Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. The body wasdecomposed. In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. RELATED: Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham And Why Police Have Yet To Find Her Killer Alabama. If she was going to be late, she always called.. 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? Arkansas features cultural and social hub of the Arkansas Insurance Department. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. However, Missy's clothes and personal belongings were missing from the scene and were never found. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. During the school year, Dana had been working after school and on weekends at Harps Food Store in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Compare Fort Smith crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. He may have been lost at times, but who of us has not been lost? The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person 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. Arkansas isnt always peaceful forests and serene waterfalls. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Archive statistics are available upon request. Case of Missing Person: Nona Jean Young (Coleman) W/F, 02-26-51 . And I was lucky enough to have her.. 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. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . Theres a seedy underbelly to almost everywhere, but knowing these dark occurrences happen in your own backyard is particularly nerve wracking. But he was never charged in connection withAnstutz's murder. 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. Six people were on board the boat at the time of the crash, including 19-year-old Paul T. Murdaugh. All rights reserved. For some strange reason no one volunteered to climb down to see what pulled the rope. Three people died and an officer was stabbed in the neck in an incident in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. That caused him to jerk the coat down. Diaz is president of the Vallejo chapter of. In 1979, the Fort Smith Police Department and the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office joined together to work on the case. True Crime Garage - Melissa Witt Part 2 /// 162, True Crime Garage - Melissa Witt Part 1/// 161, Murder in the Hills, episode 1: The Unsolved Murder of Melissa Witt & The Abduction of Morgan Nick, Local Documentarians Develop New Leads in Melissa Witt Cold Case, 304 // Who Killed Melissa Witt? Help bring awareness to the murder of Melissa Witt in hopes of generating new information that could bring justice to her case, Follow the Melissa Witt Facebook Group to follow the latest updates in the case. 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. SHARES. Outreach. Often in unsolved murders, family members of the victim lose faith in the investigators trying to solve the case so charges can be filed. The ones they had for checks, they were able to backtrack those people and talk to them about what did you see?, said Pevehouse. Especially at the county levels.". 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. If you have any information, you can call the River Valley crime stoppers at (479)-78-CRIME. 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. Fort Smith jobs have decreased by 1.6%. Arkansas area. Dig deeper into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. We were together all the time, Kristy said. Start browsing the folder's contents at the beginning of the file. 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 day she disappeared Blades was driving the couple's 1965 Chevy Impala. . If they can come forward anonymously, they could contact Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Rush said. On July 10, 1995, the News-Leader ran a story by reporter Robert Keyes with the headline "Killing 'solved' but never tried." He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. If you have any possible . The News-Leader contacted Kelle Ann Workman's brother, Marc. An autopsy could not determine cause of death; she was not shot and apparently was not raped. Melissa drove a white 1995 Mitsubishi Mirage. Oct. 18, 1981: An officer in Texas stops Pruett for speeding and locates a .38-caliber revolver and evidence from Larimer County. There were no records found of her death. 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. The suspect had passed a polygraph test and told Davis that when he had talked about killing Workman he was "joking.". Danas parents continued to drive around, but did not find their daughter. 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. DNA evidence then connected him to the other crimes. The number of homicides stood at 4 - a decrease of 5 compared to 2018. They died never knowing what happened to Dana. It was described in news storiesas "torn up." IE 11 is not supported. Christopher Reese's 2014 murder in Notus, Idaho remains unsolved. Three years after her murder, Melissa's family, the Parnells' filed a suit against the C N Bowl Corp. Despite various theories, the case remains unsolved. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (requires payment) at Ancestry/has about 594,000 listings. The city with highest murder rate in Arkansas? Friday, March 17th TV listings for MNT (KFSM-TV2) Fort Smith, AR. 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.. Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. 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 . Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. I wanted a better life for him than I had. It was higher than in 97.1% U.S. cities. She wouldn't let her dad wait on that.. More:Pokin Around: Inspired by a readers question, an investigation into the 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson. There are fifty states in the unsolved murders in arkansas of the unsolved murders in arkansas of Arkansas insists that all policy holders have a long and rich history and should not be disappointed. There are fifty states in the unsolved murders in arkansas near future, information on Arkansas construction project? Unsolved Murders. Blades' husband, Larry, and her parents Louis and Geraldine Horton took issue with the sheriff's comments. Sergeant Jenkins said there are several people of interest in the case, and that it is still being worked as an active investigation. 