The man told Davis "vigilantes" who suspected him of killing Workman had shot up his mobile home. Ron Davis, the reporter, interviewed one of them. Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. Her body was fully clothed. Serial killer Mark Alan Smith was sentenced to 500 years for raping and killing threeIllinois women. They questioned him. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. This, however, only applies to their own. Steve Whitney, then Christian County sheriff, said it was likely her body was tossed down an embankment, where itcame to rest in water up to her waist. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. ", 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.". Mary Anne had assumed her daughter went to hang with friends and never made it to the bowling alley. 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. 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. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. But one suspect is alive and living in an Illinois prison. Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. Unsolved murder of Melissa Witt in 1994. Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. And, they asked, who leaves their clothes in a drier prior to running off? We were together all the time, Kristy said. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. 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. She always called. 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. The keys were still in the ignition. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. Did The River Valley Killer Kidnap A Teenage Girl From A Bowling Alley Parking Lot And Murder Her? Firefighters responded to reports of smoke rising from a yogurt shop on West Anderson Lane. There could easily be a scientific explanation for this one, but do you really want to risk it to find out? "I think I can speak for the entire family when I tell you that the entire investigation both past and present has been an utter and complete disappointment. There were no records found of her death. Some theorize she may have been the victim of a local serial killer, "The River Valley Killer.". She was shy and didn't like to smile much; she was self-conscious about a crooked front tooth. It was higher than in 97.1% U.S. cities. The car shows signs of a struggle. He was elected sheriff in 1968; lost in 1972 (some say because of the unsolved Blades murder); and re-elected in 1976 and 1980. Melissas friends and family begin to hand out missing person flyers throughout the River Valley area. Do you live in one of the murder capitals of Arkansas? Pruett would soon confess to prosecutors and the media his guilt . Morning:Melissa goes to classes at Westark Community College, now the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS). Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. 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 running low on money, she was going to come out and have her mother buy her a hamburger. The three people at the time thought nothing of seeing theman dash across the field until they learned Blades was missing and her car was the one they had seenabandoned along Highway 160. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". Nobody should ever have to lose a child.. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. MISSING PERSON ENTRY CATEGORIES Two boys and two girls went missing from their Oakland County communities, northwest of Detroit, Michigan, and all were found dead within 19 days. Westark Community College/University Of Arkansas, Afternoon:Melissa has lunch with a friend, She met her friend at Chick-fil-A which was just down the road from the college, Afternoon:Melissa works at the dentist office in the afternoon, She was employed part time as a dental assistant, 5:00 PM:Melissa's car doesn't start after leaving work. 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. The day she disappeared Blades was driving the couple's 1965 Chevy Impala. This is a list of notable male murderers who committed their murders in Arkansas, USA. According to private investigators, it was her second night on the job and her first time working solo. FPD Sergeant Tony Murphy said. Archive statistics are available upon request. Ten months after Blades vanished, Sheriff Lamb told the publiche doubted there was a crime. Love Arkansas? Recent job growth is Negative. Aaron Smith Found Murdered on Serene Campground, A First Look at the Murder of Aaron Smith. Join a singles club and meet with great singles. If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. No arrests have been made in connection with her death. 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. Who Killed Dana Stidham? 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. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year. 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 . He was described as 5 feet 9 or 10 inches tall, a white man with a dark complexion andblack hair combed back. We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. She was very sweet, but timid and scared to death of her boyfriend. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. Especially at the county levels.". One of the bullets severed a major artery and Anstutz died an hour later at Cox Medical Center South. We have never come up with anything positive.". Immediately making identification information available to the public has proven effective in helping to locate missing children as well as missing adults. Feeling bad, her mother left her a note asking her to join her for a burger later at Bowling World. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He was caught in 2000 when he attempted to rape and kill a 16-year-old girl in her house. On a daily basis, JC. 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. You may also email information to the Detectives, by clicking on the link. "Westill follow up on leads that come in from time to time," he said. Here's what is known about them SABRINA LYNN UNDERWOOD:. The lawnmowing job was only about one-third complete and her car was still there, with the keys in it. Shedid. His sentence in Illinois was lengthened in1977; hewas given another 18 years for trying to escape. 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. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. With over 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of hiking trails. Murder! 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. You just cant accept that your child is gone. The following persons have active warrants for their arrest. The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person cases. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . Melanie ETHIER (1996) - ON Julie FORTIER (Unsolved Murder - 1980) - ON Stefan SCHWARTZ (1960) - B.C. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is requesting your assistance in closing these open cases. 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. This is extremely important in cases involving a possible abduction, suspected foul play or an at-risk situation. Melissa is still not home. Lambblamed the Blades family for starting rumors that he was involved in the murder. She suffered a gunshot wound to her head. According to science fiction writer Richard Shaver, the cave is one of the entrances to a subterranean civilization. Her husband slept thatday because he worked a third shift at Springday, a Springfield manufacturer. 