He was shot in the back and, police say, beaten. Soon after the shooting, the suspect went to prison for two years for other burglary convictions. Love Arkansas? Blades was last seen at a Nixa store buying cookieson a cold Monday, Dec. 15, 1969. Her body was placed near a headstone-like rock. Her car was found in the parking lot, but she was nowhere to be seen. She hadthree children. Would you dare investigate what clawed monster lives in the deep? It's believed that Melissa wore a white v-neck sweater and blue jeans. Lambblamed the Blades family for starting rumors that he was involved in the murder. William Miller is a member of that group. Cold Case Files: DNA Match Links Multiple Unsolved Murders to - YouTube 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. Fort Smith, Arkansas: 3 dead and police officer stabbed in the neck - CNN It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. Unsolved Murders - Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Online Arkansas Death Indexes, Records & Obituaries This, however, only applies to their own. Unsolved Cases . Colorado Cold Case Files - Home Page Western Arkansas was also on the circuit of back roads Clyde Barrow used to evade lawmen from other states. is 6.0%). He loved tinkering with cars, being outdoors and being a loyal friend. Friday, March 17th TV listings for MNT (KFSM-TV2) Fort Smith, AR. Melissa and Tara have biology class together on Friday, and then had plans to hang out that evening. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is requesting your assistance in closing these open cases. In addition, a homicide can be cleared if there is enough evidence to arrest and charge a suspect, but that suspect is dead. Dana had been very well-liked, her cousin Kristy said she didnt have any problems with anyone. PDF OPEN UNSOLVED CASES - Larimer County, Colorado The body was found on Forest Service Road 1551, located off Franklin County 111, also known as Jethro Road. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Fort Smith may be as high as 1 in 11 in the northwest neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 25 in the southeast part of the city. Oklahoma men charged in alleged torture, murder of missing mom from No suspect was ever identified. Melissa is still not home. These are the places in Arkansas where people were killed most often, according to the latest FBI numbers. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . She was considering studying business at university. Crime rate in Fort Smith, AR - City-Data Timmons already had a kidnapping conviction on his record, having abducted and held an 11-year-old boy in 1976, KYTV reported. And even the victim and the victims loved ones dont know who the other party iswe normally draw these dead ends, Pevehouse said. After Vine's arrest, the possibility he killed Witt was considered. The car shows signs of a struggle. No answers 29 years after murder of Arkansas teen Dana Stidham - NBC News It could not be determined how she was killed. It was only after the car was impounded, some three days later, that it was dusted.". He was elected sheriff in 1968; lost in 1972 (some say because of the unsolved Blades murder); and re-elected in 1976 and 1980. Sunday, August 8, 2021 The Bizarre History of a Long-Unsolved Murder On Sunday morning, August 2, 1964, a fisherman reported a bloodstained vehicle abandoned at the Water Valley Mill northeast of Springfield. Smith has also confessed to killing several women while a U.S. Marine in West Germanyin the 1960s. Ten months after Blades vanished, Sheriff Lamb told the publiche doubted there was a crime. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Fort Smith, AR: Crime Maps and First-time author Barbara Kemm-Highton spent three years working on herbook. 1992 Natasha Atchley White Female San Jacinto County Ranger Company A Re #: 160 1997 Harold William "Bill" Roland White Male The legend is that a railroad workers head was severed by an oncoming train. CBI FOHVAMP . You can download the data here. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". Arkansas: Unsolved Murders In Arkansas - Blogger Furthermore, Swearingen was known to be in the area around the time Missy was abducted. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. A trapper, looking for deer sign on A US Forest Service road about 18 miles north of Ozark, noticed Witt's nude body lying face down about 30 years from the road. When they find her body, she had been exposed to extreme temperatures, Rush said. She had accidentally left something on, and the battery was dead. 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. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. Murdered: Melissa Witt | Fort Smith, AR | Uncovered Any ties went to the larger city. 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. Start browsing the folder's contents at the beginning of the file. BOONE COUNTY, Ky. - Cold case detectives at the Boone County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky are investigating any possible connection between an unsolved double murder in 2011 and the 2017 . Photo credit: Kurt Wilson/ Missoulian. 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. The News-Leader contacted Kelle Ann Workman's brother, Marc. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Crime News in Fort Smith, AR | Southwest Times Record Fort Smith Police Department - Public Awareness - Most Wanted Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. "Buff" Lamb was openly hostile in the unsolved abduction and murder of Carol Blades, a 20-year-old Nixa housewife. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (requires payment) at Ancestry/has about 594,000 listings. If you need a pleasant palate cleanser, try touring this cider mill. It was only her second night on the job and first night alone. 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. Unsolved Murders. 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 . That left us with 26 cities to rank. But one suspect is alive and living in an Illinois prison. All rights reserved. On July 25, 1989, 18-year-old Dana Stidham left her parents' home to pick up her father's . In 1973, legislation created the White River Monster Refuge. He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move. 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. Chasing Chains, LLC. Although the case may be cold, the Fort Smith police are still welcoming any information concerning the case. Nobody should ever have to lose a child.. Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. FORT SMITH, Ark. The body was discovered by a Conco employee. There could easily be a scientific explanation for this one, but do you really want to risk it to find out? 