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. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. Above the railroad tracks near Gurdon, a mysterious floating light has been spotted. 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. Although the region has its fair share of beauty and wonder, thats not all youll find there. He said: There are many possibilities in the death of Mr. Moody. She had accidentally left something on, and the battery was dead. Melissa's mother assumed that her daughter was with friends that evening. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks. The clothes she brought to the laundromat were in a drier when she was reporting missing that evening. That left us with 26 cities to rank. Her car was found in the parking lot, but she was nowhere to be seen. JC Rider, a retired Fort Smith Police Department detective, said investigators believe Witt was struck in the head and then kidnapped. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. 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. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. In Arkansas you also have added to the unsolved murders in arkansas an unusual place to visit. 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. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. The 1998 murder of John Alan Moody is one of 10 unsolved cold cases listed on the Springfield Police Department website. *While use of the Unidentified Person File is increasing, it is not yet mandated by law to make entries into this file. A 1995 News-Leader story mentioned by name two suspects brothers who lived near the cemetery. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. Smith was also questioned in the 1983 unsolved murder of a 14-year-old girl in Idaho. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, OK In a letter published in the News-Leader they saidthe case should never be forgotten. Ashley County Obituaries, 1965-present from the Ashley County Ledger - also includes cemetery listings. Donate. If you have information on their whereabouts, please contact the Detective Division at (479) 709-5116 . Heultimately raped and murdered two elderly women in the River Valley, Arkansas area: Juanita Wofford in 1993, and Ruth Henderson in 1995. Katherine Baker Case Report Number: 90-053018 But Melissa never came home, and Mary Anne grew worried. This can be a post about an unsolved homicide, a missing person, an unidentified person, a wrongful conviction, or forensics. The car shows signs of a struggle. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Shedid. 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. The hunt for answers continues to this day, as the case remains open,THV11 KTHV reported. He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. An old wives tale is one thing, but once physical evidence gets involved these stories become especially chilling. 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. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. She was our joy. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. That humming sound one hears is that of healthy baby bears, nursing to their little heart's content. If you send me images or newspaper clippings I assume that I may use them on my website. Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas, Download The Entire Arkansas Ranking Data. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. She suffered a gunshot wound to her head. Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . What haunted locations can I visit in Arkansas? The monthly statistics are calculated to address the most frequently requested inquiries. With over 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of hiking trails. "Westill follow up on leads that come in from time to time," he said. Did the River Valley Killer Have Other Victims? More Economy. Little Rock with 38. The murders of Greg Collins, Daniel Bearden, James Milan, Jordan Kettleson, and Mike Samples remain unsolved. This is a list of notable male murderers who committed their murders in Arkansas, USA. The massacre inspired the movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown." Both Rush and Ensey believe police can solve the case. Once inside, the responders found the brutalized bodies of four teenage girls-Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison and Eliza Thomas. If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. Furthermore, Swearingen was known to be in the area around the time Missy was abducted. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. 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. The state has a surprising number of bone chilling tales, from cold cases to urban legends. No suspect was ever identified. 322 S. Main Street, Ste. Brad Cole, current Christian County sheriff, said the Blades murder is an open case. William Scott Smith Unemployed cook, Salem, Ore. . Crime in Arkansas. It could not be determined how she was killed. 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 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 . He was shot in the back and, police say, beaten. 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. Went to the store, and people said that she had been there and bought what she needed and left, Georgia said. Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. Swamp gas, pressurized quartz crystal, and headlight reflections have been possible explanations. Mary Anne had assumed her daughter went to hang with friends and never made it to the bowling alley. 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. Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. Mark Alan SMITH: 1966 - 1970: 4 - 12: Arkansas, USA : Richard Wayne SNELL: 1983 / 1984: 2: Arkansas, USA . Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. 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.