The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. She said that in 2003 detectives from Missouri went to Illinois to interview Smith, whodenied ever being in Nixa. Lawrence Timmons, 65, was indicted for Smith's murder while he was in jail on unrelated charges, a Lawrence County Sheriff's Office release stated. Do you live in one of the murder capitals of Arkansas? You may also email information to the Detectives, by clicking on the link. The rate of crime in Fort Smith is 55.87 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. Manage Settings Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . News-Sentinel.com - Fort Wayne in Library Science. At that time, we didnt have Caller ID in the office; it was a voice recording on the machine we had at our Major Crimes Office. But Melissa never came home, and Mary Anne grew worried. Bonnie and Clyde - Encyclopedia of Arkansas Howard County Sheriff's Department. No suspect was ever identified. Fort Smith (Sebastian County) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas No answers 29 years after murder of Arkansas teen Dana Stidham - NBC News For more on Vine's crimes, watch "Snapped Notorious: The River Valley Killer.". The Murders of Kevin Ives and Don Henry: The True Story of Arkansas If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. If you have any possible . Her death differed from the attacks on the other three women, though: She was not beaten in the same way. FORT SMITH, Ark The Fort Smith Police Department is investigating a homicide in the 1300 block of Jackson St. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. The Springtime Jonquil Festival In Arkansas Thats Unlike Any Other, Spend A Magical Evening Savoring This Wine And Fondue Experience In Arkansas, Arkansas Oldest Drive-In Theater Is Hiding In A Small Town And Youll Want To Visit, Dine At The Historic Spot In Arkansas Where The Legendary Gangster Al Capone Drank Whiskey, The Legend Of Arkansass Very Own Monster Will Chill You To The Bone, 9 True Arkansas Stories That Are Way Creepier Than The Clown Takeover, The Story Behind This Mysterious Creature In Arkansas Is Both Bizarre And Fascinating, The One Place You Have To Go In Arkansas If Youre Looking For Real Adventure, Naomi Rahim / Moment Collection via Getty Images, Calico Rock Historic District in Calico Rock, The Empress of Little Rock in Little Rock. Arkansas is famous for many homeowners. Arkansas murderers list | Murderpedia It just destroyed us.. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. 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? Anstuz was a carpenter at Killian Construction in Springfield. It was only after the car was impounded, some three days later, that it was dusted.". Get more stories delivered right to your email. Unsolved Cases . KHBS CNN Three people are dead and a police officer is recovering from being. Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. Although the region has its fair share of beauty and wonder, thats not all youll find there. During the school year, Dana had been working after school and on weekends at Harps Food Store in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham - Yahoo Murder! Texarkana Moonlight Murders - Wikipedia Brad Cole, current Christian County sheriff, said the Blades murder is an open case. Kristy told Dateline she and Dana were especially close since they were only a year apart. 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. She wasidentified by dental records. Episode 34 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt? According to private investigators, it was her second night on the job and her first time working solo. Melissa asked her mom to borrow some money and told her she would pay her back with her next paycheck. Cold Case Unsolved Homicides As time passes on, I am afraid my sons murderer or murderers will not be found.. Jenkins. Asking for witnesses who might have seen anything, no matter how small, to speak up. The rest of Danas family became alarmed when they still had not heard from her that night. There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people who killed . Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. "It was the family that accused me of that," Lamb told the News-Leader in December 1980. 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. Murder and mystery in South Carolina: A timeline of the Murdaugh - CNN Shedid. 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. A CLOSER LOOK: violent crimes increase in Fayetteville - KNWA FOX24 The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested inquiries. ADC inmate implicated in 2021 murder gets additional 15- years tacked Thinking their daughter may have had car trouble, Lawrence and Georgia got in their car and drove around to find Dana. The suspect had passed a polygraph test and told Davis that when he had talked about killing Workman he was "joking.". She parked her car, and before she would even make it inside the bowling alley, investigators believe Missy was abducted from the parking lot. 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. 2020 Homicides in Little Rock and North Little Rock Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. When a crime happens, and you dont know who the other party is. Crime rate in Fort Smith, AR - City-Data Cold Case Database - Defrosting Cold Cases Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. 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. These 11 Arkansas Murder Cases Made Headlines - OnlyInYourState In the weeks that followed, Danas friends and family spent their time searching on foot and by car, and handing out missing flyers of Dana. 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. 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. Submit Your Loved One. FORT SMITH, Ark. Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. There were no signs of struggle. Arkansas Crime Information Center. IE 11 is not supported. Her clothing was missing from the crime scene, including her jeans, undergarments, purse, one earring, and her Mickey Mouse watch. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. Some theorize she may have been the victim of a local serial killer, "The River Valley Killer.". 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. 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 all know she was really responsible, and she knew her dad was waiting on the medicine. We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine the dirt on places across the country. 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. Colorado Cold Case Files - Home Page You just cant accept that your child is gone. "This would have been around 1989 or 1990," McCaster told HuffPost. I can't stop thinking about this case because it's from my home town. Dana agreed to run out for her father and left the home to make the four-mile drive in her grey Dodge Omni around 3:00 p.m. Georgia said she got home after work around 4:00 p.m., and Lawrence told her Dana had not yet returned. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. A family is still looking for answers after a Sebastian County womans murder case remains unsolved 42-years later. Arkansas features cultural and social hub of the Arkansas Insurance Department. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". The massacre inspired the movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown." Murder Capitals Of Arkansas For 2021 - RoadSnacks We were together all the time, Kristy said. Moody's body was found Nov. 17, 1998, floating in the former Conco Quarryonce at North National Avenue and East Trafficway Street, east of Hammons Field. All charges were dropped in 2005. 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. Donate. Catching a killer: Shootings stir up memories of '81 murders Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. This was on Dec. 3, 1969 12 days before Blades was abducted and killed. Its illegal to hunt "Whitey" within the protected land. You can find the link in the menu bar. The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person cases. And give us some information about what they actually told the police department back there in 1979, daughter Nikki Ensey told 5NEWS. 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. 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. What haunted locations can I visit in Arkansas? Search dogs were used in the days following Danas disappearance, Sgt. Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. 50 creepiest unsolved crime cases that will shake you to the core! 8 Strange, Unsolved Crimes That Are Sure to Haunt You - The Lineup He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. William Gardiner, a preacher of the Primitive Methodist Chapel, was suspected due . Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . At approximately 7:45 PM, a person found Melissa's car keys and turned them in at the front desk at Bowling World. 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. Amy Anstutz saw the burglar in the house. Fort Smith murder unsolved after 42 years, family still has hope In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. Dana's brother died in 2015. You can download the data here. In a letter published in the News-Leader they saidthe case should never be forgotten. Dumping on the Razorback Greenway worries residents, Police: Greenwood teen taken into custody on drug charges, Storm warning fatigue | Alerting Arkansas, Detective believes 1995 murder of Arkansas teen could be tied to another case, Alma Police receive hundreds of tips since 'Still Missing Morgan' documentary aired. He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. 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. Though the fourth boy, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson, survived the attack and lead a relatively normal life, he became a suspect in 2004. After stopping at the store, Blades went to a Nixa laundromat. So we wanted to get the facts straight and dug into the FBI crime data in order to identify the places with the most murders and the highest murder rates per capita in Arkansas. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. 1992 Natasha Atchley White Female San Jacinto County Ranger Company A Re #: 160 1997 Harold William "Bill" Roland White Male 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. 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. Ron Davis, the reporter, interviewed one of them. Two Hells Angels held in quadruple killing - SFGATE At that point in the investigation, there was no reason to believe she was abducted. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. She was very sweet, but timid and scared to death of her boyfriend. RELATED: Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham And Why Police Have Yet To Find Her Killer Alabama. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. 