www.midsouthjustice.com
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“The Decision”
-Chronology of Events-
THEORY: The real killers planned the murder of Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers), Michael Moore, and Steven Branch. Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers) had been doing more than simply “acting out” and showed serious signs of child abuse. The “poop throwing” incident, the “old scars” on Christopher, the injuries on Christopher and Steven to the genital areas, and the fact that Melissa Byers stated that she had questioned Christopher about being abused are just a few of the many indications that at least Christopher was being abused. At least 5 men strung out on crystal meth were directly involved in this murder. Many more know exactly what happened.
(Link to the police documents
confirming “poop throwing” incident)
THEORETICAL MOTIVE: The real killers carefully planned and premeditated the murder of Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers), Michael Moore, and Steven Branch in order to send a message to anyone accusing them of abuse, to get rid of the attention the abusers were bringing upon themselves because of the children’s behavioral problems, to get back at a wife who was unfaithful, and to punish Todd Moore, a boy scout troop leader who may have been trying to do something about the close ties he witnessed between one of the killers and the police. This murder occurred to protect the production, distribution, and sale of Crystal Meth and may have been orchestrated by corrupt police officers involved in this business. The children were encouraged to join the cub scouts by the killers themselves in order to get close to Todd Moore.
FACT: Both Steven Branch and Christopher Murray
(also known as Christopher Byers) were new to the cub scouts. Michael Moore's
father was a cub scout troop leader and held their cub
scout meetings on Thursdays, a day after the murders. The children were found
with their cub scout clothes.
FACT: 5 men were seen near or around the
Robin Hood Woods area on the night of
FACT: Andrew Gipson Taylor, also known as "Opie," was best friends with Byers during the murders. He stayed with Byers at his house for several days after the murders. Byers told "Opie" to bring his suitcase. "Opie" was a man who had a military background, knew the kids, spent time in prison for something related to a drug deal, gave a description of a man that fits Terry Hobbs, and told the police that John Mark Byers had gone to "both sides of the ditch" on the night of the murders. He stated that Byers "went behind Blue Beacon in the woods." The FBI profile suggested that the police should look for someone who knew the kids and had a military background.
(Link to the statements made by Andy Taylor)
FACT: Andrew Gipson Taylor told the police that Ryan Clark was not at home and was staying with Cindy Hudson, Tony Hudson's daughter, during the time of the murders. Tony Hudson was another man who Byers claims was with him on the night of the murders.
(Link to the statements made by Andy Taylor)
FACT: Officer Clark White, a member of the West Memphis Police Drug Task Force, was found poisoned, without any signs of struggle in his house 5 months before the murders. Officer Clark White was helping the Arkansas State Police investigate the West Memphis Police Department for corruption. Albert Huggins and Mark Lewis were tried and convicted for his murder after they were found driving around in officer Clark White's personal vehicle. One testified against the other. Were these men foolish enough to drive around in the car of a police officer they murdered? Officer Clark White's demise is similar to that of Melissa Byers.
FACT: The following is a copy of a SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION report filed by the West Memphis Police Department: ‘Lydia Smith was at a PTA meeting at Weaver school in December (1992). At the parent program she overheard principal Sara Kirkley talking to John Mark Byers and his wife. John and wife were sitting behind Ms. Smith when they were talking to Sara. Sara was advising Byers that Chris had to be put out of class that day for causing a disturbance. John and wife told Sara that they had done all they could do and thought they would send Chris away or get rid of him. When Sara left, John was talking to wife and John said, “WE NEED TO GET RID OF CHRIS TOMORROW, WE WILL CALL SOMEONE.” The illustration below artistically depicts the couple making the statement at the PTA meeting.
(Link to the actual police document)
FACT: During their recorded interview on
FACT: Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers) and Michael Moore were found by teenagers behind Weaver Elementary throwing their feces at each other. Social workers view such behavior from children that age as odd and concerning.
(Link to the police documents confirming “poop throwing” incident)
FACT: On another occasion, Christopher Murray (also
known as Christopher Byers) attempted to burn down the school he attended1
(Link to statements made by
Melissa Byers regarding the fires and him being molested.).
