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| "He who does not have the courage to speak up for his rights cannot earn the respect of others." -René G. Torres- |
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| Our Journey To West Memphis click here for pictures |
Written by Wendy Crow & Amanda Lamb
Public Library
We arrived in West Memphis behind schedule, as usual. Our first stop was the public library to meet
with Dr. Scholar Anonymous , from across the ocean blue, and Suenonymous, from West Coast, USA.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, you must be accompanied by an Arkansas resident to view the
evidence files. I am amazed at how small the main library is. The main exhibit consists of Arkansas
Razorback artifacts encased in glass. On a display in the center of the library are various flyers
including one from the First Presbyterian Church reading, “Take my hand Lord Jesus” and under that
a list of Arkansas officials. I thought to myself, ‘So this is the Devil Book Library where Damien got all
his “devil” books.’ While we waited for Doc and Sunon to finish up some research they were working
on, I decided to check my email. The few computers scattered about the library were all occupied and
the librarian informed one of the occupants that his time was up. Ironically, his name was Aaron and
appeared to be approximately the same age as little Aaron Hutcheson would be today. On the way
out, I checked the card catalog to see if they had Mara Leveritt’s book Devil’s Knot. Nope. However,
they did have Boys on the Tracks.
Bojangle’s
Time for lunch. We decide on the first logical choice for those with an interest in the case---Mrs.
Winner’s, formerly the infamous Mr. Bojangles Chicken Shack. Mrs. Winner’s is located on Missouri,
a very busy street. I wondered how in the world a bloody man could walk down this street unnoticed. I
didn’t realize the woods backing the parking lot were THE woods. I was really surprised at the
closeness of all the locations involved. Amanda and I had to see the bathroom of course. I don’t know
exactly what I imagined it to be like but it was just a bathroom, neat and tidy, perhaps remodeled in the
years since the murders. I tried to imagine what transpired there ten years ago. Was the man who
cleaned up in this bathroom the one who murdered Chris, Stevie, and Michael? Chills.
WMPD
Hi ho, Hi ho, it’s off to the West Memphis Police Department we go! We were greeted by Carrie Hill, a
very friendly receptionist who had only been working there for a little over a month. As a West
Memphis resident, she had never seen the documentaries and knew very little about the case. Carrie
asked us to take a seat in the lobby. During the brief wait, I observed a Life Saving Achievement
Award on the wall to Brynn Ridge for saving the life of a fellow officer in 2000. Amanda spotted
another plaque on the wall that honored past Officers of the Month. Officer Bryan Lawson received
this award in October of 2002. The following February, he was arrested for child rape and child
pornography.
Detective Allen arrived and seemed a bit peeved at us for his troubles. I’m sure it’s no party for him.
When Dr. Scholar attempted to lay out the agenda, Allen was quick to set him straight with the
comment “It’s not our job to find what you want, only to let you find it yourself”. He only allowed two of
us to go to the evidence room and volunteered the information that he was being very generous by
allowing the two. Amanda and my husband, Ronnie, volunteered to wait outside and Suenonymous
went to the Evening Times to view newspaper articles. Dr. Anonymous Scholar and myself went in to
view the evidence thinking there would be something of an earth shattering nature hidden behind
those walls to prove Damien, Jason , and Jessie’s guilt or innocence. Not so. I could not believe,
although seeing it with my own eyes, there was no evidence whatsoever to demonstrate their guilt.
The room itself was a bit cluttered and drab. A horrible fluorescent light buzzed so loudly in the
background the good doc asked them to please turn it off. On the table lay a King James Version
Bible open to Proverbs. When the evidence boxes were brought in I saw part of why detective Allen
seemed a little agitated. I bet under normal circumstances, he’s a really nice guy. There were two
dollies stacked all the way to the top with boxes. There was no way I would ever be able to go through
all of them in one day, much less a few hours. We scrambled as best as we could. The
documentation of the viewing by WMPD staff was meticulous. The presence of the assistant was
mandatory at ALL times. In addition, she was required to thoroughly document each file we viewed as
well as all copies made and photos taken.