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. Three people in a vehicle spotted the Blades' car as it pulled off of northbound Highway 160 onto the shoulder; a man, possibly the killer,exited the passenger side. 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. The architectural style is predominantly brick-oriented with many people to move, and land is worth in the unsolved murders in arkansas of your license. ", 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. "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. She lived with her parents, who were farmers, about 1.5 miles from the cemetery. 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 . Sloane McCaster, a member of Websleuths, an Internet forum of armchair detectives who look into unsolved crimes, met Mercedes at a club in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Jenkins told Dateline. Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. Her husband slept thatday because he worked a third shift at Springday, a Springfield manufacturer. 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.". IE 11 is not supported. He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. 5 The Florence Salon Murders. If you have any information, you can call the River Valley crime stoppers at (479)-78-CRIME. Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. Both cases remain unsolved. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. Project: Cold Case is a not-for-profit organization with an ambitious goal of publicizing all unsolved homicides in the United States while linking information, families, and law enforcement, and ultimately, helping to solve cold cases. Howard County Sheriff's Department. The Victims: Forty Unsolved Murders Since 1984 The cases. "It's better that it not be brought up because the more something like that is bought up, the worse it gets," he said. The two masked killers used a handcart to wheel the store safe out of the building and fled in Reese's car. The body wasdecomposed. Taxes and utilities also rank low on the national scale allowing those searching for dens in early October and early November. This is a list of notable male murderers who committed their murders in Arkansas, USA. Her body was fully clothed. And I was lucky enough to have her.. She was very sweet, but timid and scared to death of her boyfriend. Our Cases. 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. 1. Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham - Yahoo Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Family members bristled at those comments. Between 6:30-7 pm, after class and work, Missy went to the same bowling alley that her mother had mentioned in her note. There was not one sign of foul play, he said. The police looked at the good samaritan very closely before dismissing him as a suspect. Do you live in one of the murder capitals of Arkansas? He said: There are many possibilities in the death of Mr. Moody. 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. Chester Simons and Deborah Popp were found fatally shot in bed and police determined that Popp was shot by Simons, who then died by suicide, according to Fort Myers Police Department. Unsolved murder of Melissa Witt in 1994. Some theorize she may have been the victim of a local serial killer, "The River Valley Killer.". Ashley County Obituaries, 1965-present from the Ashley County Ledger - also includes cemetery listings. With over 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of hiking trails. 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. Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . You'll receive your first newsletter soon! I've stood in the same parking lot where Melissa went missing. If you have any information on the circumstances surrounding Dana Stidhams death, please contact the Benton County Sheriffs Office at (479) 271-1008 or the Bella Vista Police Department at (479) 855-3771 at or via email at info@bellavistaar.gov. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. If you have information on any of the persons . Branford Antoine Lewis, who was given an additional 18 and 1/2 years on an existing sentence in early February, returned to Sebastian County Circuit Court on . Compare Fort Smith crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. 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 . It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. A patron had discovered her car keys and turned them in the night Witt disappeared. Her death differed from the attacks on the other three women, though: She was not beaten in the same way. Little Rock with 38. Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. Resources. 50 creepiest unsolved crime cases that will shake you to the core! TV Schedule for MNT (KFSM-TV2) Fort Smith, AR | TV Passport On Christmas Day, 1970 a year and 10 days after Blades disappeared her body was found in Stone County, 12 miles away. Jenkins. For more on Vine's crimes, watch "Snapped Notorious: The River Valley Killer.". 322 S. Main Street, Ste. ", 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.". ADC inmate implicated in 2021 murder gets additional 15- years tacked Blades had filled it with gas that day and investigators estimated 8 gallons were used. 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. An autopsy could not determine cause of death; she was not shot and apparently was not raped. 18 unsolved slayings in this area in five years. We were together all the time, Kristy said. She was just the kind of daughter people wish they had. A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. He was active in the area at that time, and he had attacked another teenager in Arkansas. A week later, her body was found some10 miles south of the cemetery and about six miles east of Oldfield, in Christian County. You Decide. Missy had gone on home and changed her clothes, according to a neighbor who saw her come and go. But Melissa never came home, and Mary Anne grew worried. Submit Your Loved One. Although not officially a suspect in any Washington . Contact. 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. When a crime happens, and you dont know who the other party is. During the school year, Dana had been working after school and on weekends at Harps Food Store in Bella Vista, Arkansas. More:'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson. A CLOSER LOOK: violent crimes increase in Fayetteville - KNWA FOX24 But as she got ready to go to campus for class, she had a small disagreement with her Mom after asking her if she could borrow money.