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

[TedMac]

I've done a little more research on this suspect and found he was arrested in 2012 for assault, menacing, criminal mischief, and public intoxication. Also, there is an incident detailed on wiregrass.com where the same suspect was caught with a video camera hidden under clothes in his restroom while a teenage girl was using his toliet. (He admits he placed the camera there but said that it was to capture a fake spider falling on his girlfriend). As I mentioned above, he identifies with the Christian Identity sect, and one time posted that he thinks that mixing of the races should result in a death sentence. He also wrote that JB was seen "hugging an african boy under the bright lights of the Citgo." Now, like I said before, If I can find this information, so can the police. All I can say is that he must have one heck of a good alibi! I've read that his alibi is that he was brushing Barrentine's sister's hair. Too many coincidences if you ask me!

BBM I have always thought that Barrentine saw something that night that enabled him to correctly identify the girls clothing. He knew a little too much to not have had some involvement. I don't believe that he was the killer, but is some how or another connected to it. Also, I have always believed that there is a little bit of truth in most lies. One of several stories that Barrentine told LE while he was being interviewed was one of his neighbors killed the girls. Of course, he told several other stories as well. But the guy you mentioned had been a neighbor of Barrentine at one point. Just saying...

 

[iron_angel]

BBM The place I mentioned was the area that the "late-reporting witness" claimed 7 months after the murders that she heard screams and gunshots.

I've always wondered about this witness credibility though. Was she the only witness to hear gunshots and screams? What about her neighbors or ppl living closer to the scene where this was happening. Wouldn't they have heard anything as well and went to the LE, etc...

I think you are right, I never heard anything more about the soil sampler than what you mentioned.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

spot on Ted Mac .... :yourock::tyou:

[/B]

BBM I have always thought that Barrentine saw something that night that enabled him to correctly identify the girls clothing. He knew a little too much to not have had some involvement. I don't believe that he was the killer, but is some how or another connected to it. Also, I have always believed that there is a little bit of truth in most lies. One of several stories that Barrentine told LE while he was being interviewed was one of his neighbors killed the girls. Of course, he told several other stories as well. But the guy you mentioned had been a neighbor of Barrentine at one point. Just saying...

 

[DimeDetective]

As far as old information here and there in the thread... Can't mods do stickies here? Maybe we could do ones with links to posts with specific information that is known. Also, there are posts where members have driven the area and even photographed locations.

Like Easongt said earlier, it would be great if this has its own forum section where we could have threads about the crime itself, the facts and fiction, cover-up theory, locations, etc.. Maybe we should ask an administrator about such thing because the problem is there are many pages in this threads and we are losing crucial informations because some of those are in the first page or in the middle of the thread etc...

I have messaged a moderator with a request to set up a Sub-Forum for this case. Updates forthcoming.

 

[TedMac]

I have messaged a moderator with a request to set up a Sub-Forum for this case. Updates forthcoming.

DD...Great to have you back again!

 

[somequestions]

The great irony in the case of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett is that if there had not been DNA evidence left behind Johnny Berentine might have sat in an Alabama prison until his death. There would be no Websleuths or people looking at the case. And for all anyone knows, maybe Berentine did commit the crime or has knowledge about it. I do not think he knows much based on what I have read. There are plenty of stories of false confessions. The evidence is what matters in this case. What would be interesting to know is what others theories are concerning the case based on the evidence.

In my opinion asking for directions anywhere when you are not lost does not make any sense to me. Because of that I tend to dismiss most theories that they planned to end up in Ozark, AL and if they did not plan to end up in Ozark, AL then the killer would not have been able to plan to kill them either. Someone might have been following them, but even they would probably wonder where in the world they were headed.

My theory is that Tracie Hawlett was probably the one that asked directions because she needed to get home and J.B. Beasley did not know where she was going. Maybe things got a little heated and Tracie asked for the directions without J.B. Did both girls get out of the car to ask directions or only one? One thing I wondered was whether or not there was a birthday card found in the car? Maybe Tracie gave it to her earlier? They get the right directions and then for whatever reason J.B. turns the car around to show her she can find the party because maybe the party location was not too far off from simply retracing the way they came. Going back to head out of Ozark they get lost again probably somewhere in the neighborhood where the car was found. Maybe J.B. stops to figure out where she went wrong or because Tracie says something to her about going the right way. If for example they stopped to ask someone who was walking in the same direction of the car, then Tracie's window might be down a little and not J.B.'s. This probably will not be a popular theory because it could suggest some friction between them that night.

As for the murderer in this case, I think after Berrentine would have been cleared by DNA evidence around December 1999, this person probably would realize DNA could tie them to the victims. So it would not surprise me if the individual no longer lives in Ozark, AL.

OR none of what I wrote above is what happened. That is my final theory.

