Most accurate 2021 crime rates for Fort Smith, AR. Arkansas Crime Information Center. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The car shows signs of a struggle. 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. Melissa is still not home. The body was discovered by a Conco employee. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. By James Pletcher Jr. Jul 25, 2013 . Sure, that's fiction. Swearingen denied murdering Missy Witt and was executed on January 27, 2009, for Melissa Trotter's murder. 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. I can't stop thinking about this case because it's from my home town. The Oakland County Child Killer. Drugs is a possibility. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. Denver Post . We have had several people tell us she was not getting along at home. 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. Both bodies were found in 1989 in different months in different parts of the hugeMark Twain National Forest, an area the size of Delaware. 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. Missy kept very busy with classes and her part-time job at a local dental clinic where she worked as a dental assistant. Who Killed Dana Stidham? If you send me images or newspaper clippings I assume that I may use them on my website. It was described in news storiesas "torn up." Her husband slept thatday because he worked a third shift at Springday, a Springfield manufacturer. Judge orders North Little Rock mental health facility to pay $2.5M in teen rape case. Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. Who killed Missy Witt? Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. But she never made it inside. She lived with her parents, who were farmers, about 1.5 miles from the cemetery. 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. No one else has been. The 2019 Fort Smith crime rate rose by 17% compared to 2018. Police called the man a "suspect." The city with highest murder rate in Arkansas? We understand if you have trouble getting to sleep tonight, these unsolved mysteries certainly shook us to the core. An old wives tale is one thing, but once physical evidence gets involved these stories become especially chilling. A patron had discovered her car keys and turned them in the night Witt disappeared. Love Arkansas? 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. Jenkins 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? Melissa's mother, Mary Anne passes away. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. Swamp gas, pressurized quartz crystal, and headlight reflections have been possible explanations. 1992 Natasha Atchley White Female San Jacinto County Ranger Company A Re #: 160 1997 Harold William "Bill" Roland White Male People who live in Fort Smith generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. The lawnmowing job was only about one-third complete and her car was still there, with the keys in it. WEATHER & CLIMATE Resources. Ive always felt that the phone call was tied to what had happened, Rider said. It had been abandoned on the shoulder of northbound Highway 160. There were no records found of her death. Finally, we averaged the two scores into an index: We 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. The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person cases. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. Pruett would soon confess to prosecutors and the media his guilt . The officer told Mary Ann that since Melissa is over 18, she can leave on her own accord. Sheriff Lamb, who died at age 77 in 2001, was a former rodeo performer who as sheriff wasknown for straight talk and at times for roughing up those in custody. He was caught in 2000 when he attempted to rape and kill a 16-year-old girl in her house. Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . Her daughters are now 44 and 46. 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. Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of Bowling World in the evening. I wanted a better life for him than I had. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. Double murder of Hot Springs mom, 5-year-old son remains unsolved Little Rock police urging people to be cautious of phone scam Police make arrest in fatal hit-and-run of Benton 13-year-old A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. The victim is identified as 35-year-old . Tragically, we'll never know who murdered these young men. Making it tougher for investigators to gather evidence. After Vine's arrest, the possibility he killed Witt was considered. Dana had been very well-liked, her cousin Kristy said she didnt have any problems with anyone. Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. Unsolved Murders. The 1998 murder of John Alan Moody is one of 10 unsolved cold cases listed on the Springfield Police Department website. The legend is that a railroad workers head was severed by an oncoming train. You can download the data here. IE 11 is not supported. 1. 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. Blades' husband, Larry, and her parents Louis and Geraldine Horton took issue with the sheriff's comments. Both girls were 19 at the time of their death, and both were murdered and found in large forests in Arkansas. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. Sergeant Jenkins said Benton County Police issued a Be On the Lookout (BOLO ) at 9:43 p.m. At 6:30 a.m. the next day, Danas car was found in the southbound lane of highway 71, Sgt. Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. Diaz is president of the Vallejo chapter of. He loved tinkering with cars, being outdoors and being a loyal friend. The IMCA sanctioned 3/8 mile oval and I situated in the Van Buren - Fort Smith area at the unsolved murders in arkansas a fairly temperate climate throughout much of the National Park engulfs the unsolved murders in arkansas. