Polygraph tests revealed deception in the answers of both men in regard to the crimes. Even today, years after his name was cleared and authorities ruled Lams death accidental, Morbid still receives threats. The level of corruption in the American justice system is glaring and sickening.. - The West Memphis 3: Free (2012) . The idea of the average citizen becoming embroiled in a criminal investigation isnt far-fetched in 2021, decades removed from the launch of WM3.org. Some believe the West Memphis Three are guilty to this day, and others, including some victims family members, point to their innocence and maintain the real perpetrator is still at large. 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. Unaware of what was to come, Allen explained that he just wanted to ask him some questions. There are no events scheduled. The trio assumed that the convictions had already been overturned by the time Bakken received the screenerthis was a modern-day witch hunt, they thought, and surely the state of Arkansas had already corrected the course. The bodies of Branch, Byers, and Moore were found in a drainage ditch in West Memphis May 6 . After new DNA evidence was discovered, the West Memphis Three were released from prison in August 2011 by agreeing to an Alford plea, which allowed him to proclaim their innocence while admitting the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him. He was an actor, known for Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988), Fast Food (1989) and In the Heat of the Night (1988). A spiritual successor to Errol Morriss The Thin Blue Line, and a forerunner of more recent documentaries like Making a Murderer, the film stands today as the most affecting examination of one of the most studied legal cases in U.S. historyone that put heavy metal lyrics and black T-shirts on trial and helped lay the groundwork for the current thinking around false confessions. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Armchair detectives of today, I think a lot of them dabble in conspiracy theory, Berlinger says. Dan Stidham, the original attorney for Misskelley, who would also work on Baldwins and Echols appeals, says he has the answer. The test results showed that no genetic material on the crime scene evidence was a match to Echols, Baldwin or Misskelley, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. McCaughey says her sister is very upset. Filming the activists work seemed like the best place for Berlinger and Sinofsky to turn their attention; what better way to show the continued plight of the West Memphis Three than to show regular people dedicating their free time to fighting for them? They were releasedfrom prison in 2011 on whats called an Alford plea, after new forensic evidence was presented as part of the case. Speaking by phone last month, he comes across, in many ways, like the person Berlinger says he encountered in prison in 1994: polite, deferential, soft-spoken. At the time of the West Memphis Three trial, Griffis claimed to have given seminars to 38,000 police officers all over the globe. During Misskelley's trial, Hutcheson testified that she had attended an "an occult Satanic meeting" she referred to as an "esbat." As detailed by The Hollywood Reporter in 2011, Jackson and Walsh helped fund key investigations for the West Memphis Three's defense during the last seven years of their incarceration. Over two decades after the murders, what really happened to Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore on the evening of May 5, 1993, remains a mystery. Terry Wayne Hobbs was born on May 21st, 1958. In West Memphis, Hobbs worked as an ice cream delivery man and Hicks worked at a restaurant. Now, I see they can. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Branded the West Memphis Three, the mens case was featured in multiple documentaries, earning them support from an array of high-profile musicians, celebrities and activists. February 27, 2023 (82 years old) View obituary. I'm not stupid." Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? Little kids will be looking under their bed 'Damien might be under there! hangyermoon 2 yr. ago. While thats cooled from the days of concerts in the shadows of the Arkansas Supreme Court building, the documentaries still live on HBO Max, where they pull in new viewers to this day. Terry Hobbs was born in 1958 and grew up in Northern Arkansas. 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 couldnt have been cooler, recalls Berlinger, who would go on to direct the 2004 documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster alongside Bruce Sinofsky. My first thought is, I hope this dude isnt trying to pull me into some type of escape, Baldwin says nearly a quarter-century later. Quality. Baldwin remembers grabbing a Mountain Dew and a burrito and sitting down, still unaware of what he was about to watch. " (Detective Allen) told me if I knew anything, that there was a $35,000 reward, and if I could help them out, we'd get the money," said Misskelley, as quoted by Mara Leveritt in Devil's Knot. They even hired experts to examine the case, including a forensic criminal profiler who discovered what appeared to be bite marks on one of the victims that didnt match any of the convicted. Paradise Lost is a narration-free documentary filmed with a journalistic remove. By staying on this subject for the next couple of decades, they gave these men a chance and really decades of freedom afterward. Well, perhaps not nobody. Hold for Elkhart County. All of those factors combined to create a tipping point, says Leveritt. Terry L. Hobbs, 63, of Caldwell, HOBBS, Terry L., passed on March 7,2021 at the age of 63. He died on April 4, 2019 in Panama City Beach, Florida, USA. Robin Lynn Jones. 