“The Dump”

-Chronology of Events-

THEORY: The real killers carried the bicycles of the victims to the area of the Robin Hood Woods and parked behind the Blue Beacon Truck Wash. The accomplices helped them. The killers dumped the bicycles into the bayou where the police found them the following day. They returned to their vehicle to retrieve the bodies and carried each body, one at a time, to the dumpsite. As they were placing a victim in the water, the real killers heard the voice of Ryan Clark yelling, “Christopher... is that you? If that’s you Christopher, this is not a funny game.” This happened at approximately 9:10 pm. Startled, the real killers threw stones towards Ryan and his friend in an attempt to scare Ryan and Brit away. Richie Masters and Robbie Young were also on the other side of the pipe with Ryan and Brit. The splashes that Ryan, Brett, Richie, and Robbie initially heard were the victims and the splashes they heard close to them were objects being thrown into the water to scare them off. The teenagers continued calling into the woods but instead of receiving an answer, they heard more splashes. On the other side of this exchange, one accomplice panicked. After he heard the teenagers close by, he lost his nerve, dropped everything and made a run for it. In an instinctual move, one of the real killers shot the accomplice who was fleeing. (Ryan and his friends heard “gunshots” after hearing the splashes) The accomplice may have been wounded by the gunshots and got away. He ran into the Bojangles restaurant following the 10 Mile Bayou Diversion Ditch, which made a direct route from the dumpsite to the Bojangles restaurant. Either the victims were already placed in the water or the real killers later finished dumping the bodies into the water where they were found. Michael and Steven drowned to death while Christopher died of his injuries. The “dumpsite” was approximately 3,500 feet from the Bojangles restaurant and this is where the bodies were found the following day.

When the one of the real killers were confronted about gunshots being heard on the night of the murders, he successfully attempted to divert the attention from the gunshots by claiming the sounds were something else, knowing that it was he who fired the weapon.

Image of State Exhibit 14 showing the area where the victims where found

FACT: The following are detective notes of the interview Detectives Hester and Kesterson conducted with Ryan Clark regarding the night of May 5th 1993. “States that Ryan went into the woods at about 9 pm. Richie Masters and Robbie were with them. Went in front of Goodwin dead end. Went to the end to the bayou by the swing. Heard what sounded like 5 real loud splashes in the water. States that he heard the grass and brush crackling. After the first two splashes Ryan yelled, ‘hello, is anyone over there?’ (According to Brett Smith he yelled, ‘Chris, if that’s you, it’s not a funny game’) After the 3^rd splash, Brett and Ryan got scared and ran back to the dead end. He and Brett ran down until he got to the dead end of McCauley. They ran to the dead end towards the pipe – found Richie and Robbie and told them what they had heard. When they got to the pipe they heard a gunshots.” (According to Brett Smith they “heard gunshots and Richie and Robbie thought that it meant that they weren’t wanted in there.”)

(Link to the summary of Ryan Clark’s statements to the police)

(Link to the summary of Brett Smith’s statements to the police)

FACT: Recorded statements made by John Mark Byers on May 19th, 1993 regarding the gunshots: “...that was just a car right down there on Wilson that backfired. But, while we were in the woods, I never heard a gunshot.” (1. John Mark Byers acknowledges the “gunshot” sound. 2. How does John Mark Byers know it was a car backfiring? 3. John Mark Byers states, “when we were in the woods” placing himself with or near Ryan Clark in the Robin Hood Woods. 5. The only time Ryan Clark was in the Robin Hood Woods on the night of the murders was with his friends at approximately 9:10 pm. 4. Ryan Clark never claimed to have been with, seen or heard John Mark Byers in the Robin Hood Woods on the night of the murders. 5. Ryan and his friends heard splashes and gunshots and felt that they were not wanted there. 6. Officer Moore finds John Mark Byers parked behind the Blue Beacon Truck Wash at 9:42 pm.)

(Link to the actual police transcript)

THEORY: The above facts clearly indicate that John Mark Byers may have been one individual in the Robin Hood Woods at 9:10 pm causing the “splashes” and the “gunshots” considering the fact that he was found at 9:42 pm, alone and without a flashlight, parked behind the Blue Beacon Truck Wash. (the northern entrance of the Robin Hood Woods)

FACT: Detectives James Sudbury and Bryn Ridge NEVER press John Mark Byers on any of the issues including the “gunshots” that were heard by Ryan, Brett, Richie, and Robbie at approximately 9:10 pm on May 5^th, 1993 even though John Mark Byers claims that he went out there with them looking for the boys. (HE NEVER WENT WITH THEM)

FACT: In Paradise Lost, Part 1, ~30:52… John Mark Byers states, “You know one thing I like about this right here black powder gun… is they can’t pull any type of ballistics on it if by some chance you was to shoot something with it. Every bullet rifles through the chamber just a little bit different… so they just can’t pull no ballistics off this one.” The image below is taken from Paradise Lost, Part 1 where John Mark Byers is loading his black powder gun and coating the bullets with some kind of lubricant or dye.

(Download this Quicktime Video Clip from Paradise Lost, Part 1) (Right Click and “Save As”)

The above image of John Mark Byers holding his black powder gun comes from Paradise Lost, Part 1.

FACT: John Mark Byers contradicts the statements of Ryan, Richie, Robbie, and Brett by stating that the gunshots were actually the sound of a car backfiring on Wilson. John Mark Byers acknowledges the sound AND John Mark Byers tells police that the sound was actually something else. He also attempts to diminish Ryan’s statements about the gunshots by claiming they were rocks hitting rocks or something “loud.” Detectives Sudbury and Ridge never question Byers about these concerning inconsistencies. How does John Mark Byers know that rocks were hitting rocks?

(Link to the actual police transcript)

The above image is State Exhibit 14 showing the area where the victims were dumped

The above image of John Mark Byers firing his black powder gun comes from Paradise Lost, Part 1.

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