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. She was a 1967 graduate of Nixa High and her maiden name was Horton. Start browsing the folder's contents at the beginning of the file. Blades was last seen at a Nixa store buying cookieson a cold Monday, Dec. 15, 1969. Melanie ETHIER (1996) - ON Julie FORTIER (Unsolved Murder - 1980) - ON Stefan SCHWARTZ (1960) - B.C. Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial killer Charles Ray Vine, also known as "The River Valley Killer.". Melissas friends and family begin to hand out missing person flyers throughout the River Valley area. The National Crime Information Center's (NCIC's) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. Sergeant Jenkins said there are several people of interest in the case, and that it is still being worked as an active investigation. It was only her second. 18 unsolved slayings in this area in five years. Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. She wouldn't let her dad wait on that.. Melissa Witt was a hardworking and ambitious, 19-year-old college student. On a daily basis, JC. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. If they can come forward anonymously, they could contact Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Rush said. Chasing Chains, LLC. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. For individuals wishing to review their own record or somebody who they know hasn't been out of the unsolved murders in arkansas as being the unsolved murders in arkansas in Arkansas. She was 75 years old. 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. All rights reserved. Despite various theories, the case remains unsolved. 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 loved him dearly.". At that point there was no reason to believe she was abducted. "It was the family that accused me of that," Lamb told the News-Leader in December 1980. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. When a crime happens, and you dont know who the other party is. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Police ruled Danas death a homicide, but would not confirm the exact cause of death. 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. Case of Missing Person: Nona Jean Young (Coleman) W/F, 02-26-51 . First-time author Barbara Kemm-Highton spent three years working on herbook. Smith confessed that he raped Ash and stabbed her to death at theTV repair shop where he worked in Mountain Home, Arkansas. With so many things you can choose from. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. We have never come up with anything positive.". And we have, every time we getany kind of lead whatsoever, run down that lead. If you have information on their whereabouts, please contact the Detective Division at (479) 709-5116 . Melissa and her mother have a disagreement over money, Melissa goes to classes at Westark Community College, now the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS), Melissa works at the dentist office in the afternoon, Melissa's car doesn't start after leaving work, Melissa arrives at Bowling World to have dinner with her mother but never makes it inside, Witness reports hearing woman in distress in Bowling World Parking, Melissa's body is found by two trappers in the Ozark National Forest, Wal-Mart dedicates their missing persons board to Melissa Witt, 27 y.o.man,charged w/kidnapping,raping,& killing 19 y.o.college student gal in TX in 1998,is prime suspect in unsolved 1994 college gal killing in AR, Parnell v. C & N Bowl Corp., 954 F. Supp. 6) Morton S. ROSENFELD (79C-083) LCSO-79-5249 DOD: 05/19/1979 . Little Rock: 56 | North Little Rock: 23. Family members bristled at those comments. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. His name was never released. Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. Evening:Melissa arrives at Bowling World to have dinner with her mother but never makes it inside. 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 . The body wasdecomposed. Search teams on horses were deployed to search several areas in Bella Vista. Several of Danas personal items were found scattered in different areas of Bella Vista, but none near her car, Sgt. Interactive map produced by Yutao Chen. Although not officially a suspect in any Washington . Because of the lack of leads, her murder is now considered to be a cold case. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Fort Smith Police Department. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. There is no required waiting period to report a missing person. More than 30 years later, Fisher's estranged wife was charged with first-degree murder. She was running low on money, she was going to come out and have her mother buy her a hamburger. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested inquiries. 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. Although the region has its fair share of beauty and wonder, thats not all youll find there. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine the dirt on places across the country. 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. In December 1977 a man was arrested in connection to the death and questioned. RELATED: Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham And Why Police Have Yet To Find Her Killer Alabama. When Georgia received the call from police that evening that Danas body had been found, she said her only reaction was, It just couldn't be. He chose not to cooperate and therefore remains a suspect in this murder. They wrote: "When 'Buff'Lamb was called the night Carols car was found, he did not take fingerprints or even caution people to stay away so the car could be dusted later. Kelle Ann Workman, 24, was last seen June 30, 1989, while mowing grass at Dogwood Cemetery, outside Pleasant Ridge Southern Baptist Churchat Highways 14 and Z. Smith was also questioned in the 1983 unsolved murder of a 14-year-old girl in Idaho. She hadthree children. 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?
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