In Damien’s file, was a single photo album page , seized from his home, containing 3 feathers on one
side and a 3 leaf clover on the other. I suppose they were insinuating that because of the number 3,
he must have killed the boys. There were a few other things in there such as poetry, a picture of a
skull that looked like some Grateful Dead memorabilia, song lyrics, that’s about it. Most of the other
documents are already on various websites. Jessie Miskelley’s file also contained photos taken of
wrestling and swimsuit model posters from his bedroom.
There was one file that really peaked my interest. I have yet to see any reference to the file on James
Kinney Martin in any resources available thus far. Compared to other files, this particular file was
noticeably thick. James Kinney Martin, convicted of child molestation and battery in Texas, came in to
the WMPD shortly after the bodies were found to offer his opinions on the murders. His “opinions”
indicated that he knew a lot about the crime. For instance, he knew they had been tied up with
shoelaces before the public was supposed to be privy to that information. Martin offered the opinion
that one person could have easily killed the three boys by convincing them it was a game like cowboys
and Indians. This is how they could have been tied up. He said killing the first boy may have been an
accident and so he had to kill the others and he had probably been molesting at least one of them for
a while. It was most likely, he said, someone the boys knew and trusted. He failed a lie detector test
as well. I am very unclear as to why this man was dropped as a suspect.
Although I felt terrible leaving Amanda and Ronnie out there in the lobby, all was not lost to them.
Chief Paudert spoke to them briefly and was very polite until he found out why we were there. He
grumbled and darted out the door before anything else could be said. At shift change, the officers
came in and proceeded to have a meeting, just within earshot of my peeps. Guess what they were
talking about? You won’t believe this but it’s the God’s honest truth-- devil worshipping burglars at
Broadway Trailer Park! While discussing a string of recent burgularies, the officer in charge
instructed his squad to “ go out there and get our Devil Worshipers!” Things haven’t changed much
here in Po’dunk, USA. The general atmosphere at the WMPD was at times playful and at other times
intimidating. With much of the corrupted element now gone, the WMPD was undoubtedly much less
frightening than the WMPD that Damien, Jason, and Jessie encountered in 1993.
Crime Scene
We found the Blue Beacon, abandoned and boarded up. It was such an eerie felling, being in the
same spot that Mark Byers claimed to be parked as he and Ryan called to the woods in search of
Chris. We walked along the pavement behind Blue Beacon that Byers allegedly drove back and forth
across on the evening of May 5, 1993 yelling for Christopher. We noticed the closeness of pavement
to the woods and contemplated Byers reasoning for staying on the pavement in his search.
There is a fence up around the perimeter of the parking lot. Vandals have ripped holes in parts of it
so the woods, which are about 3 feet from the fence, are easily accessible. The woods were thick with
weeds, brush, thorns, and a lot of creepy crawly spiders, webs, chiggers, and bugs. We made it to the
ditch. It’s a very short walk from the edge of the woods to the ditch. Traffic noise echoed loudly
through the trees. This, combined with the sounds of nature, was enough to convince us that any
screams in the area would go unheard.
As we stood in the ditch in the exact spot the boys were lain, a deep sadness washed through my
soul. It was very emotional and Amanda and I quickly gave into the urge to pray. The whole width of
the woods is about the same as the length of my house, which should give you some idea as to what a
small area we are talking about here. We proceeded up the other side of the ditch bank, which is
much steeper than it appears in the documentaries. About three to four feet away is a large clearing.
There would be no problem driving through the field for someone to dump the bodies. In fact, it could
be done fairly quickly and with very little attention being drawn.
On this particular day, there was some large equipment on the property. As we stood in the field at
the edge of the woods, a man in a white pick up truck drove through the field and right up to us. He
said he was the owner of the land and that someone had called him and told him that there were
people on his property. There has been some vandalism to his equipment and he wanted to check it
out. We explained who we were and why we were there. He seemed a bit troubled, almost burdened
by the weight of it all. I asked him if the field had been cleared for long and he nodded yes. He is in
the process of clearing out the rest of the land, including where the bodies were recovered. I inquired
about the pipe bridge and he said it was no longer there. I learned later from Doc that it was in fact
still there. When he was certain we were there to do no harm, he went on his way. I wonder who
called him. At this point, we were ready to get out of Dodge. It was getting dark and we were already
spooked being in this place. Amanda’s Blair Witch comment didn’t help either. Doc and Sunon
decided to stay a little longer. We said our goodbyes and parted ways with hugs and exchanging of
emails.