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. Inconsistencies in Terry Hobbs' alibi, as well as revelations about subsequent violent acts, have also led many to believe that he may be the actual killer. But Berlinger also believes that the sequel is important for documenting the power of citizen activism. (Despite Misskelleys statement, the coroners examination found no injuries on the victims consistent with sexual assault.) For the next two hours and 29 minutes, the two inmates sat in near silence watching Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, the landmark documentary released on HBO 25 years ago this week that captured the trials of Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley Jr., and Damien Echols, the three teenagers convicted in 1994 of the crimes that ripped through the small, working-class community of West Memphis, Arkansas. As recounted in Mara Leveritt's book, Devil's Knot, a thorough search of Robin Hood Hills directed by Chief Inspector Gary W. Gitchell of the West Memphis Police Department commenced early on the morning of May 6, 1993. None of the initial trio behind WM3.orgnor their friend Lisa Fancher, who later became a key part of the efforthad ever considered themselves an activist to that point. Berlinger and Sinofsky expected a similar result to come quickly in the West Memphis Three case. Hobbs denied the accusation, saying that his family does have secrets, but none of them have to do with murder. Echols attorneys got a letter from the custodian of records for the West Memphis police department saying some of the evidence ended up lost, or misplaced, and some destroyed by fire. Auburndale, FL - TSGT Terry Lee Hobbs, USAF, ret. Griffis also found the devil in nearly every number associated with the crime. So, how much is Terry Hobbs worth at the age of 50 years old? Not everyone believes that the West Memphis Three are innocent of the killings of Michael Moore, Stevie Branch, and Christopher Byers. Beyond the black-and-white print of the newspaper, there was a movement brewing. Debates still occur regularly onlinethe West Memphis Three subreddit is fairly active for one on a 28-year-old caseand podcasts have looked at the crime from all angles. 24 to Jun. Terry Hobbs was born on November 25, 1969 in Columbus, Georgia, USA. 2011 Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (Documentary) Self - Stepfather of Stevie Branch. As the first in a trilogy of Paradise Lost films about the case, the 1996 movie was a stunning example of cinma vrit, as directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky embedded themselves with the prosecution, the defense, and the families of both the slain and the accused to put human faces on a heart-wrenching tragedy, as well as highlight the overblown worries of satanic rituals and murderous cults that proliferated throughout the 1980s and 90s. I had a big box. The news was devastating beyond just word of his friends suffering. Terry Roland Hobbs September 11, 1959 ~ September 11, 2021 (age 62) Terry Roland Hobbs, 62, of Sweetwater, passed away on Saturday, September 11, 2021. When the case was given the option for DNA evidence, everyone but Terry Hobbs said yes. A statement he made to the producers of Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills did little to help his public image. 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. As the appeals processes stretched across several years and the buzz of the initial film faded, the directors began looking for ways to keep the story alive. Terry Hobbs is the one suspected of murder and the wounds that were inflicted on my nephew were where turtles bit his face. In this first confession, Miskelley often agreed to details suggested by the police or attributed to prior statements which he did not make. She says she is too because they believe they are hearing different stories. None of the early interviews with the parents were recorded. (Maines briefly became a part of the story when Terry Hobbs, stepfather of another . So with less urgency surrounding full exoneration and no documentary cameras rolling, the question 25 years later becomes: Who is paying close enough attention to the case to pick up the fight? To bolster their assertions that the killings were related to occult activity despite virtually no evidence prosecutors brought in their own so-called expert on cult murders. Berlinger says that after months of filming, the parents of one of the victims raised the issue of payment. He was handed the phone. According to Griffis, black hair, black T-shirts, and black jeans were signs that a kid was in league with the devil. Branded the, What has never been definitively answered, however, is who committed the 1993 murders, and , Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported, The test results showed that no genetic material on the crime scene evidence was a match to Echols, Baldwin or Misskelley, reported the, The West Memphis Police Department interviewed Hobbs, who was dismissive of the findings, claiming the hair could have been picked up during a visit to his home since the victim "played with our little boy regularly," according to the, "They said close to the crime scene because at one time I did walk near where they had found the kids with Terry Hobbs But I didn't wear hats back then, my hair could have blown around anywhere, Jacoby told Memphis NBC affiliate, A year after the DNA results were released, Hobbs sued Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines for defamation, claiming she implied he was a murderer on the bands website and at a 2007 rally, according to, In 2009, three witnesses filed affidavits claiming they saw Hobbs with the murdered boys the night they disappeared, contradicting Hobbs previous statements to police, according to. We were mainly in it for the aesthetics of filmmaking, but the last scene of Paradise Lost, when Damien is chained up and sent away to death row, that was just heartbreaking and devastating for us, Berlinger says. But Echolss situation changed Baldwins thinking. Evidence in West Memphis Three case missing or destroyed, Judge sets bond for 76-year-old woman accused of killing terminally ill husband, Woman accused of driving into home, killing former pro basketball player Galen Young granted diversion, DA Mulroy says he doubts any drag shows will violate Tennessees new drag bill, MPD finds alleged chop shop operating in plain sight, Congressman Cohen announces $1 million grant for Memphis YMCA, Red hot Memphis womens basketball ready to make a run in AAC Tournament. So when I saw this tiny little article in the Times, I wasnt about to free anybody that was guilty. That the slain boys were each 8 years-old was important because eight was a "witch's number." 