IE 11 is not supported. Smith confessed that he raped Ash and stabbed her to death at theTV repair shop where he worked in Mountain Home, Arkansas. 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 . Little Rock with 38. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. 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. "Since her death in 1989 our family has reached out to the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation on numerous occasions," he said. It was only her second night on the job and first night alone. There are fifty states in the unsolved murders in arkansas with the unsolved murders in arkansas of many states on their way to see a lot of perks, and when not to. 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. I wanted a better life for him than I had. Melissa's mother, Mary Anne passes away. Georgia was at work at the time, but her husband Lawrence was at home. FPD Sergeant Tony Murphy said. Of particular interest to Missouri investigators is that Smith raped and stabbed to death anIllinois woman named Jean Bianchi, a 27-year-old housewife. Shes waited 42 years for answers. A young boy, who was with his mother at Bowling World, said when he went out to retrieve a book from their car, he heard a woman scream, Help me! He didnt see anyone but stated the time was around 6:30 or 6:40 p.m. Tara was sleeping, and her other had to wake her up, but she didn't know where Melissa was. 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. 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()});});}. Fort Smith shares its status with Greenwood as the county seat of Sebastian County. As of now, the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office says they havent received any new leads on this case in quite a long while, but if they do, they will immediately investigate. She was just the kind of daughter people wish they had. But could he have been responsible for another murder? Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas, Download The Entire Arkansas Ranking Data. Here are a fewother unsolved murders in the Ozarks: In his first year as Douglas County SheriffRoldan Turner had two separate murders to solve Ronnie Johnson and Kelle Ann Workman. . 322 South Main Streeet, Suite 615 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2222 / Visit Website. It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. Once inside, the responders found the brutalized bodies of four teenage girls-Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison and Eliza Thomas. He was shot in the back and, police say, beaten. We were together all the time, Kristy said. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. But Mary Ann knew this was out of character for Melissa. The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. A strange phone call made to police a day or two prior to the discovery of the body helps support this theory, he said. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. They made this determination based on evidence of a struggle around her car, including blood found in the parking lot, as well as Missy's keys and an earring found nearby. Ten months after Blades vanished, Sheriff Lamb told the publiche doubted there was a crime. As time passes on, I am afraid my sons murderer or murderers will not be found.. 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. Do you live in one of the murder capitals of Arkansas? She was really sweet, everybody liked her, she was friends with everybody.. These are the places in Arkansas where people were killed most often, according to the latest FBI numbers. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. You can download the data here. *While use of the Unidentified Person File is increasing, it is not yet mandated by law to make entries into this file. It's believed that Melissa wore a white v-neck sweater and blue jeans. Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. Two people witness Melissa's abduction. Unsolved Murders. 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. "We loved him dearly.". 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.. Tragically, we'll never know who murdered these young men. 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. RoadSnacks is reader-supported. Unsolved Cases . It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . Details About Her Unsolved Murder And Why Police Haven't Caught The Killer. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. 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. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. 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? I don't want to go to my grave not knowing, she told Dateline. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, OK Larry Swearingen was looked at as a person of interest in this case. Georgia has now outlived her husband and both of children. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. Both Rush and Ensey believe police can solve the case. In Arkansas you also have added to the unsolved murders in arkansas an unusual place to visit. Her death differed from the attacks on the other three women, though: She was not beaten in the same way. In 1973, legislation created the White River Monster Refuge. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. Georgia said they checked all the possible routes that Dana might have taken, and did not see her car anywhere. There is no required waiting period to report a missing person. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. On December 6, 1991, Austin, Texas was shell-shocked by a vicious crime. "I kind of bonded with her. The light is the ghosts lantern used to search for his head. People who live in Fort Smith generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. You can also report any information you may have concerning a crime and could receive a . Because of the lack of leads, her murder is now considered to be a cold case. Georgia said that in the days following Danas disappearance, there were several sighting of her daughter reported to police, but none proved true. This was on Dec. 3, 1969 12 days before Blades was abducted and killed. Firefighters responded to reports of smoke rising from a yogurt shop on West Anderson Lane. Shedid. Gun sales shot up for a time, and sales of alarm systems and guard dogs also rose as the murders went unsolved . Jenkins added. She said that in 2003 detectives from Missouri went to Illinois to interview Smith, whodenied ever being in Nixa. ", 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. If you want to get cheaper rates on your hand. 1. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. Our Cases. Danas father passed away 10 years after his daughter was killed. Three people died and an officer was stabbed in the neck in an incident in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday. She lived with her parents, who were farmers, about 1.5 miles from the cemetery. Officers found a receipt from Phillips Foods in the back of the car, time-stamped 3:17 p.m. on the 25th, according to Sgt. Image. That left us with 26 cities to rank. If she was going to be late, she always called.. The National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. 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. I would like to see if they could maybe come for now. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. 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. Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. Photo credit: Kurt Wilson/ Missoulian. The legend is that a railroad workers head was severed by an oncoming train. No arrests have been made in connection with her death. All missing persons must be classified into one of the following categories: NCICs Unidentified Person File came online in 1983. Georgia dreads that outcome. Murder! More Cost of Living or Compare Fort Smith's Cost of Living. William Gardiner, a preacher of the Primitive Methodist Chapel, was suspected due . Her body was placed near a headstone-like rock. 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. Outreach. In December 1977 a man was arrested in connection to the death and questioned. 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. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . Chasing Chains, LLC. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite. We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. Workman was 6 feet tall and 135 pounds. She was 75 years old. Murderpedia . If you send me images or newspaper clippings I assume that I may use them on my website. FORT SMITH, Ark. She had accidentally left something on, and the battery was dead. It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. Three years after her murder, Melissa's family, the Parnells' filed a suit against the C N Bowl Corp. Kristy told Dateline she and Dana were especially close since they were only a year apart. Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. 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. 322 S. Main Street, Ste. The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person cases. Submit Your Loved One. Her mother declined to give it to her. When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. This can be a post about an unsolved homicide, a missing person, an unidentified person, a wrongful conviction, or forensics. His sentence in Illinois was lengthened in1977; hewas given another 18 years for trying to escape. No one has ever been charged. 1. The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. 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. He was looking for his cattle when he saw a white object in a grove of cedar trees, near a fallen tree;it was the skull of Carol Blades. No circumstance has a more devastating effect on a family than the unknown whereabouts of a loved one. Vine's disturbing and vicious rape and killing spree is further explored in theOxygenspecial "Snapped Notorious: The River Valley Killer." Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. The body was found on Forest Service Road 1551, located off Franklin County 111, also known as Jethro Road. Police showed her a photo of a convicted burglar who was known in the area and, according to news stories, she identified the man as the intruder who killed her husband. And I was lucky enough to have her.. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. Arkansas is famous for many homeowners. 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. The lawnmowing job was only about one-third complete and her car was still there, with the keys in it. Oct. 18, 1981: An officer in Texas stops Pruett for speeding and locates a .38-caliber revolver and evidence from Larimer County. The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested inquiries. Kemm-Highton saidin August she does not believe Smith killed Blades. Should Smith, now 73, ever be releasedin Illinoishe would face a life sentence in Arkansas. WEATHER & CLIMATE 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. He said: There are many possibilities in the death of Mr. Moody. More than 30 years later, Fisher's estranged wife was charged with first-degree murder. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. 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. Melanie ETHIER (1996) - ON Julie FORTIER (Unsolved Murder - 1980) - ON Stefan SCHWARTZ (1960) - B.C. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks. They also tried search warrants and subpoenas for information but had no luck. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. 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 . 1326, Episode 35 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt Part 2. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year. Melissa's mother assumed that her daughter was with friends that evening. She wasidentified by dental records. Sure, that's fiction. The victim is identified as 35-year-old . Arkansas features cultural and social hub of the Arkansas Insurance Department. READ MORE 5. Danas parents lived in Hiwasse, Arkansas, a 10-minute drive from Centerton, and she visited them often, Georgia said. She was running low on money, she was going to come out and have her mother buy her a hamburger. That would be Helena-West Helena with 108.0 murders per 100,000 people. MISSING PERSON ENTRY CATEGORIES Western Arkansas was also on the circuit of back roads Clyde Barrow used to evade lawmen from other states. 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. Jenkins. Especially at the county levels.". On a daily basis, JC. More Economy. 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. There was no one in the store, and there should have been, said Pevehouse. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. 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 He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. 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. 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. Compare Fort Smith crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. We all watch the news with horror when we hear about a homicide that happens not that far away from us. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of Bowling World in the evening. Faces of Unsolved Homicide - Project: Cold Case.