Geographically, all points of interest in the case are easily accessible from the Robin Hood Hills
woods. If you stand in the parking lot and look the opposite direction of the woods, you will see a sign
that reads Catfish Island. If you recall, this was where Pam Hobbs was working the night of the
murders. You can also see the back of the Mayfair Apartments. Just a couple more stops and we’re
done.
Mayfair Apartments
The Mayfair Apartments are at the end of McAuley, the last place the victims were seen alive. My
blood ran cold at the site of a group of children playing there at the dead end, the woods in the
background. Maybe it sounds crazy but I wanted to scream at them to run. Go inside. Get away from
here. Somebody killed three kids here and he’s still out there, maybe right next door. Consisting of
several units in several buildings, the Mayfair apartments obviously represent a heavily populated
area in West Memphis. We drove around to Weaver Elementary and the surrounding homes that
once provided a sense of security to Chris Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch. All of these
places are within walking distance from one another. All of the events that took place that night were
literally separated only by a few blocks at most. After touring the neighborhood of the victims, it was
time to go home.
Home Sweet Home
We all felt the overwhelming need to go home and hug our kids, to protect them from the world. Not
for just the thought of a crime this horrendous being committed against them but for the injustice that
has been committed against Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Miskelley. In a sense, I wanted
to find something to prove they are the guilty ones. I wanted to go home and sleep knowing that
whoever committed this atrocious act was not on the streets anymore. I almost hoped that wm3.org
and the HBO documentaries had twisted things for financial gain. That didn’t happen at all. I feel an
even stronger need to fight for all of these victims, for the justice they all deserve. We left there
confident that there were six victims of injustice in West Memphis. How heavy that makes a heart.
Public Library
We arrived in West Memphis behind schedule, as usual. Our first stop was the public library to meet
with Dr. Scholar Anonymous , from across the ocean blue, and Suenonymous, from West Coast, USA.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, you must be accompanied by an Arkansas resident to view the
evidence files. I am amazed at how small the main library is. The main exhibit consists of Arkansas
Razorback artifacts encased in glass. On a display in the center of the library are various flyers
including one from the First Presbyterian Church reading, “Take my hand Lord Jesus” and under that
a list of Arkansas officials. I thought to myself, ‘So this is the Devil Book Library where Damien got all
his “devil” books.’ While we waited for Doc and Sunon to finish up some research they were working
on, I decided to check my email. The few computers scattered about the library were all occupied and
the librarian informed one of the occupants that his time was up. Ironically, his name was Aaron and
appeared to be approximately the same age as little Aaron Hutcheson would be today. On the way
out, I checked the card catalog to see if they had Mara Leveritt’s book Devil’s Knot. Nope. However,
they did have Boys on the Tracks.
Bojangle’s
Time for lunch. We decide on the first logical choice for those with an interest in the case---Mrs.
Winner’s, formerly the infamous Mr. Bojangles Chicken Shack. Mrs. Winner’s is located on Missouri,
a very busy street. I wondered how in the world a bloody man could walk down this street unnoticed. I
didn’t realize the woods backing the parking lot were THE woods. I was really surprised at the
closeness of all the locations involved. Amanda and I had to see the bathroom of course. I don’t know
exactly what I imagined it to be like but it was just a bathroom, neat and tidy, perhaps remodeled in the
years since the murders. I tried to imagine what transpired there ten years ago. Was the man who
cleaned up in this bathroom the one who murdered Chris, Stevie, and Michael? Chills.
