AL AL - J.B. Beasley, 17, & Tracie Hawlett, 17, Ozark, 31 July 1999 #1

[DimeDetective]

Awesome job, Dime Detective! I can only think of one more question.

How often is the DNA found on JB checked against national databases?

Great question, KR. Added to the list.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, KR. Believe it or not, I wrote these 50 questions down within the first 55 posts of this thread!

I'll keep posting sets of 50 more questions regularly over the coming days.

 

[killarney rose]

I don't doubt that you have many more! You have done an amazing job of organizing our thoughts, ideas and question in such a way that hopefully they will help this case in some way.

 

[DimeDetective]

Questions for LE, Part II​

• Did J.B. Beasley have a job? If so, where did she work?
  
  
• Did law enforcement monitor who showed up at the memorial services for the girls?
  
  
• Do you believe the perpetrator originally intended to abduct the girls, but became overwhelmed at managing two victims and aborted his original plan?
  
  
• Were driving tests from Dothan to Ozark conducted to determine if there were any discrepancies as to the timeline of the girls being lost and unintentionally ending up in Ozark?
  
  
• Were you able to determine if the girls were familiar with or had spent any time at all in Ozark? For example, had they traveled to Ozark for high school football games or other school-related or extracurricular events?
  
  
• Did either of the girls have family who lived in Ozark?
  
  
• Did either of the girls have friends who lived in Ozark?
  
  
• Did any friends, family, or acquaintances of the girls ever mention during interviews that either of the girls were interested in or were dating someone from the military?
  
  
• Did J.B. or Tracie have any known history of drug use?
  
  
• Was it known what kind of driver J.B. was? Had she received any traffic citations or been involved in any accidents?
  
  
• We have come across mention of a party that took place in Ariton that night. Were you able to determine if the girls skipped the party in Headland and went on to attend the party in Ariton? Do you believe it’s possible the girls were on their way to the party in Ariton when they were intercepted by their killer(s)?
  
  
• Is it true the DNA collected from J.B.’s clothes and skin was determined to have belonged to a dark-skinned (African-American or Hispanic) subject?
  
  
• According to Marilyn Merritt, what was the exact lapse of time between when she and her daughter pulled out of the Big/Little Store parking lot and when J.B. and Tracie left?
  
  
• If J.B. and Tracie were really lost that night, why didn’t they turn around and go back the way they came at any point? Why continue on all the way to Ozark?
  
  
• Were J.B.’s family troubles ruled out as being related to the murders?
  
  
• Were any possible connections made between J.B.’s dancing and the murders?
  
  
• Were any possible connections made between Tracie Hawlett's biological father Robert Hawlett, his career in law enforcement, and the murders?
  
  
• Was there at any time suspicion of any involvement by Marilyn Merritt, her daughter, or any acquaintances of theirs?
  
  
• Do you believe one of the girls was targeted, and the other just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?
  
  
• Had any threats by classmates or acquaintances toward either of the girls ever been made or overheard? Had either girl ever gotten into a fight at school?
  
  
• We understand there was gang activity in Ozark in 1999, possibly involving carjackings. Do you believe the girls were abducted in a carjacking scenario? Why or why not?
  
  
• Were you able to determine (approximately or exactly) how many miles J.B.’s car had been driven that night?
  
  
• Do you believe Edna Drive in Ozark figures into what happened that night?
  
  
• Has the DNA found on J.B. Beasley been tested against that of Brandon Scott Lavergne?
  
  
• Do you have a theory as to why Tracie Hawlett was shot in the temple and J.B. Beasley was shot in the cheek?
  
  
• One theory we’ve heard is that LE are confident the girls were shot in the trunk, then their bodies were driven to Herring, because blood under the car that had leaked from the bodies in the trunk above appeared to have blown back against the underside of the car, pointing to the car having been driven after the murders. Is this accurate?
  
  
• What is the forensic evidence that led Chief Spivey to believe from early on in the investigation that the killer was more than likely local?
  
  
• We’ve read that LE ruled out the murders as being gang-related, since there was no evidence to support this theory. But isn’t it possible the murders could still be gang-related, even if no evidence obviously points to gang activity? What made you certain to the point of actually ruling out a gang connection?
  
  
• We’ve read that a lot of streets and avenues were able to be eliminated by LE as the murder site. How were you able to do this?
  
  
• Is it true hypnosis was used in your investigation at some point(s)? Did this further the investigation in any way?
  
