AL AL - J.B. Beasley, 17, & Tracie Hawlett, 17, Ozark, 31 July 1999 #2

[easongt]

JWB most certainly passed away a few years back. What did he know? Since no deathbed confession has ever surfaced... we may never know. Was he involved? If so, was he the sole killer or just a witness to the event either before, during or after the fact? I have often thought the reason this case never seemed to progress after that first year is because LE had their guy (or one of their guys) and they shot their wad to get him and struck out. This left them with nowhere else to go. A failed indictment and the fact that the guy had lawyered up... meant questioning any further would be futile. Therefore, lacking a witness or additional evidence (which would be hard to come by), they had no choice.

Now let me say this. My trust of LE is not exactly high and it certainly isn't a blind trust. LE is made up of people... and people are good and bad, smart and dumb... honorable and dishonorable. I do believe it's possible to have corruption and still have good people around the corruption try to solve a case.

My gut tells me that they tried from top to bottom to solve this case.

 

[TedMac]

I think that is probably the most well thoughtout theories I have seen.

I've read that, early on, Johnny said he might just know who did it. He was encouraged by friends to go to the police. He wanted to feel important, and he wanted the reward money. The attention and cash lead him to talk, even though his fear of the killer(s) stopped him from being honest.

The killer(s) may have used a flashing light to get the girls to stop, explaining the license and the window.

From what I've read about Tracie, she seemed pretty straight forward. She told her mom they were lost but had gotten directions and were headed home. So after leaving the gas station, they were either pulled over by a cop, an impersonator, or stopped again for some reason.

Deep in the Wiregrass boards there is a claim that JB and Tracie stopped by an informal party in Ozark. I wonder if after leaving the BP, they went by a friend's house- for just a second- but weren't permitted to leave or were followed and pulled over. If memory serves me, the claim about seeing the girls at an informal party came from a self-identified suspect who claims to have been questioned.

Again, great work Killarny Rose. I think you are on the right track.

BBM Based on what i have read and my conversations with some people close to the case, I feel sure they stopped at a location after making their phone call at the Big/Little Store and that is where they ran into the killer. I believe they were planning on something like putting in an appearance or something as simple as using the bathroom before making the trip back to Dothan.

I know the person you are referring to and he is very high on my suspect list. I have my doubts that he was ever interviewed and don't think his DNA is on record.

 

[TooCurious]

BBM Based on what i have read and my conversations with some people close to the case, I feel sure they stopped at a location after making their phone call at the Big/Little Store and that is where they ran into the killer. I believe they were planning on something like putting in an appearance or something as simple as using the bathroom before making the trip back to Dothan.

I know the person you are referring to and he is very high on my suspect list. I have my doubts that he was ever interviewed and don't think his DNA is on record.

I have read that as well. If the police uncovered this info why would they keep it a secret? Assuming they know since they questioned him.

 

[TedMac]

I have read that as well. If the police uncovered this info why would they keep it a secret? Assuming they know since they questioned him.

I have my doubts he was ever questioned.

 

[CoolJ]

I have my doubts he was ever questioned.

Is this the character who claims to have a key chain that says "hard2get" . But claims it is not JB's, ....but he knows JB as his step daughter was friends with her....... Something like that?

 

[Bulldog23]

I think we are all talking about the same person. He goes by Veritas on Wiregrass.com (for some interesting reading, just search his name and read the threads that come up). He claims that he was friends with JB even though he was much older than she, his girlfriend's daughter was about JB age, his girlfriend was furious at JB at the time of her death, and he is connected to Barrentine. Also, it was posted that he let JB and friends use his apartment when he was out of town. He also likes attention and enjoys playing games on message boards. If he has not been questioned and DNA taken, he needs to be checked. Any LEO's listening?

 

[TedMac]

I think we are all talking about the same person. He goes by Veritas on Wiregrass.com (for some interesting reading, just search his name and read the threads that come up). He claims that he was friends with JB even though he was much older than she, his girlfriend's daughter was about JB age, his girlfriend was furious at JB at the time of her death, and he is connected to Barrentine. Also, it was posted that he let JB and friends use his apartment when he was out of town. He also likes attention and enjoys playing games on message boards. If he has not been questioned and DNA taken, he needs to be checked. Any LEO's listening?

That is the same guy. You are right about him playing games on message boards. I don't think LE has the authority to take his DNA unless he submits it willingly.