WMPD
Hi ho, Hi ho, it’s off to the West Memphis Police Department we go! We were greeted by Carrie Hill, a
very friendly receptionist who had only been working there for a little over a month. As a West
Memphis resident, she had never seen the documentaries and knew very little about the case. Carrie
asked us to take a seat in the lobby. During the brief wait, I observed a Life Saving Achievement
Award on the wall to Brynn Ridge for saving the life of a fellow officer in 2000. Amanda spotted
another plaque on the wall that honored past Officers of the Month. Officer Bryan Lawson received
this award in October of 2002. The following February, he was arrested for child rape and child
pornography.
Detective Allen arrived and seemed a bit peeved at us for his troubles. I’m sure it’s no party for him.
When Dr. Scholar attempted to lay out the agenda, Allen was quick to set him straight with the
comment “It’s not our job to find what you want, only to let you find it yourself”. He only allowed two of
us to go to the evidence room and volunteered the information that he was being very generous by
allowing the two. Amanda and my husband, Ronnie, volunteered to wait outside and Suenonymous
went to the Evening Times to view newspaper articles. Dr. Anonymous Scholar and myself went in to
view the evidence thinking there would be something of an earth shattering nature hidden behind
those walls to prove Damien, Jason , and Jessie’s guilt or innocence. Not so. I could not believe,
although seeing it with my own eyes, there was no evidence whatsoever to demonstrate their guilt.
The room itself was a bit cluttered and drab. A horrible fluorescent light buzzed so loudly in the
background the good doc asked them to please turn it off. On the table lay a King James Version
Bible open to Proverbs. When the evidence boxes were brought in I saw part of why detective Allen
seemed a little agitated. I bet under normal circumstances, he’s a really nice guy. There were two
dollies stacked all the way to the top with boxes. There was no way I would ever be able to go through
all of them in one day, much less a few hours. We scrambled as best as we could. The
documentation of the viewing by WMPD staff was meticulous. The presence of the assistant was
mandatory at ALL times. In addition, she was required to thoroughly document each file we viewed as
well as all copies made and photos taken.
In Damien’s file, was a single photo album page , seized from his home, containing 3 feathers on one
side and a 3 leaf clover on the other. I suppose they were insinuating that because of the number 3,
he must have killed the boys. There were a few other things in there such as poetry, a picture of a
skull that looked like some Grateful Dead memorabilia, song lyrics, that’s about it. Most of the other
documents are already on various websites. Jessie Miskelley’s file also contained photos taken of
wrestling and swimsuit model posters from his bedroom.
There was one file that really peaked my interest. I have yet to see any reference to the file on James
Kinney Martin in any resources available thus far. Compared to other files, this particular file was
noticeably thick. James Kinney Martin, convicted of child molestation and battery in Texas, came in to
the WMPD shortly after the bodies were found to offer his opinions on the murders. His “opinions”
indicated that he knew a lot about the crime. For instance, he knew they had been tied up with
shoelaces before the public was supposed to be privy to that information. Martin offered the opinion
that one person could have easily killed the three boys by convincing them it was a game like cowboys
and Indians. This is how they could have been tied up. He said killing the first boy may have been an
accident and so he had to kill the others and he had probably been molesting at least one of them for
a while. It was most likely, he said, someone the boys knew and trusted. He failed a lie detector test
as well. I am very unclear as to why this man was dropped as a suspect.
Although I felt terrible leaving Amanda and Ronnie out there in the lobby, all was not lost to them.
Chief Paudert spoke to them briefly and was very polite until he found out why we were there. He
grumbled and darted out the door before anything else could be said. At shift change, the officers
came in and proceeded to have a meeting, just within earshot of my peeps. Guess what they were
talking about? You won’t believe this but it’s the God’s honest truth-- devil worshipping burglars at
Broadway Trailer Park! While discussing a string of recent burgularies, the officer in charge
instructed his squad to “ go out there and get our Devil Worshipers!” Things haven’t changed much
here in Po’dunk, USA. The general atmosphere at the WMPD was at times playful and at other times
intimidating. With much of the corrupted element now gone, the WMPD was undoubtedly much less
frightening than the WMPD that Damien, Jason, and Jessie encountered in 1993.
