Melissa is pronounced deceased. 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()});});}. In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA) In 2020, Fayetteville has had seven homicides/murders; there were five in 2019, according to the Fayetteville police department (FPD). City of Fort Collins Police Services, 2221 Timberline Road, Fort Collins, CO 80525 Phone: 970.221.6540 (non-emergency) . "It took them eight days to find her body. When she entered the salon, she first saw the corpse of 62-year-old Dorothy Harris. Making it tougher for investigators to gather evidence. And, they asked, who leaves their clothes in a drier prior to running off? Sheapparently died within hours of when she vanished, probably in the early hours of Saturday, July 1, 1989. Melissa drove a white 1995 Mitsubishi Mirage. Our Cases. 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. Photo credit: Kurt Wilson/ Missoulian. As time passes on, I am afraid my sons murderer or murderers will not be found.. Both girls were 19 at the time of their death, and both were murdered and found in large forests in Arkansas. Under the Search tab, select the Card Catalog and look for the title "Fort Smith, Arkansas, Criminal Case Files, 1866-1900." Select "view original image" to be taken to the case file folder. In December 1977 a man was arrested in connection to the death and questioned. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. Anyone with information that can help solve this case is asked to call the Cold Case Squad at 816-234-5136. In 1973, legislation created the White River Monster Refuge. The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. Moody's father Jim wrote a letter about his son that he gave to the media. They also tried search warrants and subpoenas for information but had no luck. She suffered a gunshot wound to her head. Juan Ignacio Blanco MALE murderers: . 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. There was no one in the store, and there should have been, said Pevehouse. Thank you! The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is requesting your assistance in closing these open cases. 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 . Her car was found in the parking lot, but she was nowhere to be seen. "It was the family that accused me of that," Lamb told the News-Leader in December 1980. Your anonymous call could lead to a $1,000 reward. So we knew something happened to her, Danas cousin, Kristy, told Dateline. She was our joy. 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? A 1995 News-Leader story mentioned by name two suspects brothers who lived near the cemetery. A pseudo-documentary, The Legend of Boggy Creek, highlights the towns monster lore. We have never come up with anything positive.". The officer told Mary Ann that since Melissa is over 18, she can leave on her own accord. 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. 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. Mary Ann calls Melissa's best friend, Tara to see if she has heard from Melissa. 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? Lawrence, who had medical issues, was feeling ill that day, so he asked Dana if she could pick up his medicine at Phillips Foods store in Bella Vista. 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. Diaz is president of the Vallejo chapter of. Cornerstone Mountain Retreat, near Jasper, visitors can walk for miles in pristine forests. 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 . A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. 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. No one has ever been charged. She lived with her parents, who were farmers, about 1.5 miles from the cemetery. On July 25, 1989, Dana went over to her parents house to do some laundry, Georgia said. There were 'only' 26 cities in Arkansas where a city reported a murder to the FBI, meaning 36 places had no murder. 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. In 1979, the Fort Smith Police Department and the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office joined together to work on the case. Little Rock: 56 | North Little Rock: 23. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. Download the Uncovered Citizen Detective Guide to learn more about how thoughtful and safe online sleuthing. Murderpedia . 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. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. Melissa Witt was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1994. 1326, Episode 35 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt Part 2. The 19-year-old had stopped by to get a hamburger from her mother, according to a 2021 report from local station THV11KTHV. Did the River Valley Killer Have Other Victims? She was considering studying business at university. Episode 34 - Arkansas - Who Killed Melissa Witt? Submit Your Loved One. 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. After Vine's arrest, the possibility he killed Witt was considered. Who killed Missy Witt? There are fifty states in the unsolved murders in arkansas near future, information on Arkansas construction project? She had accidentally left something on, and the battery was dead. A family is still looking for answers after a Sebastian County womans murder case remains unsolved 42-years later. 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. One of the bullets severed a major artery and Anstutz died an hour later at Cox Medical Center South. Each of these victims were submitted by families or law enforcement through our submission page. A documentary is being developed to cover Missy's case, and community advocates recently launched a billboard campaign to highlight her unsolved murder. Arkansas Crime Information Center. The light is the ghosts lantern used to search for his head. Kristy said her family was struck with fear for what happened to Dana after that. 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 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 . At that point there was no reason to believe she was abducted. The two masked killers used a handcart to wheel the store safe out of the building and fled in Reese's car. Fort Smith murder unsolved after 42 years, family still has hope In 1979, Lois Ensey was abducted while working at J's Night Owl Grocery off Highway 271 in Fort Smith. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. So, we grew up without her basically our whole lives, said Enseys youngest daughter Nikki Ensey. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. The West Memphis Three: Arkansas's most controversial murder case involves three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three eight-year old boys (Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers) in West Memphis, Arkansas. When a crime happens, and you dont know who the other party is. Recent job growth is Negative. Because of the lack of leads, her murder is now considered to be a cold case. You can find the link in the menu bar. Howard County Sheriff's Department. 