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. Its gone from a controversial legal theory to an accepted phenomenon. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Among them was a disoriented, muddy, and bleeding African-American man who stumbled into a West Memphis Bojangles restaurant men's room less than a mile from the crime scene. You need corroborating evidence.. (WMC) - Not a single piece of evidence ever connected the West Memphis Three, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, to the 1993 murders of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore. The bodies had been removed from the water and placed on the adjacent embankment, possibly disturbing physical evidence or otherwise contaminating the scene. I still believe in my heart that Jessie, Jason, and Damion Echols [sic] are responsible for what happened to our children, Hobbs told Memphis ABC affiliate WATN in June 2019. The third put forth the unusual theory that the killings were committed as a cult ritual. And they used that visibility to help raise funds for the defense. Also, law enforcement chose not to focus on the victims' families as the starting point of the investigation as is the norm. Misskelley, who had entered the West Memphis police station that morning with hopes of reward money he might use to purchase a new truck for his father found himself instead charged with murder and facing life plus 40 years in prison. On 04/08/2021 Terry Hobbs was filed as a Bankruptcy - Chapter 13 lawsuit. They didnt even think he would physically survive through December, Baldwin says. The Paradise Lost cameras captured not only the defenses discussions, but the full testimony, in Misskelleys trial, of an expert on coerced confessions. The consequences of that online campaign were ruinous: The person they targeted, a Mexican metal musician who worked under the name Morbid, was harassed into hiding. As reported by the Arkansas Times, examination of the shoe laces used to bind Michael Moore contained hair "not inconsistent" with that of Stevie Branch's stepfather, Terry Hobbs. Due to marital problems stemming from Stevies death, the couple divorced in 2004, reported CNN. One of Kathy Bakkens earliest jobs in Los Angeles allowed her a certain kind of cultural currency: She designed movie posters for an entertainment-advertising company, which meant she got to see films months before they were released. Like everyone else who was familiar with the case, they wanted to know who committed the crimes, but their main goal was advocacy, not using the opportunity to play investigators. It was so emotionally taxing to watch and go through it again, he says. Although Damein Echols had a teenager's typical disdain for authority, he nevertheless trusted that the system would work in his favor. The attorneys representing Echols and Baldwin believed that the juries wouldnt accept the prosecutions versions of eventsthat they were too fantastical and tied to second-hand informationand that without conclusive proof, their clients would walk. Lying in the open air in near 80-degree temperatures accelerated the decomposition of the bodies. But further down, in the section for the music department, theres a curious inclusion of a consultant who never worked in film again: Alex Sinofsky, the son of Bruce who was 12 at the time of Paradise Losts release. In West Memphis, Hobbs worked as an ice cream delivery man and Hicks worked at a restaurant. "Everyone has a story and this just happens to be mine," said Hobbs. A murderer was loose in West Memphis. Update: I was totally wrong. Mojo was right. They werent connected in any direct way, Bakken says. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. In 2007, new DNA and physical evidence arose that seemed to further distance the West Memphis Three from the murders. In 2004, Vicki Hutcheson recanted her trial testimony, stating that she had lied on the stand. Their advocates believe the Alford pleas represent their own form of injustice, but correcting that is a less pressing issue than the early battlesthe men are free and have been able to mostly live their lives in the years since their release. The second postulated that they had been slain by one or more strangers. 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. 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. West Memphis 3 / Terry Hobbs 2022 Update New Scott 94.5K subscribers Subscribe 241 Share 20K views 8 months ago https://www.crimeonline.com/2022/05/. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) - More than 25 years after the murders of three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, a new book gives a first-person account of . 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. Even without a smoking gun, the circumstantial evidence was enough for a conviction in a place like Crittenden County, Arkansas. However, within the first crucial hours after the bodies were discovered, mistakes were made at the crime scene that negatively impacted the investigation. Investigators never found any evidence that tied him, Jason Baldwin, or Jessie Misskelley to the murders of the boys, Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers. (2 weeks at #1, on for 19 weeks!) All three had been submerged face down in the mud, stripped naked, and bound with their shoelaces. In 1996, a screener for Paradise Lost passed her desk.
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