"Obviously, we have not come up with probablecause to charge anybody at this point. Vine himself repeatedly denied having anything to do with Witt's murder, even after his conviction, local outlet Today In Fort Smith reported in 2020. "I think I can speak for the entire family when I tell you that the entire investigation both past and present has been an utter and complete disappointment. The most serious crime committed in the state by the Barrow Gang was the murder of Marshal Henry D. Humphrey of Alma (Crawford County), committed while the gang was hiding out in a tourist camp in Fort Smith (Sebastian County) in June 1933. When she entered the salon, she first saw the corpse of 62-year-old Dorothy Harris. Who Killed Dana Stidham? Photo credit: Kurt Wilson/ Missoulian. Though the fourth boy, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson, survived the attack and lead a relatively normal life, he became a suspect in 2004. Danas father passed away 10 years after his daughter was killed. We were robbed of her wisdom and just her life in general.. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. William Miller is a member of that group. The family alleged that the defendant failed to exercise ordinary care to provide for the safety of business. 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? Three people died and an officer was stabbed in the neck in an incident in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday. This move prompts an interesting discussion about the rights and preservation of potential fantastical threats. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) In 2020, Fayetteville has had seven homicides/murders; there were five in 2019, according to the Fayetteville police department (FPD). Sergeant Shannon Jenkins of the Benton County Sheriff's Office told Dateline that they received a phone call from Danas brother, Larry, at 9:15 p.m. on the 25th to report Dana missing. Arkansas area. All charges were dropped in 2005. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Fort Smith Police Department. 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. No arrests have been made in connection with her death. She was later found dead by trappers, who spotted her by a logging trail in the Ozark National Forest, about 50 miles from where she was abducted, the KTHV reported. ", 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.". The coat was corduroy and possibly fleece-lined. No one has ever been charged. The 19-year-old had stopped by to get a hamburger from her mother, according to a 2021 report from local station THV11KTHV. Missy kept very busy with classes and her part-time job at a local dental clinic where she worked as a dental assistant. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. Unsolved murder of Melissa Witt in 1994. The burlap sack also reminds us of the Scarecrow character in the Batman stories, a chilling psychopath who drugged and murdered townspeople while wearing a burlap sack over his head. We were very young. In 1973, legislation created the White River Monster Refuge. 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 "This would have been around 1989 or 1990," McCaster told HuffPost. Above the railroad tracks near Gurdon, a mysterious floating light has been spotted. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (requires payment) at Ancestry/has about 594,000 listings. Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. Do you feel thoroughly thrilled and chilled? On Christmas Day, 1970 a year and 10 days after Blades disappeared her body was found in Stone County, 12 miles away. She was 75 years old. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . The keys were still in the ignition. Melissa asked her mom to borrow some money and told her she would pay her back with her next paycheck. 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. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. Faces of Unsolved Homicide - Project: Cold Case. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. No suspect was ever identified. FPD Sergeant Tony Murphy said. The real mystery is why it took so long for someone to decide "hey maybe we should bury this guy.". 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. According to Sgt. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. Hurrying to the scene, deputies found a bloody 1961 Ford with bullet holes in it. Jane BERNARD (Unsolved Murder - 1966) - ON Lucas SHORTREED (Unsolved - 2008) - ON Tammy LAMONDIN (1999) - ON Marguerite CARDWELL (1973) - AB Bowmanville Jane Doe (2006) - ON Kimberly MCANDREW (1989) - NS Le Roi Francis LA FRANCE (1964) - B.C. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Crime in Arkansas. The number of homicides stood at 4 - a decrease of 5 compared to 2018. DNA evidence then connected him to the other crimes. 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. Interactive map produced by Yutao Chen. Often in unsolved murders, family members of the victim lose faith in the investigators trying to solve the case so charges can be filed. Resources. It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. 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 National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . Serial killer Mark Alan Smith was sentenced to 500 years for raping and killing threeIllinois women. 2023 www.news-leader.com. There were no signs of struggle. Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. The city with highest murder rate in Arkansas? Details About Her Unsolved Murder And Why Police Haven't Caught The Killer. Dana had been very well-liked, her cousin Kristy said she didnt have any problems with anyone. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Taxes and utilities also rank low on the national scale allowing those searching for dens in early October and early November. 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. Oct. 18, 1981: An officer in Texas stops Pruett for speeding and locates a .38-caliber revolver and evidence from Larimer County. For nearly three decades the homicide case of Fort Smith teen Melissa Witt has gone unsolved, but a former detective refuses to give up hope. Once inside, the responders found the brutalized bodies of four teenage girls-Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison and Eliza Thomas. 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. 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. 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. She was a 1967 graduate of Nixa High and her maiden name was Horton. Little Rock: 56 | North Little Rock: 23. We all know she was really responsible, and she knew her dad was waiting on the medicine. 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. However, with a period of no less than 90 days of community service. True Crime Garage - Melissa Witt Part 2 /// 162, True Crime Garage - Melissa Witt Part 1/// 161, Murder in the Hills, episode 1: The Unsolved Murder of Melissa Witt & The Abduction of Morgan Nick, Local Documentarians Develop New Leads in Melissa Witt Cold Case, 304 // Who Killed Melissa Witt? The 1998 murder of John Alan Moody is one of 10 unsolved cold cases listed on the Springfield Police Department website. One of the bullets severed a major artery and Anstutz died an hour later at Cox Medical Center South. Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of Bowling World in the evening. in Library Science. According to science fiction writer Richard Shaver, the cave is one of the entrances to a subterranean civilization. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Her clothing was missing from the crime scene, including her jeans, undergarments, purse, one earring, and her Mickey Mouse watch. She was considering studying business at university. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Episode 34 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt? Our Cases. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite. The Texarkana Moonlight Murders, a term coined by the contemporary press, was a series of four unsolved serial murders and related violent crimes committed in and around the Texarkana region of Arkansas and Texas in the late winter and spring of 1946. At that point in the investigation, there was no reason to believe she was abducted. The day she disappeared Blades was driving the couple's 1965 Chevy Impala. More:'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson. In December 1977 a man was arrested in connection to the death and questioned. She reported her daughter missing. You can visit his grave at Graceland Cemetery in Pine Bluff, but we can't promise it will reveal any clues about his mysterious demise. *This list consists of persons who have been reported missing to the Department of Public Safety under undetermined circumstances. Georgia said that in the days following Danas disappearance, there were several sighting of her daughter reported to police, but none proved true. Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. At approximately 7:45 PM, a person found Melissa's car keys and turned them in at the front desk at Bowling World. She wasidentified by dental records. Anyone with information about the murder of Melissa Witt is urged to contact the Fort Smith Police Department at [emailprotected], or by calling (479)709-5100. On July 10, 1995, the News-Leader ran a story by reporter Robert Keyes with the headline "Killing 'solved' but never tried." Danas parents lived in Hiwasse, Arkansas, a 10-minute drive from Centerton, and she visited them often, Georgia said. 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. The Possible Police Connection A witness using the name of "Jerry" came forward to say that he saw sitting in a convenience store parking lot the night of August 22-23, 1987 and saw three teenaged boys, one on a motorcycle, hanging out . ", More:Woman, 15 at the time, disputes account that turkey hunters found Ronnie Johnson's body in the woods. Blades was last seen at a Nixa store buying cookieson a cold Monday, Dec. 15, 1969. People who live in Fort Smith generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. More than 30 years later, Fisher's estranged wife was charged with first-degree murder. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page..