  
• Did the use of psychic insights, such as those offered through the Haunting Evidence show, further the investigation in any way?
  
  
• Were you ever able to match the grease stain in the back seat of J.B.’s car to its source?
  
  
• Were you able to determine if the grease stain in the back seat of J.B.’s car was connected to the murders in any way?
  
  
• Is it true that semen was found on J.B. Beasley’s dress, skin, bra, and panties?
  
  
• We’ve read that only “trace amounts” of semen were found on J.B.’s clothes and skin. Is this true?
  
  
• At this point, have any persons of interest or suspects refused to submit to DNA testing?
  
  
• According to media reports, Chief Spivey has believed all along that more than one person was involved in the killings. Is this still true today?
  
  
• Has any new evidence come to light in the past year?
  
  
• How often do you receive new tips and leads on this case today?
  
  
• Are there currently any plans to expose this case to the public again, through television or other means?
  
  
• Though Eugene Eutsey was cleared in the Beasley-Hawlett murders, his dumping of a car on Herring Avenue in Ozark after committing a murder is quite alarming. Is it possible Eutsey was involved as an accomplice? Were any and all leads exhausted as to associates of Eutsey?
  
  
• Would the style of dashboard in J.B.’s car have held her driver’s license if the car was driven around after the license was placed on the dash, or would the license easily have slid off the dash and onto the floor or seat?
  
  
• One source states that J.B.’s license was found not on the dashboard, but on the console. Where exactly was J.B.’s driver’s license found?
  
  
• Do you believe the fact that J.B.’s license was found sitting out is likely connected to the murders in some way?
  
  
• Were the doors of J.B.’s car locked when it was discovered on Herring Avenue?
  
  
• How certain are you today that Johnny William Barrentine was somehow involved in the murders?
  
  
• What does the fact that the killer(s) made no obvious attempt to alter, conceal, or destroy evidence tell you about the killer(s), and about these crimes?
  
  
• Does the Herring Avenue scene tell you the car and bodies were intentionally left for a quick discovery?
  
  
• Do you believe escape was the first priority in the mind of the person(s) who left the car on Herring Avenue? The only priority?
  
  
• Why do you believe the killer(s) transported the bodies from the murder site to Herring Avenue? This seems a risky, additional, and unnecessary step. Why not leave the bodies were the murders occurred?

 

[Sulamith]

I read upthread that J.B.'s dance instructor was her legal guardian. Was JB living with her at the time of her murder? If so, why and where? Why did J.B. have a legal guardian? Did her dance instructor/guardian ever make a statement to LE? Was she J.B.'s "confident". What did she know? Was J.B.'s father interviewed by LE? Was Tracie's father in her life? Divorces? Any boyfriends/girlfriends/live-in lovers of the parental units? Did LE interview any of the girl's friends? Where are they? Where is the "gossip"? I don't like gossip but did any of the High School friends of these girls talk about/give any info about these girls's lives?

 

[iron_angel]

This is my first time commenting on websleuth but I have been reading about this case for some time now! Before writing down those questions that I'd ask the PD, let me take a moment to thanks D.D. for the great job he is doing on this case! Hopefully your hard work will pay off with the capture of the person(s) responsible for this cowardly crime!

Now, the questions I would ask the PD are :

1) Since it appears Ozark is home to many sexual predators, were they all interviewed and checked? Were their alibi's or whereabouts on the night of the murders 100% verified and cleared!

2) Did any of those sexual predators left Ozark ,around the time or shortly after the murders? Were they tracked down and interviewed, verified and cleared?

3) (I am not sure if Ozark has its own jail but there's something that hasnt been talk about yet). Were all the inmates with a weekend pass verified?


I think the most important ones would be :

4) If the killer is local, knowing that Ozark is a rather small town, wouldnt asking help from the media and the public or giving out more details a step closer to solve this mystery? Why hasnt it been done yet?

5) Are there investigators still working full time on this case!

Was the national DNA database in existence at the time the murders? Because I would also ask if they looked at the DNA data bank for a possible match with the DNA found at the crime scene.

Those are some of the questions I'd ask!

