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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. Search dogs were used in the days following Danas disappearance, Sgt. 1. The number of homicides stood at 4 - a decrease of 5 compared to 2018. Join a singles club and meet with great singles. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Melissa Witt was a hardworking and ambitious, 19-year-old college student. Timmons already had a kidnapping conviction on his record, having abducted and held an 11-year-old boy in 1976, KYTV reported. That left us with 26 cities to rank. In a May 13, 1990, News-Leader story, Whitney said: I dont think this was a planned-out deal, other than they saw her and made a quick plan, he says. Possibly the most spectacular of the crimes were the September 1983 bludgeoning deaths of News-Sentinel editorial page editor Dan Osborne, his wife, Jane, and their 11-year-old son, Ben, at their home on South Harrison Street. Lifestyle is a possibility that may play a role in his death.". The hunt for answers continues to this day, as the case remains open,THV11 KTHV reported. Also known as Missy, she was an honors student at Westark Community College in Fort Smith, Arkansas where she lived with her mother, Mary Ann. 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. JC Rider, a retired Fort Smith Police Department detective, said investigators believe Witt was struck in the head and then kidnapped. If you're looking at the places in Arkansas with the most murders, and where residents have the highest chances of being killed themselves, this is an accurate list. We have never come up with anything positive.". There was not one sign of foul play, he said. She was 75 years old. If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. This move prompts an interesting discussion about the rights and preservation of potential fantastical threats. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. A kind stranger came along and gave her a jump start. It had been abandoned on the shoulder of northbound Highway 160. We all know she was really responsible, and she knew her dad was waiting on the medicine. Download the Uncovered Citizen Detective Guide to learn more about how thoughtful and safe online sleuthing. When Georgia received the call from police that evening that Danas body had been found, she said her only reaction was, It just couldn't be. However, they still have hope. Start browsing the folder's contents at the beginning of the file. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. While a murder just blocks or even a couple of towns away from your house would make anyone uneasy, in the long run, most likely, where you live is relatively safe. 100 Wayland Smith Drive , Uniontown, PA 15401 +1(724)437-7300 Currently Open. The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested inquiries. She was always smiling and happy, Georgia told Dateline. She always called. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. A friend of the family found the keys to the Chevy Impala in the field the man ran across. Contact. 615Little Rock, AR 72201501-682-2222Contact UsGoogle Map, ACT 346 (Court Access)AIBRS InformationCENSORCJIS Online PortalCrime StatisticsJusticeXchangeSystem RegulationsTraining CalendarsVictims InformationDirections to ACIC, One State Police Plaza DrLittle Rock, AR 72209, Donate to the Arkansas Disaster Relief Program, The Official Website of the State of Arkansas, Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training, Arkansas Full Time Law Enforcement Officer Salary Stipend. No suspect was ever identified. Dana's brother died in 2015. Jenkins told Dateline. The National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. First-time author Barbara Kemm-Highton spent three years working on herbook. The body wasdecomposed. She had been brutally murdered and left to die along a logging trail in the Ozark National Forest about 50 miles from where she was abducted. No one has been convicted of her murder, and there is currently a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for Missy's abduction and murder. 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. 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. 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 . Thinking their daughter may have had car trouble, Lawrence and Georgia got in their car and drove around to find Dana. 1992 Natasha Atchley White Female San Jacinto County Ranger Company A Re #: 160 1997 Harold William "Bill" Roland White Male 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. She was really sweet, everybody liked her, she was friends with everybody.. Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. "It was the family that accused me of that," Lamb told the News-Leader in December 1980. The rate of crime in Fort Smith is 55.87 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. He ran across a field in a southeast direction and when he realized he was being observed by at least one of the three in the other car he lifted a coat to hide his face. There could easily be a scientific explanation for this one, but do you really want to risk it to find out? Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Sheriff Lamb, who died at age 77 in 2001, was a former rodeo performer who as sheriff wasknown for straight talk and at times for roughing up those in custody. Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. Unsolved Cases . Georgia said they checked all the possible routes that Dana might have taken, and did not see her car anywhere. Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. Katherine Baker Case Report Number: 90-053018 He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. This is a list of notable male murderers who committed their murders in Arkansas, USA. He was looking for his cattle when he saw a white object in a grove of cedar trees, near a fallen tree;it was the skull of Carol Blades. Archive statistics are available upon request. If you are located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, is the unsolved murders in arkansas a 16.37-carat white diamond found by a law enforcement officer and those fingerprints compared to the unsolved murders in arkansas in Little Rock, with sports, culture and nightlife abounding. The massacre inspired the movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown." She parked her car, and before she would even make it inside the bowling alley, investigators believe Missy was abducted from the parking lot. Image. Recent job growth is Negative. You can find the link in the menu bar. "Obviously, we have not come up with probablecause to charge anybody at this point. The 1998 murder of John Alan Moody is one of 10 unsolved cold cases listed on the Springfield Police Department website. She reported her daughter missing. If they can come forward anonymously, they could contact Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Rush said. It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. The Social Security Administration records do not . Immediately making identification information available to the public has proven effective in helping to locate missing children as well as missing adults. Nobody should ever have to lose a child.. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Fort Smith is 1 in 90 and property crime is 1 in 18. Arkansas Crime Information Center. If she was going to be late, she always called.. Trending pages Morgan Nick Don Henry and Kevin Ives Carson Prince Ann Sigmin and Garey Goff Gainesville Killers Tony Alamo Amanda Tusing Larry Chism All items (16) # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other A Amanda Tusing Ann Sigmin and Garey Goff ", In August, 2005, then News-Leader columnist Mike O'Brien interviewed a Springfield writer who had published a book on the Blades murder:A Body on the Farm: The Disappearance and Murder of Carol Blades.". Her friends say she was friendly, kind-hearted, and a hard worker, which would serve her well as she dreamed of and was working toward her goal of becoming a dental hygienist. FORT SMITH, Ark. Her parents and other family members offered $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. Helena-West Helena Source: Public domain Overall SnackAbility 1 /10 Population: 10,187 Rank Last Year: 8 Murders: 11 (4th Most) Murders Per 100k: 108.0 (Most) More on Helena-West Helena: Data | Photos 2. A strange phone call made to police a day or two prior to the discovery of the body helps support this theory, he said. According to Sgt. Jenkins told Dateline. A retired detective and an Arkansas woman are working to solve Melissa Witt's murder Watch on Source: 5NEWS When she was discovered 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. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite. Police showed her a photo of a convicted burglar who was known in the area and, according to news stories, she identified the man as the intruder who killed her husband. Mary Anne had assumed her daughter went to hang with friends and never made it to the bowling alley. He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Both Rush and Ensey believe police can solve the case. 6) Morton S. ROSENFELD (79C-083) LCSO-79-5249 DOD: 05/19/1979 . More Cost of Living or Compare Fort Smith's Cost of Living. 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 . The police looked at the good samaritan very closely before dismissing him as a suspect. For many years there has been one person of interest that has been interviewed and questioned; he is in prison in Illinois," Cole said, referring to Smith. MISSING PERSON ENTRY CATEGORIES A documentary is being developed to cover Missy's case, and community advocates recently launched a billboard campaign to highlight her unsolved murder. Police learn the key witness in the stabbing death of a beloved aunt was an imposter; a return to the crime scene reveals a . If you have information on any of the persons . RoadSnacks is reader-supported. Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. Arkansas Death Records Indexes, Obituaries and Cemeteries by County. Bucholtz and Jared started a Facebook group called Unsolved Murder of Rebekah Gould in the hopes of getting some tips from the public about her death. 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. This was on Dec. 3, 1969 12 days before Blades was abducted and killed. No circumstance has a more devastating effect on a family than the unknown whereabouts of a loved one. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. With so many things you can choose from. The IMCA sanctioned 3/8 mile oval and I situated in the Van Buren - Fort Smith area at the unsolved murders in arkansas a fairly temperate climate throughout much of the National Park engulfs the . After Vine's arrest, the possibility he killed Witt was considered. Her clothing was missing from the crime scene, including her jeans, undergarments, purse, one earring, and her Mickey Mouse watch. Two people witness Melissa's abduction. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . Feeling bad, her mother left her a note asking her to join her for a burger later at Bowling World. Smith has also confessed to killing several women while a U.S. Marine in West Germanyin the 1960s. There were 'only' 26 cities in Arkansas where a city reported a murder to the FBI, meaning 36 places had no murder. She wouldn't let her dad wait on that.. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks. The unemployment rate in Fort Smith is 4.6% (U.S. avg. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. Swamp gas, pressurized quartz crystal, and headlight reflections have been possible explanations. Manage Settings CBI FOHVAMP . In 1973, legislation created the White River Monster Refuge. What haunted locations can I visit in Arkansas? For more on Vine's crimes, watch "Snapped Notorious: The River Valley Killer.". A pseudo-documentary, The Legend of Boggy Creek, highlights the towns monster lore. Christopher Reese's 2014 murder in Notus, Idaho remains unsolved. I don't want to go to my grave not knowing, she told Dateline. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. You just cant accept that your child is gone. You Decide. The Fort Smith Police Department investigated her disappearance as a missing person case until they found her body days later off Highway 71 and Treece Road. Chasing Chains, LLC. Shedid. Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The three people at the time thought nothing of seeing theman dash across the field until they learned Blades was missing and her car was the one they had seenabandoned along Highway 160. 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. He was described as 5 feet 9 or 10 inches tall, a white man with a dark complexion andblack hair combed back. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. The Missing Person Active/Expired Analysis and the Unidentified Person Active/Expired Analysis reports are available upon request. 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. In addition, while incarcerated in Illinois he pleaded guilty in March 1971 to killing Obie Fay Ash, 32, of Cotter, Arkansas. About. For some strange reason no one volunteered to climb down to see what pulled the rope. Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. The suspect had passed a polygraph test and told Davis that when he had talked about killing Workman he was "joking.". Her body was found on September 16, 1989 in Benton County, Arkansas. On July 10, 1995, the News-Leader ran a story by reporter Robert Keyes with the headline "Killing 'solved' but never tried." The ones they had for checks, they were able to backtrack those people and talk to them about what did you see?, said Pevehouse. 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. His name was never released. They questioned him. Gun sales shot up for a time, and sales of alarm systems and guard dogs also rose as the murders went unsolved . And, they asked, who leaves their clothes in a drier prior to running off? ", Dave Bowden, a corporal with Springfield police at the time, said in a news release:"Physical evidence gathered at and near the scene will be examined over the next several days to determine if the suspect can be linked to the crime. 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. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. All missing persons must be classified into one of the following categories: NCICs Unidentified Person File came online in 1983. Spiro man shot by law officers in eastern Oklahoma Fort Smith gunsmith arrested in Austin, Texas on federal charge FBI continues manhunt for Fort Smith fugitive Police release name of man shot and killed Friday in north Fort Smith Fort Smith man with ties to Pakistan . The officer told Mary Ann that since Melissa is over 18, she can leave on her own accord. That left us with 26 cities to rank.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'roadsnacks_net-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',706,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roadsnacks_net-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');Most Dangerous Cities In AmericaFinally, we averaged the two scores into an index:The raw number of murders in each cityThe murders per personWe felt as if a small place with 2,500 people and two murders makes it a lot more dangerous than a city of 25,000 people with three murders. 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.". Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Jenkins added. Connect with Never Forgotten A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. 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. We were very young. And even the victim and the victims loved ones dont know who the other party iswe normally draw these dead ends, Pevehouse said. The News-Leader never named the suspect at the time, stating the name "will not be released unless formal charges are filed by the Green County prosecutor's office. Little Rock: 56 | North Little Rock: 23. His father, Alex Murdaugh, a local attorney and the son of Randolph Murdaugh III, owns the boat.. It just destroyed us.. KHBS CNN Three people are dead and a police officer is recovering from being. . I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. They made this determination based on evidence of a struggle around her car, including blood found in the parking lot, as well as Missy's keys and an earring found nearby. Though the fourth boy, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson, survived the attack and lead a relatively normal life, he became a suspect in 2004. Did the River Valley Killer Have Other Victims? There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people who killed . The body was found on Forest Service Road 1551, located off Franklin County 111, also known as Jethro Road. IE 11 is not supported. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, OK Details About Her Unsolved Murder And Why Police Haven't Caught The Killer. "He was a brave, strong person," his mother told the News-Leader at the time. Of particular interest to Missouri investigators is that Smith raped and stabbed to death anIllinois woman named Jean Bianchi, a 27-year-old housewife. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The murders remain unsolved. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Western Arkansas was also on the circuit of back roads Clyde Barrow used to evade lawmen from other states. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. 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. She wasidentified by dental records. On July 25, 1989, Dana went over to her parents house to do some laundry, Georgia said. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. 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. Although the case may be cold, the Fort Smith police are still welcoming any information concerning the case. The city with highest murder rate in Arkansas? Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". I would like to see if they could maybe come for now. Or if youd like more nightmare fuel, read about this haunted Arkansas attraction. The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. 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. The News-Leader contacted Kelle Ann Workman's brother, Marc. "It took them eight days to find her body. The real mystery is why it took so long for someone to decide "hey maybe we should bury this guy.". But could he have been responsible for another murder? 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. The two Thackers were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Correction in August 2011 after pleading guilty in Sebastian County Circuit Court each to a charge of attempted capital murder in. The victim is identified as 35-year-old . Between 6:30-7 pm, after class and work, Missy went to the same bowling alley that her mother had mentioned in her note. The body was discovered by a Conco employee. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas, Download The Entire Arkansas Ranking Data. The car shows signs of a struggle. An FBI profiler also concluded Vine was not the killer, Rider said, according to Today In Fort Smith. In the summer of 1989, she continued to work at the store while figuring out what she wanted to do, Georgia said. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. Both girls were 19 at the time of their death, and both were murdered and found in large forests in Arkansas. In a letter published in the News-Leader they saidthe case should never be forgotten. SHARES. Arkansas law requires all missing persons to be entered immediately. While 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. He was active in the area at that time, and he had attacked another teenager in Arkansas. At approximately 7:45 PM, a person found Melissa's car keys and turned them in at the front desk at Bowling World. That would be Helena-West Helena with 108.0 murders per 100,000 people. The summer after graduating from Gravette High School in Gravette, Arkansas, 18-year-old Dana Stidham had a job, good friends and was planning for her future, her mother, Georgia Stidham, told Dateline. The cases. The IMCA sanctioned 3/8 mile oval and I situated in the unsolved murders in arkansas of 2005 was $207,000; however, in both your criminal trial and any penalties imposed by the unsolved murders in arkansas of the unsolved murders in arkansas can request to play the unsolved murders in arkansas if you do the responsible thing! People who live in Fort Smith generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. Its illegal to hunt "Whitey" within the protected land. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. Georgia has now outlived her husband and both of children. On September 16, 1989, almost two months after Dana was last seen, a hunter in Benton County, Arkansas came upon a shallow grave in a heavily wooded area. Asking for witnesses who might have seen anything, no matter how small, to speak up. Sort All Cases By: Company Area | Male | Female | County | Year | Last Name Results: 13 Record (s) Found. Family members bristled at those comments. Jenkins. Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial killer Charles Ray Vine, also known as "The River Valley Killer.". A week later, her body was found some10 miles south of the cemetery and about six miles east of Oldfield, in Christian County. Early in the history of Arkansas and the city, Fort Smith was an important point of contact to the American West. 2023 www.news-leader.com. There was one suspect and he was named in the only two anonymous phone tips to police; Amy Anstutz saw the killer's face and later picked the suspect out in a face-to-face lineup and also by a photo; The suspect surrendered to police a few days after the killing; he denied involvement. She was considering studying business at university. They were attributed to an alleged unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom of Texarkana or simply the Phantom Killer or Phantom Slayer. She lived with her parents, who were farmers, about 1.5 miles from the cemetery. Your anonymous call could lead to a $1,000 reward. Her mother said no and before she left the house, she left Missy a note explaining that she loved her and that she would be at a local bowling alley later that afternoon if she wanted to come by and get something to eat. Known as "The Babysitter", this unidentified serial killer is known to have murdered at least four children, possibly more, between 1976 and 1977. 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. Arkansas area. In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith.