Our Cases. The cases. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Smith has also confessed to killing several women while a U.S. Marine in West Germanyin the 1960s. 5 The Florence Salon Murders. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . Shedid. 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. We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. No suspect was ever identified. According to science fiction writer Richard Shaver, the cave is one of the entrances to a subterranean civilization. This, however, only applies to their own. The keys were still in the ignition. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. 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. Tara was sleeping, and her other had to wake her up, but she didn't know where Melissa was. Dana had been very well-liked, her cousin Kristy said she didnt have any problems with anyone. Sergeant Jenkins said there are several people of interest in the case, and that it is still being worked as an active investigation. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (requires payment) at Ancestry/has about 594,000 listings. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. Who killed Missy Witt? Workman was 6 feet tall and 135 pounds. Went to the store, and people said that she had been there and bought what she needed and left, Georgia said. 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 humming sound one hears is that of healthy baby bears, nursing to their little heart's content. 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 died and an officer was stabbed in the neck in an incident in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday. 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. According to private investigators, it was her second night on the job and her first time working solo. 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. A family is still looking for answers after a Sebastian County womans murder case remains unsolved 42-years later. Although not officially a suspect in any Washington . About. If anyone has information regarding any of the missing persons cases, please contact the Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 907-269-5038 (local), 800-478-9333 (toll free) or email dps.missing.persons@alaska.gov. Between 6:30-7 pm, after class and work, Missy went to the same bowling alley that her mother had mentioned in her note. 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. "We loved him dearly.". 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. Donate. Family members bristled at those comments. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. We aim to deliver infotainment about where you live that your real estate agent won't tell you. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Fort Smith is 1 in 90 and property crime is 1 in 18. Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. The massacre inspired the movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown." Thinking their daughter may have had car trouble, Lawrence and Georgia got in their car and drove around to find Dana. "It took them eight days to find her body. Each of these victims were submitted by families or law enforcement through our submission page. Melanie ETHIER (1996) - ON Julie FORTIER (Unsolved Murder - 1980) - ON Stefan SCHWARTZ (1960) - B.C. On Christmas Day, 1970 a year and 10 days after Blades disappeared her body was found in Stone County, 12 miles away. 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. You may also email information to the Detectives, by clicking on the link. Who Killed Dana Stidham? There was not one sign of foul play, he said. And, they asked, who leaves their clothes in a drier prior to running off? It was higher than in 97.1% U.S. cities. More:'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Murderpedia . It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. Recent job growth is Negative. You can download the data here.We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. She was our joy. "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. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. Wanted for Arrest. Love Arkansas? Melissa is still not home. It could not be determined how she was killed. She reported her daughter missing. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. A week later, her body was found some10 miles south of the cemetery and about six miles east of Oldfield, in Christian County. Kristen said she spent weekends driving to nearby states with her mother and her aunt, Georgia, to see if anyone had seen Dana. 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. Join a singles club and meet with great singles. Anstuz was a carpenter at Killian Construction in Springfield. JC Rider, a retired Fort Smith Police Department detective, said investigators believe Witt was struck in the head and then kidnapped. We understand if you have trouble getting to sleep tonight, these unsolved mysteries certainly shook us to the core. Larry Swearingen was looked at as a person of interest in this case. That left us with 26 cities to rank. Western Arkansas was also on the circuit of back roads Clyde Barrow used to evade lawmen from other states. A federal judge is to review an unsolved 1987 murder case of 2 young boys from Arkansas who were believed to have been killed by Clinton operatives. Missy kept very busy with classes and her part-time job at a local dental clinic where she worked as a dental assistant. . Shes waited 42 years for answers. 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. Her mother said no and before she left the house, she left Missy a note explaining that she loved her and that she would be at a local bowling alley later that afternoon if she wanted to come by and get something to eat. Steve Hamilton was a Springfield police lieutenant at the time. Blades' husband, Larry, and her parents Louis and Geraldine Horton took issue with the sheriff's comments. The two Thackers were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Correction in August 2011 after pleading guilty in Sebastian County Circuit Court each to a charge of attempted capital murder in. The legend is that a railroad workers head was severed by an oncoming train. Arkansas isnt always peaceful forests and serene waterfalls. Her logic is that since Smith admitted other slayings he would have admitted this one, as well, if he did it. The suspect apparently was spotted soon after the murder. 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. I would like to see if they could maybe come for now. Case of Missing Person: Nona Jean Young (Coleman) W/F, 02-26-51 . 6:30/6:40 pm:Witness reports hearing woman in distress in Bowling World Parking. 