 

[DimeDetective]

I read upthread that J.B.'s dance instructor was her legal guardian. Was JB living with her at the time of her murder? If so, why and where? Why did J.B. have a legal guardian? Did her dance instructor/guardian ever make a statement to LE? Was she J.B.'s "confident". What did she know? Was J.B.'s father interviewed by LE? Was Tracie's father in her life? Divorces? Any boyfriends/girlfriends/live-in lovers of the parental units? Did LE interview any of the girl's friends? Where are they? Where is the "gossip"? I don't like gossip but did any of the High School friends of these girls talk about/give any info about these girls's lives?

This is my first time commenting on websleuth but I have been reading about this case for some time now! Before writing down those questions that I'd ask the PD, let me take a moment to thanks D.D. for the great job he is doing on this case! Hopefully your hard work will pay off with the capture of the person(s) responsible for this cowardly crime!

Now, the questions I would ask the PD are :

1) Since it appears Ozark is home to many sexual predators, were they all interviewed and checked? Were their alibi's or whereabouts on the night of the murders 100% verified and cleared!

2) Did any of those sexual predators left Ozark ,around the time or shortly after the murders? Were they tracked down and interviewed, verified and cleared?

3) (I am not sure if Ozark has its own jail but there's something that hasnt been talk about yet). Were all the inmates with a weekend pass verified?


I think the most important ones would be :

4) If the killer is local, knowing that Ozark is a rather small town, wouldnt asking help from the media and the public or giving out more details a step closer to solve this mystery? Why hasnt it been done yet?

5) Are there investigators still working full time on this case!

Was the national DNA database in existence at the time the murders? Because I would also ask if they looked at the DNA data bank for a possible match with the DNA found at the crime scene.

Those are some of the questions I'd ask!

Thank you Sulamith and iron_angel for your very valuable contributions to our list of questions! And a warm welcome to you, iron_angel. Really hope you'll continue to post regularly, we need you!

 

[DimeDetective]

Articles from The Dothan Eagle are pretty hard to come by online; most of them are only available temporarily before they are pulled. This is a rare online Dothan Eagle article and one I hadn't seen before today. In it, Tracie Hawlett's stepfather, Mike Roberts, has some interesting things to say about the lengths he's personally willing to go to in order to see this case solved:

Each year, the Roberts said they hope for some form of closure in the investigation.

But there are also moments where they wish they could take matters into their own hands, Mike Roberts said.

"I promised Tracie in that casket that I was gonna find out who did this to her. I'm going to do everything in my power to do that. I plan on going back to school for criminal investigation. I continue to stay abreast of anything new that comes up (about the case)," he said.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110808/APN/1108080532

I'm constantly searching for an entry point, some open door that could possibly put us in contact with the girls' families and/or friends and, at the very least, alert them to the fact that there are people here who are very passionate about seeing this case solved. Maybe Mike Roberts is that entry point, that first person we need to contact.

I'm considering how to best go about this. One new idea is to write an open letter to the families to be published in the local newspaper(s).

Thoughts? Ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[killarney rose]

As usual, I appreciate your sleuthing and ideas. Afraid I'm doing much this week but reading. I'm out of town for my new grandson to be born. He had some complications and was sent across town to Children's hospital, so we have been back and forth between him and mom. He's doing well but you know we won't feel better till he's home.

Mike Roberts might be an excellent first contact to make.

 

[DimeDetective]

While reading back through the thread, one particular theory caught my attention and has stayed with me to the point that I think it could be worth echoing those earlier posts here:

What if the killer was already with the girls when they reached the Big/Little Store? What if he was lying down in the back seat of J.B.'s car?

To take this a step further, what if this is where the grease in the back seat came from — the killer's shoes, or possibly product in his hair? (Remember: We don't know what type of grease was found.)

I believe it's possible the girls' behavior at the Big/Little Store (according to Marilyn Merritt's observations and account of events) could still make sense if they were fearful, had been threatened, and were being observed by the killer.

I can think of at least one other case where an abductee was forced to call home to report that everything was fine and to give a reason for being late, all to buy the abductor more time. Remember: J.B. and Tracie should have already been home by the time Tracie called at 11:35.

Think about it: In this scenario, what chance of escape would the girls have had?

Though unlikely, I think this is possible.

 

[DimeDetective]

As usual, I appreciate your sleuthing and ideas. Afraid I'm doing much this week but reading. I'm out of town for my new grandson to be born. He had some complications and was sent across town to Children's hospital, so we have been back and forth between him and mom. He's doing well but you know we won't feel better till he's home.

Mike Roberts might be an excellent first contact to make.