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. No one has ever been charged. I've stood in the same parking lot where Melissa went missing. And I was lucky enough to have her.. 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. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. FORT SMITH, Ark. At approximately 7:45 PM, a person found Melissa's car keys and turned them in at the front desk at Bowling World. Witt disappeared after arriving at Bowling World in Fort Smith on December 1, 1994. Her logic is that since Smith admitted other slayings he would have admitted this one, as well, if he did it. Both tried to interview witnesses, but they could only speak with certain people. Missy kept very busy with classes and her part-time job at a local dental clinic where she worked as a dental assistant. I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. Thank you! You can download the data here. 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. 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 When they find her body, she had been exposed to extreme temperatures, Rush said. Did the River Valley Killer Have Other Victims? She said that in 2003 detectives from Missouri went to Illinois to interview Smith, whodenied ever being in Nixa. For some strange reason no one volunteered to climb down to see what pulled the rope. Her body was placed near a headstone-like rock. Smith was also questioned in the 1983 unsolved murder of a 14-year-old girl in Idaho. Since the 1930s, people have been debating the cause of the light. 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. Turner retired from law enforcement in 2020 after nearly 24 years with the Ozark Police Department. Moody's father Jim wrote a letter about his son that he gave to the media. All charges were dropped in 2005. Submit Your Loved One. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Amy Anstutz saw the burglar in the house. There were no signs of struggle. Bowling World didnt have security cameras in the parking lot, and though some convenience stores in the vicinity did have cameras, they were too far away from the crime scene to be useful. The Category is reserved for cases of Unsolved Mysteries that occurred in Arkansas. A mother's 30-year missions to uncover the truth about what happened to her son's in 1987 has led a federal judge to order an urgent review of several tightly guarded government . The body was found on Forest Service Road 1551, located off Franklin County 111, also known as Jethro Road. Who killed Missy Witt? From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. William Miller is a member of that group. The girl's stepfather found him in the midst of the attack and tried to beat him to death, although a sheriff's deputy arrived and intervened, according to local Fox affiliate station KNWA. By James Pletcher Jr. Jul 25, 2013 . But Mary Ann knew this was out of character for Melissa. Jenkins told Dateline. 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. Workman was 6 feet tall and 135 pounds. 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. Over a month after she went missing, her body was found in the Ozark National Forest. The light is the ghosts lantern used to search for his head. An FBI profiler also concluded Vine was not the killer, Rider said, according to Today In Fort Smith. That would be Helena-West Helena with 108.0 murders per 100,000 people. Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . It's been nearly 30 years since Pam Felkins was kidnapped from her job at an Arkansas video store, raped and then murdered -- but . 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. Melissa Witt was a hardworking and ambitious, 19-year-old college student. 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. 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. 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. There was not one sign of foul play, he said. Jenkins told Dateline. If you have any information, you can call the River Valley crime stoppers at (479)-78-CRIME. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Resources. 1326, Episode 35 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt Part 2. Blades was 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds. Its time she gets answers, Patti Rush, president of REVAMP in Fort Smith, said while referring to the daughter of the missing woman. At El Patron Mexican . The Social Security Administration records do not . "Obviously, we have not come up with probablecause to charge anybody at this point. Would you dare investigate what clawed monster lives in the deep? Family members bristled at those comments. Melissa and Tara have biology class together on Friday, and then had plans to hang out that evening. Crime in Arkansas. 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. 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. Danas parents lived in Hiwasse, Arkansas, a 10-minute drive from Centerton, and she visited them often, Georgia said. Donate. If you want to get cheaper rates on your hand. 322 South Main Streeet, Suite 615 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2222 / Visit Website. On July 25, 1989, Dana went over to her parents house to do some laundry, Georgia said. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. Next 10 CitiesHow we calculated the murder capitals of ArkansasWhile 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. 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 were robbed of her wisdom and just her life in general.. Georgia said that this was strange behavior from Dana. In 1965 it was 90 percent. If I did, I would certainly honor your most understandable request.. Although not officially a suspect in any Washington . In addition, a homicide can be cleared if there is enough evidence to arrest and charge a suspect, but that suspect is dead. He may have been lost at times, but who of us has not been lost? Howard County Sheriff's Department. It had been abandoned on the shoulder of northbound Highway 160. Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. Friday, March 17th TV listings for MNT (KFSM-TV2) Fort Smith, AR. Little Rock 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. She says her mothers abduction and murder affected the entire family. "I kind of bonded with her. 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. They called around to family members and Danas friends, but no one had heard from her that day. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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? The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. Her parents and other family members offered $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anstuz was a carpenter at Killian Construction in Springfield. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock Steven Fisher, 20, and his girlfriend Melisa Gregory, 17, were bludgeoned to death on a ranch northwest of Newton, Iowa, in 1983. Although the case may be cold, the Fort Smith police are still welcoming any information concerning the case. Any ties went to the larger city. A kind stranger came along and gave her a jump start. CBI FOHVAMP . Jenkins, skeletal remains were in the grave, and Dana Stidhams clothes were found nearby. She reported her daughter missing. 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. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. Interactive map produced by Yutao Chen. Melissa asked her mom to borrow some money and told her she would pay her back with her next paycheck.