Neighbors were beginning to wonder how Mark Byers could afford such an
expensive house being unemployed. They also wondered why the police would visit
their home for barbecues2 Source: Atria Books: Mara Leveritt,
Devil’s Knot, p 19, 2002.
FACT: Private Investigator Ron Lax interviewed Byers’s
ex-wife, Sandra Slone, in February of 1994. She stated that, “Byers was
supposed to be clean from drugs at the time she met him (1977) and promised her
he would never become involved in drugs again; however he continued to do so.”
While she lived with him, she was forced to move twice without explanation and
to a different city. Ms. Slone stated that, “it always seemed as though Byers
had connections with someone, because he became involved in drugs and illegal
activities, but never was arrested. Sandra Slone immediately suspected Byers
was responsible for the murders and described him as extremely violent and said
her children were deathly afraid of him. She stated Byers used to beat
her and the children, but did so in a way, which left no visible marks or
bruises when dressed. She said that she had reported her fears for herself and
her children to Inspector Gary Gitchell in a phone
call after the murders.” According to Sandra Slone, Gitchell
told her that John Mark Byers was not a suspect and that she should get over
her personal problems. There are no records of this phone call in the West
Memphis Police Department’s case files. Source: Atria Books: Mara Leveritt, Devil’s Knot, p.205 & 380, 2002.
FACT: The autopsy report
states that Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers) had “old scars” that were caused prior to his
murder. He had two scars on his face, one scar on his chest, and “a few” on his
legs. This means that Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers) had
at least 5 healed scars on his body prior to the murders. Social workers are
trained to overlook no more than 2 scars on children before suspecting child
abuse.
(Link to page 2 of Christopher’s autopsy report)
FACT: Gail Comer made
the following statements to the police, “the stepfather she described as Byers,
may have been responsible for the deaths. She stated that he and another man
were accused of killing a boy in Marked Tree, Arkansas back in 1988 to 1990 but
that the other man ended up taking the charge.”
(Link to the statements Gail
Comer made to Detective Bryn Ridge)
FACT: Charlie Hutchison
called the West Memphis Police Department and suggested a Detective make
contact with Leroy at Garden Fresh. He stated that Leroy has information about
Mr. Byers. (something about drugs.)
(Link to the statement
of Charlie Hutchison made to the police)
FACT: Andy Gibson
Taylor told the police that there were “hard feelings” between John Mark and
Todd Moore, father of Michael Moore.
(Link to the statement made
by Andy Taylor)
FACT: Carlos Seals told
the police on 5/27/93 that “Christopher and Michael were good friends but were
always getting into trouble.”
(Link to the statement made
by Carlos Seals)
FACT: Cortez Hollins told the police on 5/24/93 that when “Chris and
Michael got together they were bad. Michael tried to get Cortez to start a fire
in Robin Hood. One day Michael told Cortez that he was going to start a fire at
his cousin’s house because he did not like them.”
(Link to the statement
by Cortez Hollins)
FACT: The autopsy
report on Steven Branch and Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher
Byers) indicates that there were injuries to their genital areas.
(Link to the last page of the autopsy reports of Christopher and Steven)
FACT: Detective Bryn
Ridge writes in a report to Dale Griffis, “it was noted some reports have been made that one of the
victims had a fascination with fire, and that one of the boys have been seen to
have been involved in a position in which it appeared he had his pants down and
playing with his genital area.”
(Link to two pages of the
report Bryn Ridge sent to Dale Griffis)
FACT: In his recorded
interview with the West Memphis Police Department, Terry Hobbs stated that he
had caught Pamela Hobbs in the arms of a “Mexican” named Jessie before the
murders.
FACT: Pamela Hobbs
stated that she found Steven Branch’s knife in the drawer of Terry Hobbs with
14 other knives when they were getting divorced. Pamela Hobbs also mentioned that
Steven would carry this knife everywhere he went and it would have been very
likely that Steven had this knife in his possession on the night of the
murders. Pamela Hobbs was extremely concerned after this incident and believes
that Terry Hobbs was involved in the murders of the three children.
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