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 . I always wanted my son to be aman of his word. 6:30/6:40 pm:Witness reports hearing woman in distress in Bowling World Parking. If you want to get cheaper rates on your hand. On December 6, 1991, Austin, Texas was shell-shocked by a vicious crime. The lawnmowing job was only about one-third complete and her car was still there, with the keys in it. Murder! Most Dangerous Places in Arkansas The 10 Murder Capitals Of Arkansas For 2021 1. Tragically, we'll never know who murdered these young men. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's last year of reporting. It's been over 20 years and people are still looking for answers in the murder of Arkansas teenager, Melissa Witt. 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. Police learn the key witness in the stabbing death of a beloved aunt was an imposter; a return to the crime scene reveals a . 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. Cold case is finally cracked and the killer is identified. Georgia dreads that outcome. It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. Her logic is that since Smith admitted other slayings he would have admitted this one, as well, if he did it. 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 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. 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. Many conspiracies were prompted by the tragedy, including a (mildly far-fetched) drug smuggling cover-up connected to a former U.S. President. There were no signs of struggle. Arkansas is famous for many homeowners. 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. Ive always felt that the phone call was tied to what had happened, Rider said. However, she never made it inside. She was found not guilty in 2015. 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. Christopher Reese's 2014 murder in Notus, Idaho remains unsolved. The man told Davis "vigilantes" who suspected him of killing Workman had shot up his mobile home. According to private investigators, it was her second night on the job and her first time working solo. You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website. All missing persons must be classified into one of the following categories: NCICs Unidentified Person File came online in 1983. They pointed out that the couple had recently received word they were approved to adopt a child and earlier that day Carol Blades had bought Christmas presents and set up the tree at home. All charges were dropped in 2005. No one noticed the blood splatter on her keys at the time. Melissa asked her mom to borrow some money and told her she would pay her back with her next paycheck. 1992 Natasha Atchley White Female San Jacinto County Ranger Company A Re #: 160 1997 Harold William "Bill" Roland White Male This, however, only applies to their own. But one suspect is alive and living in an Illinois prison. The burglar shot Anstutz twice in the abdomen. "But he could be lying and if he was high on drugs or alcohol as he frequently was at the time he might not even remember," she said. While the city with highest number of murders period? OPEN/ UNSOLVED CASES . The car shows signs of a struggle. If you have any updates in any of these cases please contact me. Jenkins told Dateline. But we're certain he got the idea from some of the real life eye witness reports. Her mother declined to give it to her. Kristen said she spent weekends driving to nearby states with her mother and her aunt, Georgia, to see if anyone had seen Dana. 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.. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'roadsnacks_net-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',606,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roadsnacks_net-medrectangle-3-0');For more reading on the Natural State check out: Population: 10,187Rank Last Year: 8Murders: 11 (4th Most)Murders Per 100k: 108.0 (Most)More on Helena-West Helena: Data|Photos, Population: 198,382Rank Last Year: 1Murders: 38 (Most)Murders Per 100k: 19.2 (6th Most)More on Little Rock: Data|Photos, Population: 13,468Rank Last Year: 6Murders: 10 (5th Most)Murders Per 100k: 74.3 (2nd Most)More on Blytheville: Data|Photos, Population: 66,604Rank Last Year: 23Murders: 12 (3rd Most)Murders Per 100k: 18.0 (7th Most)More on North Little Rock: Data|Photos, Population: 37,263Rank Last Year: 14Murders: 10 (5th Most)Murders Per 100k: 26.8 (5th Most)More on Hot Springs: Data|Photos, Population: 24,442Rank Last Year: 3Murders: 8 (7th Most)Murders Per 100k: 32.7 (4th Most)More on West Memphis: Data|Photos, Population: 78,261Rank Last Year: 22Murders: 13 (2nd Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.6 (10th Most)More on Jonesboro: Data|Photos, Population: 6,653Rank Last Year: 7Murders: 4 (10th Most)Murders Per 100k: 60.1 (3rd Most)More on Osceola: Data|Photos, Population: 23,873Rank Last Year: -Murders: 4 (10th Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.8 (9th Most)More on Searcy: Data|Photos, Population: 17,820Rank Last Year: 4Murders: 3 (13th Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.8 (8th Most)More on El Dorado: Data|Photos. Shes waited 42 years for answers. 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. At El Patron Mexican . When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Between 6:30-7 pm, after class and work, Missy went to the same bowling alley that her mother had mentioned in her note. Thinking their daughter may have had car trouble, Lawrence and Georgia got in their car and drove around to find Dana. Little Rock with 38. Her death differed from the attacks on the other three women, though: She was not beaten in the same way. However, they still have hope. WEATHER & CLIMATE 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. 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. She was 75 years old. The only clues left at the scene were a gold hoop earring, a crushed hair clip, her car keys, and pools of blood. Although the case may be cold, the Fort Smith police are still welcoming any information concerning the case. From mafia to monsters, check out these 10 unsolved mysteries in Arkansas. Faces of Unsolved Homicide - Project: Cold Case. They called around to family members and Danas friends, but no one had heard from her that day. 6) Morton S. ROSENFELD (79C-083) LCSO-79-5249 DOD: 05/19/1979 . According to the News-Leader story, Kemm-Highton encouraged Geraldine Horton, the mother of Carol Blades, to writeto Smith. Law enforcement agencies should be contacted without delay. Donate. There also was a younger male voice, also with a really strong Southern accent. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. We were together all the time, Kristy said. 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 Her keys had been picked up and turned into the front desk of the bowling alley; they were found to have traces of blood on them. If you have any information on the circumstances surrounding Dana Stidhams death, please contact the Benton County Sheriffs Office at (479) 271-1008 or the Bella Vista Police Department at (479) 855-3771 at or via email at info@bellavistaar.gov.