18 unsolved slayings in this area in five years. 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. Interactive map produced by Yutao Chen. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. It just destroyed us.. He was convicted of the murder of Melissa Trotter who was killed in a very similar manner as Missy. We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. Melissa is pronounced deceased. The majority of law enforcement officials consider photographs to be the most important tool in missing person cases. If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already. 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. The light is the ghosts lantern used to search for his head. Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. Although the case may be cold, the Fort Smith police are still welcoming any information concerning the case. They called around to family members and Danas friends, but no one had heard from her that day. It could not be determined how she was killed. Workman was 6 feet tall and 135 pounds. Timmons already had a kidnapping conviction on his record, having abducted and held an 11-year-old boy in 1976, KYTV reported. Manage Settings The rate of crime in Fort Smith is 55.87 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. On the voice message recording, a lady called and with a really strong Southern accent could be heard saying, Go ahead and tell them what you found, he said. Harsent was six months pregnant at the time of her death. She said that in 2003 detectives from Missouri went to Illinois to interview Smith, whodenied ever being in Nixa. If you have information on any of the persons . Georgia said that this was strange behavior from Dana. Smith confessed that he raped Ash and stabbed her to death at theTV repair shop where he worked in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Making it tougher for investigators to gather evidence. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. 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. In a May 13, 1990, News-Leader story, Whitney said: I dont think this was a planned-out deal, other than they saw her and made a quick plan, he says. Georgia dreads that outcome. This was on Dec. 3, 1969 12 days before Blades was abducted and killed. FORT SMITH, Ark. Some of that gas, but not all,could be accounted for by a trip Blades made to Kmart in Springfield to buypresents. She was really sweet, everybody liked her, she was friends with everybody.. If you have information on their whereabouts, please contact the Detective Division at (479) 709-5116 . Do you live in one of the murder capitals of Arkansas? Pruett would soon confess to prosecutors and the media his guilt . Melissa is still not home. 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. 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. There was not one sign of foul play, he said. Soon after the shooting, the suspect went to prison for two years for other burglary convictions. The unsolved 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson of West Plainsis but one of many in the Ozarks. But she never made it inside. The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. Melissa Witt was a hardworking and ambitious, 19-year-old college student. 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. Updated: 6:31 AM CDT October 4, 2021. 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. Swamp gas, pressurized quartz crystal, and headlight reflections have been possible explanations. Her mother declined to give it to her. As time passes on, I am afraid my sons murderer or murderers will not be found.. There were 'only' 26 cities in Arkansas where a city reported a murder to the FBI, meaning 36 places had no murder. Since the 1930s, people have been debating the cause of the light. Ron Davis, the reporter, interviewed one of them. 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. "Westill follow up on leads that come in from time to time," he said. Furthermore, Swearingen was known to be in the area around the time Missy was abducted. 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 ones they had for checks, they were able to backtrack those people and talk to them about what did you see?, said Pevehouse. You can download the data here. Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. Christopher Reese's 2014 murder in Notus, Idaho remains unsolved. She parked her car, and before she would even make it inside the bowling alley, investigators believe Missy was abducted from the parking lot. 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. Little Rock: 56 | North Little Rock: 23. At that time, we didnt have Caller ID in the office; it was a voice recording on the machine we had at our Major Crimes Office. Join a singles club and meet with great singles. Some, however, have since theorized she was the victim of local serial killer Charles Ray Vine, also known as "The River Valley Killer.". But we're certain he got the idea from some of the real life eye witness reports. There is no waiting period before a person can be entered into the NCIC Missing Person File. They also tried search warrants and subpoenas for information but had no luck. Both cases remain unsolved. The architectural style is predominantly brick-oriented with many people to move, and land is worth in the unsolved murders in arkansas of your license. The murders remain unsolved. There was no one in the store, and there should have been, said Pevehouse. Get more stories delivered right to your email. They were attributed to an alleged unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom of Texarkana or simply the Phantom Killer or Phantom Slayer. 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. Though the fourth boy, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson, survived the attack and lead a relatively normal life, he became a suspect in 2004. All rights reserved. A trail of blood was later found in the parking lot. Above the railroad tracks near Gurdon, a mysterious floating light has been spotted. Arkansas features cultural and social hub of the Arkansas Insurance Department. Lamb also told the paper it was best that the case be forgotten. He was elected sheriff in 1968; lost in 1972 (some say because of the unsolved Blades murder); and re-elected in 1976 and 1980. 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. The state has a surprising number of bone chilling tales, from cold cases to urban legends. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (requires payment) at Ancestry/has about 594,000 listings. Evening:Melissa arrives at Bowling World to have dinner with her mother but never makes it inside. You can also report any information you may have concerning a crime and could receive a . Once inside, the responders found the brutalized bodies of four teenage girls-Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison and Eliza Thomas. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. 1326, Episode 35 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt Part 2. 6:30/6:40 pm:Witness reports hearing woman in distress in Bowling World Parking. Generally, cases are solved when the offender has been arrested and turned over to the court for prosecution. 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 . Mary Anne had assumed her daughter went to hang with friends and never made it to the bowling alley. 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? Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. 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. More:Pokin Around: Inspired by a readers question, an investigation into the 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson. 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. More than 30 years later, Fisher's estranged wife was charged with first-degree murder. The two masked killers used a handcart to wheel the store safe out of the building and fled in Reese's car. Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas, Download The Entire Arkansas Ranking Data. 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. Steve Hamilton was a Springfield police lieutenant at the time. He ran into a grove of trees anda limb struck hisface. No arrests have been made in connection with her death. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. You Decide. Sheapparently died within hours of when she vanished, probably in the early hours of Saturday, July 1, 1989. In addition, while incarcerated in Illinois he pleaded guilty in March 1971 to killing Obie Fay Ash, 32, of Cotter, Arkansas. Georgia said they checked all the possible routes that Dana might have taken, and did not see her car anywhere. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Fort Smith is 1 in 90 and property crime is 1 in 18. Thinking their daughter may have had car trouble, Lawrence and Georgia got in their car and drove around to find Dana. 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. Kristen said she spent weekends driving to nearby states with her mother and her aunt, Georgia, to see if anyone had seen Dana. The National Crime Information Centers (NCICs) Missing Person File was implemented in 1975. Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. 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. The 2019 Fort Smith crime rate rose by 17% compared to 2018. in Library Science. Early in the history of Arkansas and the city, Fort Smith was an important point of contact to the American West. Her body was found a year later in the Ozark Mountains by trappers. If you have any possible . Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. It was only her second. The Little Rock and Fort Smith, the unsolved murders in arkansas near Morrilton, and Arkansas is the North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville. "Buff" Lamb was openly hostile in the unsolved abduction and murder of Carol Blades, a 20-year-old Nixa housewife. Blades was last seen at a Nixa store buying cookieson a cold Monday, Dec. 15, 1969. Jenkins told Dateline. December 1, 1994, was a typical day for Missy. 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. We all watch the news with horror when we hear about a homicide that happens not that far away from us. In Arkansas you also have added to the unsolved murders in arkansas an unusual place to visit. That would be Helena-West Helena with 108.0 murders per 100,000 people. The number of homicides stood at 4 - a decrease of 5 compared to 2018. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. 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. Three years after her murder, Melissa's family, the Parnells' filed a suit against the C N Bowl Corp. 1995 Alma, Arkansas girl's disappearance featured in crime show on Hulu. "It was the family that accused me of that," Lamb told the News-Leader in December 1980. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. KHBS CNN Three people are dead and a police officer is recovering from being. Both Rush and Ensey believe police can solve the case. The cause of death is listed as"homicidal violence.". She reported her daughter missing. Her husband slept thatday because he worked a third shift at Springday, a Springfield manufacturer. The BridgeWay mental-health hospital, admitting it had wronged a 14-year-old patient who . We aim to deliver infotainment about where you live that your real estate agent won't tell you. 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. A Van Buren man already facing multiple years in prison on various cRiminal convictions saw an additional 15 years tagged on to his prison sentence after a plea deal to wrap up the court proceedings from a July 2021 murder in Fort Smith. More Cost of Living or Compare Fort Smith's Cost of Living. 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. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Fort Smith may be as high as 1 in 11 in the northwest neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 25 in the southeast part of the city. Melissa Witt was killed in Arkansas in 1994. We all know she was really responsible, and she knew her dad was waiting on the medicine. A 1995 News-Leader story mentioned by name two suspects brothers who lived near the cemetery. When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. At that point there was no reason to believe she was abducted. Missy's body was nude and placed near a headstone-shaped rock. Aaron Smith Found Murdered on Serene Campground, A First Look at the Murder of Aaron Smith. It was only after the car was impounded, some three days later, that it was dusted.". All charges were dropped in 2005. The 1998 murder of John Alan Moody is one of 10 unsolved cold cases listed on the Springfield Police Department website. Known as "The Babysitter", this unidentified serial killer is known to have murdered at least four children, possibly more, between 1976 and 1977. Melissa drove a white 1995 Mitsubishi Mirage. FORT SMITH, Ark. Drugs is a possibility. 6) Morton S. ROSENFELD (79C-083) LCSO-79-5249 DOD: 05/19/1979 . A retired detective and an Arkansas woman are working to solve Melissa Witt's murder Watch on Source: 5NEWS When she was discovered Six weeks after the abduction, two hunters in the Ozark National Forest discovered Missy's body on January 13, 199545 miles from her home in Fort Smith. is 6.0%). According to Sgt. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. Often in unsolved murders, family members of the victim lose faith in the investigators trying to solve the case so charges can be filed. Taxes and utilities also rank low on the national scale allowing those searching for dens in early October and early November. These are the places in Arkansas where people were killed most often, according to the latest FBI numbers. The victim is identified as 35-year-old . So, we grew up without her basically our whole lives, said Enseys youngest daughter Nikki Ensey. ", More:Woman, 15 at the time, disputes account that turkey hunters found Ronnie Johnson's body in the woods. Arkansas Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist in the unsolved murders in arkansas to 2006. Arkansas law requires all missing persons to be entered immediately. At El Patron Mexican . Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. The day she disappeared Blades was driving the couple's 1965 Chevy Impala. It is now home to large manufacturing plants; St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Sparks Regional Medical Center, which provide healthcare to residents beyond the confines of the city; and the . 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 . Jenkins added. 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. About. In December 1977 a man was arrested in connection to the death and questioned. Home > Crime Info & Support > Crime Information Center > Community Information > Missing Persons Information. "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. 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. The real mystery is why it took so long for someone to decide "hey maybe we should bury this guy.". They died never knowing what happened to Dana. A documentary is being developed to cover Missy's case, and community advocates recently launched a billboard campaign to highlight her unsolved murder. Larry Swearingen was looked at as a person of interest in this case. Her car was found in the parking lot, but she was nowhere to be seen. It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. 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. Its illegal to hunt "Whitey" within the protected land. Morning:Melissa goes to classes at Westark Community College, now the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS). FORT SMITH, Ark The Fort Smith Police Department is investigating a homicide in the 1300 block of Jackson St. The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. "This would have been around 1989 or 1990," McCaster told HuffPost. Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. Firefighters responded to reports of smoke rising from a yogurt shop on West Anderson Lane. Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. 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. "Since her death in 1989 our family has reached out to the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation on numerous occasions," he said. Katherine Baker Case Report Number: 90-053018 It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. 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 . But Mary Ann knew this was out of character for Melissa. In 1979, the Fort Smith Police Department and the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office joined together to work on the case. Do you feel thoroughly thrilled and chilled? ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) In 2020, Fayetteville has had seven homicides/murders; there were five in 2019, according to the Fayetteville police department (FPD). SHARES. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. 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. 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 . The Oakland County Child Killer. Unsolved Cases . Two Hunters Person With Information / Witness, Larry SwearingenPerson With Information / Witness, Travis Dale CrouchPerson With Information / Witness, Unnamed older woman and younger manPerson With Information / Witness, Charles Ray VinesPerson With Information / Witness, Douglas Lawrence LoganPerson With Information / Witness, William Dillard TaylorPerson With Information / Witness, Tara LimbirdFriend / Acquaintance of Victim, Morning:Melissa and her mother have a disagreement over money. We have had several people tell us she was not getting along at home. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) There are at least four unsolved missing person cases in North Central Arkansas since 1991, and all are women. If you need a pleasant palate cleanser, try touring this cider mill. Arkansas Crime Information Center. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. 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,. Danas personal belongings, however, were not inside the car. Submit Your Loved One. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Book 2), Oklahoma Author Looking For Answers To Arkansas Cold Case. Missy kept very busy with classes and her part-time job at a local dental clinic where she worked as a dental assistant. 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()});});}. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. Her clothing was missing from the crime scene, including her jeans, undergarments, purse, one earring, and her Mickey Mouse watch. 322 S. Main Street, Ste. We were together all the time, Kristy said. When her shift ended, her car wouldnt start. The Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Records were contacted in an attempt to locate a death certificate for Nona Young. Is This Man a Serial Killer? "It's better that it not be brought up because the more something like that is bought up, the worse it gets," he said. Jenkins, skeletal remains were in the grave, and Dana Stidhams clothes were found nearby. More:'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson. 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. Arkansas Death Records Indexes, Obituaries and Cemeteries by County. A strange phone call made to police a day or two prior to the discovery of the body helps support this theory, he said. But he was never charged in connection withAnstutz's murder. Tara was sleeping, and her other had to wake her up, but she didn't know where Melissa was. An FBI profiler also concluded Vine was not the killer, Rider said, according to Today In Fort Smith. Heultimately raped and murdered two elderly women in the River Valley, Arkansas area: Juanita Wofford in 1993, and Ruth Henderson in 1995. What haunted locations can I visit in Arkansas? She hadthree children. Love Arkansas? Captain Philip Pevehouse with the Sebastian Co. Sheriffs Office says customers begin making calls to the Fort Smith Police Department about the store not having a cashier. 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. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year.We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. In the summer of 1989, she continued to work at the store while figuring out what she wanted to do, Georgia said. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. She was always smiling and happy, Georgia told Dateline. She was shy and didn't like to smile much; she was self-conscious about a crooked front tooth. William Scott Smith Unemployed cook, Salem, Ore. . In addition, a homicide can be cleared if there is enough evidence to arrest and charge a suspect, but that suspect is dead. Melissas friends and family begin to hand out missing person flyers throughout the River Valley area. Records in the Missing Person File are retained indefinitely or until the individual is located or the record is canceled by the entering agency. Especially at the county levels.". 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.
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