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. Unsolved Ozarks murders include woman last seen mowing cemetery It is now home to large manufacturing plants; St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Sparks Regional Medical Center, which provide healthcare to residents beyond the confines of the city; and the . I would like to see if they could maybe come for now. Image. Arkansas Gravestones has over 1.3 million gravestone photos. The Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) receives monthly NCIC reports concerning the Missing and Unidentified Person files. The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Fort Smith, AR: Crime Maps and PDF OPEN UNSOLVED CASES - Larimer County, Colorado The two masked killers used a handcart to wheel the store safe out of the building and fled in Reese's car. Best Places to Live in Fort Smith, Arkansas A documentary is being developed to cover Missy's case, and community advocates recently launched a billboard campaign to highlight her unsolved murder. "It's better that it not be brought up because the more something like that is bought up, the worse it gets," he said. Both bodies were found in 1989 in different months in different parts of the hugeMark Twain National Forest, an area the size of Delaware. Jenkins, skeletal remains were in the grave, and Dana Stidhams clothes were found nearby. 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. 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. is 6.0%). Moody had not been reported missing, family members told police, because it wasn't unusual for him to not be in contact with his family for stretches of time. More Economy. Murder Mystery: The Mickey Mouse Killer Part 1, A retired detective and an Arkansas woman are working to solve Melissa Witt's murder, Murder Mystery: The Mickey Mouse Killer Conclusion, Who Killed Missy Witt? Firefighters responded to reports of smoke rising from a yogurt shop on West Anderson Lane. If she was going to be late, she always called.. "It took them eight days to find her body. TV Schedule for MNT (KFSM-TV2) Fort Smith, AR | TV Passport Lamb also told the paper it was best that the case be forgotten. It was described in news storiesas "torn up." She was always smiling and happy, Georgia told Dateline. However, Missy's clothes and personal belongings were missing from the scene and were never found. 10 Worst Unsolved Mass Murders In US History - Listverse On November 6, 2001, at approximately 11:00 AM, a woman arrived for an appointment at the Hair Gallery, located in Florence, Montana. The murder of two grandparents tears a family apart; two decades later, a detective races to solve the cold case that has haunted him since he was a child. They were attributed to an alleged unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom of Texarkana or simply the Phantom Killer or Phantom Slayer. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year. FPD Sergeant Tony Murphy said. The Files CANADA UNSOLVED We were robbed of her wisdom and just her life in general.. Paul Anstutz, 26, and his wife Amy, 30, returned home on a Thursday night, Oct. 8, 1992, and surprised a burglar in their homeat 2546 S. Glenwood Terrace, in the Brentwood Terrace subdivision. 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. Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of Bowling World in the evening. Fort Smith jobs have decreased by 1.6%. Melissa is still not home. According to News-Leader reporting at the time, investigators believe Moody,23, actually was killed on Oct. 28, 1998, weeks before his body was found. Cold Case - ABI - AST - Alaska Department of Public Safety Book 2), Oklahoma Author Looking For Answers To Arkansas Cold Case. We have had several people tell us she was not getting along at home. 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 . Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Pruett would soon confess to prosecutors and the media his guilt . Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She was just the kind of daughter people wish they had. Heultimately raped and murdered two elderly women in the River Valley, Arkansas area: Juanita Wofford in 1993, and Ruth Henderson in 1995. 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. 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. 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. Man arrested in 2004 Arkansas murder case - KHBS Melissa Witt Case: Did River Valley Killer Charles Vine Murder Her Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. Melanie ETHIER (1996) - ON Julie FORTIER (Unsolved Murder - 1980) - ON Stefan SCHWARTZ (1960) - B.C. *This list consists of persons who have been reported missing to the Department of Public Safety under undetermined circumstances. Arkansas isnt always peaceful forests and serene waterfalls. Generally, cases are solved when the offender has been arrested and turned over to the court for prosecution. Crime in Arkansas - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Witt disappeared after arriving at Bowling World in Fort Smith on December 1, 1994. 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. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. Crime News in Fort Smith, AR | Southwest Times Record 1. Therelationship between family and then-Christian County Sheriff L.E. Especially at the county levels.". She always called. There is no required waiting period to report a missing person. Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. No one else has been. if(window.innerWidth<700){ezoicSiteSpeed(jQuery(document),String(/documentReady/).substring(1).slice(0,-1),String(/jQuery-document-dot-ready/).substring(1).slice(0,-1),function($){$("#skip_expand").html("(Expand+)");$("#toc ul").css("display","none");$("#skip_expand").on("click",function(){$("#toc ul").toggle()});$("#toc h3").on("click",function(){$("#toc ul").toggle()});});}. Arkansas area. Never Forgotten | Arkansas Missing Persons Campaign Archive statistics are available upon request. Murdered: Melissa Witt | Fort Smith, AR | Uncovered COST OF LIVING Compared to the rest of the country, Fort Smith's cost of living is 25.0% lower than the U.S. average. He was caught in 2000 when he attempted to rape and kill a 16-year-old girl in her house. Faces of Unsolved Homicide - Project: Cold Case. Contact. He said: There are many possibilities in the death of Mr. Moody. Arkansas law requires all missing persons to be entered immediately.