“The Alibi”

-Chronology of Events-

THEORY: The murder was premeditated. The killers planned to set up alibis. The killers returned to the primary crime scene at approximately 8:15-8:45 pm and under the cover of darkness to commit the murders.

FACT: Ryan Clark was Christopher's older brother. He and his friends were going to be in the Robin Hood Woods area looking for Christopher at approximately 9:10 pm. The killers and the accomplices did not anticipate that they would have an encounter with the victim’s older brother, Ryan Clark, and his friends when one of the bodies was being dumped at approximately 9:10 pm.

FACT: At 8:10 pm, Officer Regina Meek completes a missing person’s report for Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers) filed by John Mark Byers. When Officer Meek takes the report, she also speaks with Diana Moore, Michael Moore’s mother, who is at the Byers’ household talking about their missing sons. Officer Meek does not complete a missing person’s report for Mrs. Diana Moore at this time.

(Link to missing person’s report for Christopher Murray (also known as Christopher Byers)

FACT: At the time that John Mark Byers files the missing person’s report with officer Regina Meek, he was exactly 3 houses away from an abandoned house he identifies as having a shed “that was all cleaned out.”

FACT: According to Officer Meek’s missing person report for Michael Moore, Mrs. Diana Moore says that she last saw her son at 6 pm. THIS CONTRADICTS John Mark Byers’ statement that Mrs. Diana Moore claimed to see them at 6:30 pm.

(Link to missing person’s report for Michael Moore)

FACT: After Officer Meek leaves to search for the boys, John Mark Byers claims to go with his other son Ryan Clark and his friends, Brett Smith, Richie Masters and Robbie Young to the Robin Hood Woods area searching for the boys TOGETHER. HOWEVER, THIS DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS the statements by Ryan Clark, Brett Smith, Richie Masters, and Robbie Young who claim that they were not with John Mark Byers nor was he ever present at any time during their search at 9:10 pm.

(Links to these documents are on the next page)

FACT: Detectives Bryn Ridge and James Sudbury never press John Mark Byers regarding this inconsistency.

FACT: When Byers was questioned by the police on May 19^th, 1993, he states the following: “IT’S NOW PROBABLY 8:30. It had got dark and TERRY said, well, he was going to spread out down, you know, towards where they were found.”

(Links to these documents are on the next page)

FACT: It is unclear when John Mark Byers is last seen wearing shorts and flip-flops. The next time Mark Byers is seen by anyone other than Melissa Byers is at 9:43 pm by Officer John Moore. Mark Byers is seen wearing boots and overalls in the Robin Woods area, ALONE, and WITHOUT A FLASHLIGHT. John Mark Byers will wear the same boots and overalls for the next three days after the bodies are found.

(Links to these documents are on the next page)

FACT: Christopher’s biological father, Rick Murray, said in a letter posted on the wm3 website that he believed that the teenagers convicted of killing Christopher, Michael, and Steven had not committed the crime. “I want to know who murdered my son.” He wrote, “and I want to know that they will be caught and punished for what they did. I don’t want three innocent people to suffer for something they didn’t do.” ^{Source: Atria Books: Mara Leveritt, Devil’s Knot, p 313, 2002.}

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