Thoughts are with you and your family, KR. Congratulations on the new addition. Hope he comes home soon.

And thank you sincerely for the encouragement, it's much appreciated.

 

[DimeDetective]

One wonders if Marilyn Merritt and her daughter just happened to pull up to the Big/Little Store within moments of J.B. and Tracie's arrival. As we've read, the store closed that night at 11:00 p.m., which means it had already been closed for a full half hour when the girls arrived.

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that perhaps Ms. Merritt and her daughter had been at the store while it was open and were still hanging around. Perhaps they knew the person who closed the store that night. This would seem a stronger likelihood than the coincidence of the two parties arriving at a (clearly) closed convenience store late at night at about the same time.

Just thinking outside the box here, as we've always just assumed otherwise, but:

What if Marilyn Merritt and her daughter weren't telling the truth?

That would change everything.

ETA: It took the witness who heard screams and gunshots south of town that night eight months to come forward because she was afraid of getting involved. She never gave her name.

The last person to see the victims alive immediately identified herself by name publicly. Not only that, but she publicly identified her daughter as a witness.

If you were the last to see two murder victims alive — possibly moments before they were abducted and killed — would you be afraid this information would be released to the public? Would you want your name released? And would you want the fact that your child was also a witness released?

Under what circumstance would you feel comfortable releasing your name and what you witnessed to the public, including the killer, through the media? I can only think of one. According to Merritt's statement, "Nothing seemed awry."

Did Merritt and daughter know the killer?

 

[killarney rose]

DD-can you elaborate a bit further on where you are going with"what if Marilyn and her daughter weren't telling the truth?"

 

[CoolJ]

DD. That was my initial gut instinct on this case when I first got into it. Somewhere back in the thread I mentioned that it was possible the Merritts may not have been being truthful. That idea wasn't very popular at the time. But could this case have been led astray very early on by the killer using people he knows to act as decoys by scaring them into giving false witness statements. The Merritts, Barrentine, the gunshot "auditory" witness. Either one, two or all three could have been manipulated in this way. IMO the likelihood of this happening goes way up if the killer is a local.
Every small town has a person or group of people that everybody is scared to death of.

Maybe what we can do is just gather everything we can about the Merritts. See if there are any discrepancies.

 

[killarney rose]

DD. That was my initial gut instinct on this case when I first got into it. Somewhere back in the thread I mentioned that it was possible the Merritts may not have been being truthful. That idea wasn't very popular at the time. But could this case have been led astray very early on by the killer using people he knows to act as decoys by scaring them into giving false witness statements. The Merritts, Barrentine, the gunshot "auditory" witness. Either one, two or all three could have been manipulated in this way. IMO the likelihood of this happening goes way up if the killer is a local.
Every small town has a person or group of people that everybody is scared to death of.

Maybe what we can do is just gather everything we can about the Merritts. See if there are any discrepancies.

If this is true then, would it not give more credibility to the theory this is a prominent local that someone in LE is covering for? I am not trying to push this theory over others, but as you all know, I've never really discounted it either. Just keeping an open mind to all theories.

I really believe we are at the point that we need to talk to someone that has access to what LE knows so that we are able to narrow down our theories and ideas and focus on the most likely ones. We have discussed so many ideas that LE might already have solid info that has eliminated them.

Also, consider the fact that family could have solid info, theories, etc that LE has rejected for whatever reasons, that we need to follow up on.

 

[LR1]

I read upthread that J.B.'s dance instructor was her legal guardian. Was JB living with her at the time of her murder? If so, why and where? Why did J.B. have a legal guardian? Did her dance instructor/guardian ever make a statement to LE? Was she J.B.'s "confident". What did she know? Was J.B.'s father interviewed by LE? Was Tracie's father in her life? Divorces? Any boyfriends/girlfriends/live-in lovers of the parental units? Did LE interview any of the girl's friends? Where are they? Where is the "gossip"? I don't like gossip but did any of the High School friends of these girls talk about/give any info about these girls's lives?

From what I've been able to piece together She lived in Dothan with the instructor and her husband for a year before the murders, I'm not sure of the circumstances that led to her living there. I don't know how aware she was of JB's commings and goings but it seems like she would be more knowledgeable than anyone except for maybe JB's best friend/s. Theres no doubt LE would have interviewed the guardian as well as Family and friends that they were made aware of. I believe Tracie's father had passed away before the murders.

 

[LR1]

It's not a bad Idea to re-scrutinize all the players and their statements. I don't remember how soon after the murders that the names of the witnesses were released. I think they came forward with their info that they had seen the girls that night. I want to say I vaguely remember a statement saying that LE weren't even sure where the girl's call was made that night until the witnesses came forward.(don't quote me on that) I agree with KR, they might have solid info excluding them we just don't know what that is.

 

[LR1]

A few post back I mentioned the name Richard Walter he is a forensic psychologist and one of the founding members of the Vidocq society. I had learned about this group of cold case investigators after reading the book "The Murder Room" actually it was an audiobook. Not a very well written book in my opinion, the first third of it was all over the place an I almost gave up on it but because of the interesting subject matter I stuck it out. I was very impressed with Mr Walter, the knowledge he has obtained from interviewing those convicted of murder and working cold cases is matched by very few. One of my tips to those investigating would have been to submit this case to the society to see if they could do anything with it. But I just ran across a article from 07 and it turns out Mr Walter had been consulted in 2007 and did give them some angles to pursue. The article has his name as Mr Walters but it has to be the same guy. LE were to do some investigating and get back to him, I wonder what his opinions were on this case and what it led to if anything.

http://www.wtvy.com/home/headlines/7193576.html

 

[DimeDetective]

DD-can you elaborate a bit further on where you are going with"what if Marilyn and her daughter weren't telling the truth?"

It would appear on the surface that because these witnesses came forward and openly shared their identities, they weren't afraid or acting out of fear.

But isn't it possible they were doing just that, for one of two reasons?

1. They saw something that night, they know the killer (known or unknown to them) knows they saw something, and, afraid for themselves, they are going on the record to say, "We didn't see anything that night."

2. They know the killer and, afraid he will be caught, they are going on the record to say, "We didn't see anything that night."

Isn't it odd that there was such a crowd gathered at a small gas station that had been closed for half an hour late at night in a small, sleepy town where an abduction and double murder can happen on its streets without any witnesses seeing anything?

Isn't it odd that a witness who may have heard the murders taking place that night was afraid to come forward for the better part of a year, and even then her identity was kept secret, while the last people to see the victims alive, possibly minutes before the murders, were open about their identities?

As CoolJ reminded us, Ozark is a small town.

If the killer was unknown to the witnesses, didn't the witnesses willingly enter into a "relationship" of sorts with the killer when they came forward and shared their identities? Why weren't they afraid to do so?

Isn't it possible they weren't afraid because there was nothing to be afraid of?

If they already knew the killer's identity, and he knew theirs, what did they have to be afraid of as long as they were saying, "We didn't see anything"?

 

[LR1]

I found this case several weeks ago when looking for similar crimes that took place either before or after jul31/99, It's another one of the similar but likely unrelated cases and I thought I'd throw it out there b4 I deleted the bookmarks. Unknown if they were in the car itself or the trunk, no word on any dna or type of firearm used and the victims have obvious differences. The vehicle they were found in is described as a 89 blue Oldsmobile but in the video on the Fox 16 link the reporter uses the word truck twice. I don't know what to make of that, maybe those she gathered her info from said trunk and she thought they said truck or she could have just got it wrong idk.

http://hotsprings.todaysthv.com/news/news/71267-help-needed-double-murder-cold-case

http://www.fox16.com/mostpopular/story/Investigators-still-look-for-double-murder/WhY6xrhOlkyGXlEvxKae9Q.cspx

 

[DimeDetective]

DD. That was my initial gut instinct on this case when I first got into it. Somewhere back in the thread I mentioned that it was possible the Merritts may not have been being truthful. That idea wasn't very popular at the time. But could this case have been led astray very early on by the killer using people he knows to act as decoys by scaring them into giving false witness statements. The Merritts, Barrentine, the gunshot "auditory" witness. Either one, two or all three could have been manipulated in this way. IMO the likelihood of this happening goes way up if the killer is a local.
Every small town has a person or group of people that everybody is scared to death of.

Maybe what we can do is just gather everything we can about the Merritts. See if there are any discrepancies.

Great points and suggestions, CoolJ. Thank you for bringing these possibilities to our attention then and now.

"Every small town has a person or group of people that everybody is scared to death of." This is what stands out most to me in your excellent post. It rings true.

I find it very interesting that your initial instincts pointed you in this direction. After all, don't homicide investigations start with the last to see the victims alive?