 

[Bulldog23]

I am under the impression that LE could obtain a sample of DNA sereptitiously from trash or discarded objects. I would want to test him, relatives (he speaks of a brother-I believe), and known associates if I were investigating.

 

[easongt]

In my opinion... the only active investigation on this crime is taking place on this website and maybe on a few other forums. I could be wrong. I mean honestly... if you were working this investigation as LE, would you not have checked this board periodically? And some of the info you guys have brought forth... wouldn't you have expected a message from investigator.

 

[December]

Maybe the person was no LE officer nor even a person impersonating one? What if, for some reason, this is just what they thought? So, when he approaches their vechile, their response is as it would be for a real LE officer?

Why would they think that? Maybe he was wearing some sort of uniform that looked to them, seeing it in the dark, like a policeman? Or there was some other visual indicator that made them believe this even though it wasn't really intended to?

I know that is kind of far fetched, but if that happened, there wouldn't be any reports of police/fake police. And, yes, it requires a mistake from the victims and incredible luck from the perpetrator.

It's not a scenario I am really pushing, but there is something weird here or this case would have better leads.

As far as the property near where the car was found, did that belong to J.B.'s family member or not? Was anyone living on it? Did she have any reason to believe they were? If so, she might have turned off the road looking for them and just wound up on someone else's property.

As to why the murderer didn't leave them/their car some odd place, maybe that would be too inconvenient for him. Also, not every murderer tries to hide their victims. Some do leave them where they expect the person to be found. Of course, in this case, the girls were in the trunk... So they weren't exactly in plain sight either.

Another thing I read was that a ball cap from a baseball game J.B. attended with her dad was no longer in the car when it was found. By now, if she just left it with a friend or something normal, it would be found again. IDK why someone would steal that, but maybe that was the "souvenir", not the keys.

As for the keys , what if J.B. herself threw them away? Maybe as a ploy to help her and Tracie try to get away? Only problem with that is the car had to already be where it was found and that doesn't work with how police say this transpired.

I don't know if J.B. and Tracie tried to run or if they were forced to walk through damp grass and mud. This crime is just so sad because... Why?

I do really wonder if a couple of people did this. Maybe only one person actually killed them, but they had a helper for some parts.

Finally, this one indentified suspect who was later cleared, Barrentine? How did he know what they were wearing? I don't even know what their outfits looked like. I know some basic facts like there was a bra, there were shoes, dress. Pants, purse... But, these are basic items anyone would expect them to have. So, if he really described their outfits past that, how could he know?

Addendum: the driver's license... What if J.B. just had it in her pocket since her original goal was a field party (maybe not the best place to try to tote a purse). When it became apparent they were not going, she laid it on the dash to remind herself to put it in her purse later and she just never got that chance?

 

[TedMac]

Maybe the person was no LE officer nor even a person impersonating one? What if, for some reason, this is just what they thought? So, when he approaches their vechile, their response is as it would be for a real LE officer?

Why would they think that? Maybe he was wearing some sort of uniform that looked to them, seeing it in the dark, like a policeman? Or there was some other visual indicator that made them believe this even though it wasn't really intended to?

I know that is kind of far fetched, but if that happened, there wouldn't be any reports of police/fake police. And, yes, it requires a mistake from the victims and incredible luck from the perpetrator.

It's not a scenario I am really pushing, but there is something weird here or this case would have better leads.

As far as the property near where the car was found, did that belong to J.B.'s family member or not? Was anyone living on it? Did she have any reason to believe they were? If so, she might have turned off the road looking for them and just wound up on someone else's property.

As to why the murderer didn't leave them/their car some odd place, maybe that would be too inconvenient for him. Also, not every murderer tries to hide their victims. Some do leave them where they expect the person to be found. Of course, in this case, the girls were in the trunk... So they weren't exactly in plain sight either.

Another thing I read was that a ball cap from a baseball game J.B. attended with her dad was no longer in the car when it was found. By now, if she just left it with a friend or something normal, it would be found again. IDK why someone would steal that, but maybe that was the "souvenir", not the keys.

As for the keys , what if J.B. herself threw them away? Maybe as a ploy to help her and Tracie try to get away? Only problem with that is the car had to already be where it was found and that doesn't work with how police say this transpired.

I don't know if J.B. and Tracie tried to run or if they were forced to walk through damp grass and mud. This crime is just so sad because... Why?

I do really wonder if a couple of people did this. Maybe only one person actually killed them, but they had a helper for some parts.