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. You just cant accept that your child is gone. READ MORE 5. Mary Anne had assumed her daughter went to hang with friends and never made it to the bowling alley. 2023 www.news-leader.com. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. Oct. 18, 1981: An officer in Texas stops Pruett for speeding and locates a .38-caliber revolver and evidence from Larimer County. At 9 a.m. the next morning, June 25, 1983, the victim's body was discovered near 2000 E. 22nd Street, hidden in the brush of a semi-secluded area not far from her home. No one has ever been charged. On July 25, 1989, 18-year-old Dana Stidham left her parents' home to pick up her father's . Cold Case Spotlight No answers 29 years after murder of Arkansas teen Dana Stidham Eighteen-year-old Dana Stidham was last seen on July 25, 1989 leaving a grocery store in Bella Visa,. Wal-Mart Stores, in conjunction with AR Missing Exploited Children's Center announced the introduction of Missing Person's Poster Display at the local store in Huntsville in honor of Melissa. 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. 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 . Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. Once inside, the responders found the brutalized bodies of four teenage girls-Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison and Eliza Thomas. Updated: 6:31 AM CDT October 4, 2021. I dont recall exactly what the male voice said, but it was something like, I cant. And then he hung up the phone., 9:40 am:Melissa's body is found by two trappers in the Ozark National Forest. She was a 1967 graduate of Nixa High and her maiden name was Horton. In addition, a homicide can be cleared if there is enough evidence to arrest and charge a suspect, but that suspect is dead. ", 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.". In Arkansas you also have added to the unsolved murders in arkansas an unusual place to visit. His sentence in Illinois was lengthened in1977; hewas given another 18 years for trying to escape. Arrested and charged with four counts each of murder were Charles Anthony Diaz, 47, of Vallejo, and Gerald Michael Lester, 47, of Fort Smith, Ark. He was active in the area at that time, and he had attacked another teenager in Arkansas. Early in the history of Arkansas and the city, Fort Smith was an important point of contact to the American West. So, we grew up without her basically our whole lives, said Enseys youngest daughter Nikki Ensey. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, OK 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. He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. He was described as 5 feet 9 or 10 inches tall, a white man with a dark complexion andblack hair combed back. An unclesaw her mowing at 5:40 p.m.; her absence was noticed at about 6:15 p.m. However, Missy's clothes and personal belongings were missing from the scene and were never found. The coat was corduroy and possibly fleece-lined. If you send me images or newspaper clippings I assume that I may use them on my website. If you're looking at the places in Arkansas with the most murders, and where residents have the highest chances of being killed themselves, this is an accurate list. Sort All Cases By: Company Area | Male | Female | County | Year | Last Name Results: 13 Record (s) Found. Law enforcement agencies should be contacted without delay. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. Denver Post . Blades was 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds. Should Smith, now 73, ever be releasedin Illinoishe would face a life sentence in Arkansas. You can also report any information you may have concerning a crime and could receive a . in Library Science. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. Arkansas Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist in the unsolved murders in arkansas to 2006. Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Danas parents lived in Hiwasse, Arkansas, a 10-minute drive from Centerton, and she visited them often, Georgia said. The hunt for answers continues to this day, as the case remains open,THV11 KTHV reported. The court determined that the events were not foreseeable and the case was ultimately dismissed. RELATED: Detective believes 1995 murder of Arkansas teen could be tied to another case, RELATED: Alma Police receive hundreds of tips since 'Still Missing Morgan' documentary aired. William Scott Smith Unemployed cook, Salem, Ore. . Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Fort Smith Police Department. FORT SMITH, Ark. Although the region has its fair share of beauty and wonder, thats not all youll find there. Six people were on board the boat at the time of the crash, including 19-year-old Paul T. Murdaugh. Here's what is known about them SABRINA LYNN UNDERWOOD:. Arkansas, USA : home: last updates . He may have been lost at times, but who of us has not been lost? They died never knowing what happened to Dana. Kemm-Highton saidin August she does not believe Smith killed Blades. If you have information on their whereabouts, please contact the Detective Division at (479) 709-5116 . 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. Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial killer Charles Ray Vine, also known as "The River Valley Killer.". Unsolved Murders. Judge orders North Little Rock mental health facility to pay $2.5M in teen rape case. Melissa was hoping to become a dental hygienist. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is requesting your assistance in closing these open cases. It just destroyed us.. Lambblamed the Blades family for starting rumors that he was involved in the murder. If you are located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, is the unsolved murders in arkansas a 16.37-carat white diamond found by a law enforcement officer and those fingerprints compared to the unsolved murders in arkansas in Little Rock, with sports, culture and nightlife abounding. Furthermore, Swearingen was known to be in the area around the time Missy was abducted. A DNA match helps link multiple unsolved murders down to one man in this clip from Season 2, Episode 5.Tune in to Cold Case Files, Fridays at 9/8c on A&E, an. Search dogs were used in the days following Danas disappearance, Sgt. 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. The FBI considers eyewitness identification notoriously unreliable, the story stated. We were very young. 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. Book 2), Oklahoma Author Looking For Answers To Arkansas Cold Case. Nobody should ever have to lose a child.. The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. Again, these statistics are an indication of where crimes occur, not a statement about the effectiveness of the law enforcement in the areas they serve.