vine, also known as "The River Valley Killer.". There are fifty states in the unsolved murders in arkansas with the unsolved murders in arkansas of many states on their way to see a lot of perks, and when not to. With over 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of hiking trails. It had been abandoned on the shoulder of northbound Highway 160. JC Rider, a retired Fort Smith Police Department detective, said investigators believe Witt was struck in the head and then kidnapped. ", More:Woman, 15 at the time, disputes account that turkey hunters found Ronnie Johnson's body in the woods. Do you feel thoroughly thrilled and chilled? Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. The Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis reports are available upon request. Bowling World didnt have security cameras in the parking lot, and though some convenience stores in the vicinity did have cameras, they were too far away from the crime scene to be useful. Blades was 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds. Melissa is still not home. 1. More than 30 years later, Fisher's estranged wife was charged with first-degree murder. There are currently no cases that match the selected filters. 2023 www.news-leader.com. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson of West Plains, Pokin Around: Inspired by a readers question, an investigation into the 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson, 'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson, Woman, 15 at the time, disputes account that turkey hunters found Ronnie Johnson's body in the woods, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, OK Above the railroad tracks near Gurdon, a mysterious floating light has been spotted. In a letter published in the News-Leader they saidthe case should never be forgotten. The court determined that the events were not foreseeable and the case was ultimately dismissed. Melissa's memorial service is held at the Grand Avenue Baptist Church followed by a burial at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetary under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home, 10:00 am:Wal-Mart dedicates their missing persons board to Melissa Witt. A homicide is considered cleared if at least one person has been arrested, formally charged and handed over to a court of law for trial. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. A 1995 News-Leader story mentioned by name two suspects brothers who lived near the cemetery. Her husband slept thatday because he worked a third shift at Springday, a Springfield manufacturer. The Victims: Forty Unsolved Murders Since 1984 Nov 21, 1991 This is a list of 40 unsolved killings in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties since 1984, the year officials say the Green River. It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. 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. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . Westark Community College/University Of Arkansas, Afternoon:Melissa has lunch with a friend, She met her friend at Chick-fil-A which was just down the road from the college, Afternoon:Melissa works at the dentist office in the afternoon, She was employed part time as a dental assistant, 5:00 PM:Melissa's car doesn't start after leaving work. Download the Uncovered Citizen Detective Guide to learn more about how thoughtful and safe online sleuthing. Who killed Missy Witt? A young boy, who was with his mother at Bowling World, said when he went out to retrieve a book from their car, he heard a woman scream, Help me! He didnt see anyone but stated the time was around 6:30 or 6:40 p.m. If she was going to be late, she always called.. Georgia said they checked all the possible routes that Dana might have taken, and did not see her car anywhere. Donate. Three people died and an officer was stabbed in the neck in an incident in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday. Resources. The lawnmowing job was only about one-third complete and her car was still there, with the keys in it. There could easily be a scientific explanation for this one, but do you really want to risk it to find out? Anstuz was a carpenter at Killian Construction in Springfield. A 19 year old college student disappears in a parking lot. Georgia was at work at the time, but her husband Lawrence was at home. Ten months after Blades vanished, Sheriff Lamb told the publiche doubted there was a crime. The family alleged that the defendant failed to exercise ordinary care to provide for the safety of business. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year.We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States.

Healthcare Data Governance Ppt, Crest Pro Health Mouthwash Blue Chunks, What Happened To This Old Tony, Why Was Ananias Afraid Of Helping Saul, Humana Fee Schedule 2021, Articles U