Crime Scene
We found the Blue Beacon, abandoned and boarded up. It was such an eerie felling, being in the
same spot that Mark Byers claimed to be parked as he and Ryan called to the woods in search of
Chris. We walked along the pavement behind Blue Beacon that Byers allegedly drove back and forth
across on the evening of May 5, 1993 yelling for Christopher. We noticed the closeness of pavement
to the woods and contemplated Byers reasoning for staying on the pavement in his search.
There is a fence up around the perimeter of the parking lot. Vandals have ripped holes in parts of it
so the woods, which are about 3 feet from the fence, are easily accessible. The woods were thick with
weeds, brush, thorns, and a lot of creepy crawly spiders, webs, chiggers, and bugs. We made it to the
ditch. It’s a very short walk from the edge of the woods to the ditch. Traffic noise echoed loudly
through the trees. This, combined with the sounds of nature, was enough to convince us that any
screams in the area would go unheard.
As we stood in the ditch in the exact spot the boys were lain, a deep sadness washed through my
soul. It was very emotional and Amanda and I quickly gave into the urge to pray. The whole width of
the woods is about the same as the length of my house, which should give you some idea as to what a
small area we are talking about here. We proceeded up the other side of the ditch bank, which is
much steeper than it appears in the documentaries. About three to four feet away is a large clearing.
There would be no problem driving through the field for someone to dump the bodies. In fact, it could
be done fairly quickly and with very little attention being drawn.
On this particular day, there was some large equipment on the property. As we stood in the field at
the edge of the woods, a man in a white pick up truck drove through the field and right up to us. He
said he was the owner of the land and that someone had called him and told him that there were
people on his property. There has been some vandalism to his equipment and he wanted to check it
out. We explained who we were and why we were there. He seemed a bit troubled, almost burdened
by the weight of it all. I asked him if the field had been cleared for long and he nodded yes. He is in
the process of clearing out the rest of the land, including where the bodies were recovered. I inquired
about the pipe bridge and he said it was no longer there. I learned later from Doc that it was in fact
still there. When he was certain we were there to do no harm, he went on his way. I wonder who
called him. At this point, we were ready to get out of Dodge. It was getting dark and we were already
spooked being in this place. Amanda’s Blair Witch comment didn’t help either. Doc and Sunon
decided to stay a little longer. We said our goodbyes and parted ways with hugs and exchanging of
emails.
Geographically, all points of interest in the case are easily accessible from the Robin Hood Hills
woods. If you stand in the parking lot and look the opposite direction of the woods, you will see a sign
that reads Catfish Island. If you recall, this was where Pam Hobbs was working the night of the
murders. You can also see the back of the Mayfair Apartments. Just a couple more stops and we’re
done.
Mayfair Apartments
The Mayfair Apartments are at the end of McAuley, the last place the victims were seen alive. My
blood ran cold at the site of a group of children playing there at the dead end, the woods in the
background. Maybe it sounds crazy but I wanted to scream at them to run. Go inside. Get away from
here. Somebody killed three kids here and he’s still out there, maybe right next door. Consisting of
several units in several buildings, the Mayfair apartments obviously represent a heavily populated
area in West Memphis. We drove around to Weaver Elementary and the surrounding homes that
once provided a sense of security to Chris Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch. All of these
places are within walking distance from one another. All of the events that took place that night were
literally separated only by a few blocks at most. After touring the neighborhood of the victims, it was
time to go home.
Home Sweet Home
We all felt the overwhelming need to go home and hug our kids, to protect them from the world. Not
for just the thought of a crime this horrendous being committed against them but for the injustice that
has been committed against Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Miskelley. In a sense, I wanted
to find something to prove they are the guilty ones. I wanted to go home and sleep knowing that
whoever committed this atrocious act was not on the streets anymore. I almost hoped that wm3.org
and the HBO documentaries had twisted things for financial gain. That didn’t happen at all. I feel an
even stronger need to fight for all of these victims, for the justice they all deserve. We left there
confident that there were six victims of injustice in West Memphis. How heavy that makes a heart.