Finally, this one identified suspect who was later cleared, Barrentine? How did he know what they were wearing? I don't even know what their outfits looked like. I know some basic facts like there was a bra, there were shoes, dress. Pants, purse... But, these are basic items anyone would expect them to have. So, if he really described their outfits past that, how could he know?

Addendum: the driver's license... What if J.B. just had it in her pocket since her original goal was a field party (maybe not the best place to try to tote a purse). When it became apparent they were not going, she laid it on the dash to remind herself to put it in her purse later and she just never got that chance?

Hi December! You've asked very good questions. The sad part is none of us really know what happened. There have been a lot of speculations and theories brought forth, but again we are all guessing. Your thoughts on a person in uniform not being a police officer or even immolating one is something I don't believe has been discussed here. Thanks for mentioning it.

The land where the car was found did not belong to a relative of Beasley. I first reported that and the info I received was not correct. I understand that it belongs to a friend of the family-but not a relative. I am not certain if there is a house on that property or not, but I do not believe there is or at least was not at that time.

I believe he left the car where he did because it was close to where his car was parked. I believe they were executed in the trunk for at least one of the following reasons: (1) They had probably tried to escape (hence the muddy shoes and wet pants from running thru a creek) and they were put in the trunk to limit their opportunity of escape; (2) The sound of the gun shots were somewhat muffled by them being inside the trunk; (3) the killer knew he was going to drive their car back to an area near where his car was parked and in case he was stopped by LE, they wouldn't see two dead bodies in the car and (4) the killer didn't want to leave the bodies where he killed them and he didn't want to pick the dead bodies up and put them in the trunk because he didn't want to get their blood on him and/or he either didn't want to touch the dead bodies.

I can't help but think that he forced the girls to drive to a location he was familiar with where he did what he did and killed them. He may have been afraid to leave them there because he was afraid the area could be tied to him. By that I mean, he may have owned the land or simply partied there a lot and someone could remember that. Also, by moving the bodies from the crime scene, he denied LE a chance to obtain evidence from it such as shoe prints, etc.

The killer probably wanted a souvenir and he took the hat or he simply liked the hat and put it on his head and wore it. If he hadn't done so already, he probably ditched it when the word got out about the missing hat.

As mentioned earlier, I think the girls may have tried to escape and ran thru a creek getting their pants wet and shoes muddy in the process. Also, they may have been marched at gunpoint through a creek.

I have always thought the killer acted alone, but he may have had a helper.

The grand jury failed to indict Barrentine. He was able to describe the girls clothing and "other things pertinent to the crime" according to the investigator of AL State Police. He was able to do this because he saw something. I think it was more than him driving by the Big/Little Store and seeing the girls on the phone. I am relatively sure that the girls after leaving the Big/Little Store, went to an address in Ozark, probably planning to put in a quick appearance and maybe use the bathroom before the 20+ plus minute drive back to Dothan. The killer was there and that is how he came into contact with them.

Concerning the driver's license...I believe they were killed by someone that knew the girls or at least knew one of them-probably Beasley. The killer probably had given Beasley something such as a picture or paper with his name and phone # on it. He probably was searching for that paper or picture and was looking in her purse and pulled her OL out to get it out of the way. It has been reported that the girls' pockets were pulled out like the killer was searching for something. Another possibility would be the initial responding police officer may have pulled it out looking for a clue to whose pocketbooks were inside the car. For 5 hours, he didn't know the bodies were in the trunk.

 

[killarney rose]

The land is thickly wooded and looks as if it has never been cleared. If it has been, it was a long time ago.there is a creek that runs under the road and through the woods, north of where the car was found and between where the car was found and some public housing apartments.

 

[killarney rose]

If you go back to the first thread on page 10, post 137, and page 13, post 189 there are several pictures of Herring St from different perspectives.

 

[December]

TedMac, thank you for clarification on the property. And thank you, Killanery Rose, for describing it. So, now, I am sure J.B. wouldn't have been trying to go there.

I was thinking of the uniform because there is an ice company and a hospital nearby. Some truck drivers wear uniforms, hospital employees sometimes have uniforms different from what we might immediately associate with a hospital, mechanics sometimes wear uniforms, and railroad employees sometimes wear uniforms. I was just thinking of things from the victim's point of view. People who are already lost and driving at night make mistakes because they're nervous.

I had not read about the turned out pockets. I think if a police officer did that to look for I.D., he would say so. So, I think it more likely they were found with their pockets turned out.

I also hadn't read they were seen at a local party. Maybe that's where Barrentine saw them... He might have known about the party and dropped by on the way to get milk. Sounds like not too many people are talking about this party so...

About the car, that's what I have thought all along. But, I read before some posts where people were wondering why the car wasn't hidden. But, I think it would've been found anywhere in the immediate vicinity, so where it was left was as good a place as any available to the killer. He probably wanted to go ahead and get away from the crime scene and this allowed that.

Also, sounds like the location where things actually went down is pretty close by, but wooded. So, if the police did not find it quickly, nature would eliminate most traces of what happened there. Such as now, if they were led there, any physical evidence is long gone. The only two things that could have survived, the gun and the keys, can't be there because they were used later. Leaving the car on the street made it pretty unlikely the police would discover the real crime scene for probably days which would be long enough.

However, everything happening relatively close to where the girls were last seen indicates the murderer did not have unlimited time to commit this crime. Maybe he was expected somewhere? (I know some crimes don't take that long and many criminals do leave pretty quickly, but this one screams that he wanted to ditch the car fast and go wherever he went.)

 

[killarney rose]

December, good theory about the uniforms.
There is still a part of me that thinks the murders could've happened at the ice plant/depot lane location. It's so close to the Big/little store, and was mentioned as a possible location for the murders.

 

[TedMac]

TedMac, thank you for clarification on the property. And thank you, Killanery Rose, for describing it. So, now, I am sure J.B. wouldn't have been trying to go there.

I was thinking of the uniform because there is an ice company and a hospital nearby. Some truck drivers wear uniforms, hospital employees sometimes have uniforms different from what we might immediately associate with a hospital, mechanics sometimes wear uniforms, and railroad employees sometimes wear uniforms. I was just thinking of things from the victim's point of view. People who are already lost and driving at night make mistakes because they're nervous.

I had not read about the pockets being turned out. I think if a police officer did that to look for I.D., he would say so. So, I think it more likely they were found with their pockets turned out.

I also hadn't read they were seen at a local party. Maybe that's where Barrentine saw them... He might have known about the party and dropped by on the way to get milk. Sounds like not too many people are talking about this party so...

About the car, that's what I have thought all along. But, I read before some posts where people were wondering why the car wasn't hidden. But, I think it would've been found anywhere in the immediate vicinity, so where it was left was as good a place as any available to the killer. He probably wanted to go ahead and get away from the crime scene and this allowed that.

Also, sounds like the location where things actually went down is pretty close by, but wooded. So, if the police did not find it quickly, nature would eliminate most traces of what happened there. Such as now, if they were led there, any physical evidence is long gone. The only two things that could have survived, the gun and the keys, can't be there because they were used later. Leaving the car on the street made it pretty unlikely the police would discover the real crime scene for probably days which would be long enough.

However, everything happening relatively close to where the girls were last seen indicates the murderer did not have unlimited time to commit this crime. Maybe he was expected somewhere? (I know some crimes don't take that long and many criminals do leave pretty quickly, but this one screams that he wanted to ditch the car fast and go wherever he went.)

BBM I too hadn't read of the pants pockets pulled out. Several people on here have mentioned it. If that was the case, the killer was searching for something he thought they had like the items I mentioned in my earlier post.

Chief Spivey mentioned to the media that there were several parties in Ozark that night. Also, Barrentine lived not too far from where the car was found and one of the parties was near that location.

 

[December]

Killarney Rose, people really think it could have happened at the ice plant? I have been thinking of the place ever since someone (maybe you) posted a video driving down the street that showed the ice plant. I never said anything because it was just a vibe I had that it might be connected somehow. Do people have a reason they think it was there?

 

[killarney rose]

December, I have always believed it's possible that Depot Ln/ice plant could be where the murders took place. It hasn't been discussed much, but it's so close to the Big/Little store, what if the girls turned right on Depot Ln to find a potty spot and ran into the killers?

 

[December]

One thing I noticed in one video was piles of crushed ice (looked like snow in the video) near the ice plant. I don't know if that is common, but something like this could explain their pants/legs being wet. Maybe they were never in the woods and all the damp and mud were from that.

 

[killarney rose]

One thing I noticed in one video was piles of crushed ice (looked like snow in the video) near the ice plant. I don't know if that is common, but something like this could explain their pants/legs being wet. Maybe they were never in the woods and all the damp and mud were from that.

The day we were in Ozark taking pics, as soon as I had the thought about melting ice and mud on the girls, I had DH turn around and go pack so I could take pictures of the ice.

I believe it is a real possibility.