 

[Goldfinch]

The great irony in the case of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett is that if there had not been DNA evidence left behind Johnny Berentine might have sat in an Alabama prison until his death. There would be no Websleuths or people looking at the case. And for all anyone knows, maybe Berentine did commit the crime or has knowledge about it. I do not think he knows much based on what I have read. There are plenty of stories of false confessions. The evidence is what matters in this case. What would be interesting to know is what others theories are concerning the case based on the evidence.

In my opinion asking for directions anywhere when you are not lost does not make any sense to me. Because of that I tend to dismiss most theories that they planned to end up in Ozark, AL and if they did not plan to end up in Ozark, AL then the killer would not have been able to plan to kill them either. Someone might have been following them, but even they would probably wonder where in the world they were headed.

My theory is that Tracie Hawlett was probably the one that asked directions because she needed to get home and J.B. Beasley did not know where she was going. Maybe things got a little heated and Tracie asked for the directions without J.B. Did both girls get out of the car to ask directions or only one? One thing I wondered was whether or not there was a birthday card found in the car? Maybe Tracie gave it to her earlier? They get the right directions and then for whatever reason J.B. turns the car around to show her she can find the party because maybe the party location was not too far off from simply retracing the way they came. Going back to head out of Ozark they get lost again probably somewhere in the neighborhood where the car was found. Maybe J.B. stops to figure out where she went wrong or because Tracie says something to her about going the right way. If for example they stopped to ask someone who was walking in the same direction of the car, then Tracie's window might be down a little and not J.B.'s. This probably will not be a popular theory because it could suggest some friction between them that night.

As for the murderer in this case, I think after Berrentine would have been cleared by DNA evidence around December 1999, this person probably would realize DNA could tie them to the victims. So it would not surprise me if the individual no longer lives in Ozark, AL.

OR none of what I wrote above is what happened. That is my final theory.

I go along with your general theory that they ran into the wrong person that night, a stranger with bad intentions. I also believe that person left town afterwards. People talk, it's human nature. People that cause harm are often good at keeping secrets. I think J.Barrentine was fed details by anxious LE interrogators. Due to the bad handling of evidence & the reluctance of LE to give details to the public we can only base theories on facts known. The last place Tracie & JB were seen alive, Big Little Store, Broad St., using pay phone, getting directions, ammo cal used, place Mazda & victims were left, James St. & Herring Ave. Is there any connection to the Big Little Store as who worked there or may have loitered there. Is there significance to the streets the car was left near? Where is that damn shell casing?

 

[somequestions]

My theory about the car J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were in turning around to go back out of town is a good theory, but there are some major flaws. First, security camera at gas station or the people that gave them directions might have seen them going the opposite way in a short period of time if they turned the car around. Second, J.B. Beasley probably would have waited to stop to let Tracie call home if she was intending to turn the car around and make Tracie late. Once the call is made to Tracie's mom, the intention has to be they are going to be home in half an hour. Third, there really was not a lot of time and no reason to go backwards to find the party. Tracie has church, J.B. has her sister's birthday the next day. Finally, I have never read that the witness who gave them directions said they seemed frustrated or angry towards each other that night. Tracie's mom said her daughter's voice sounded normal.

I have even thought maybe they made it to 231 and J.B. made a quick stop at Walmart because she forgot a birthday card for her little sister. Then was kidnapped on the way out with Tracie waiting in the car. But again, security cameras, witnesses, etc. do not support that theory either.

What is unique about this case is that in a roadside abduction, I think the kidnapper would take them in their vehicle and leave the victim's vehicle on the side of the road. Why did the kidnapper drive their car?

About the only conclusions that you can even come remotely close to reaching are that their might be water and briars on the property of this individual and that most likely with the sound of gunshots the individual lived alone. OR he took them to a remote forest area where he assaulted and killed them, and then for some strange reason decided to drive the car into town to leave on a dark road where he had to know it would be found. In my opinion, I find it very odd that anyone after murdering two people and having their bodies in the trunk of the car would want to drive around with the possibility of being stopped by a police officer if it was not necessary.

 

[Goldfinch]

Lake Tholocco, Ft. Rucker?

 

[somequestions]

I think the southeast area of town around where the car was found is probably where the murderer lives. In my opinion, it is most likely the Bingham Road and Matthews Road area near Herring Ave. In addition I would include the houses in a circle directly around where the car was left.

In the case of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett, I think sometimes what you have to do is forget about every other aspect of the case and focus solely on the one aspect that is truth. Their car was left close to the end of Herring Ave. It would be interesting to know what a geographical profiler would say about this case. This is the case that drew me to comment on Websleuths because of the uniqueness of the route they took that night. How J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett ended up in Ozark, Alabama is as much a mystery as how they died. It is not a mystery in the sense that they were not lost, but how they made the decisions that led to them ending up in Ozark in the first place.

A real mystery.

 

[TedMac]

Just as an FYI to everyone following this case...The annual vigil for J.B. & Tracie will be held this Sunday, July 31 at 6:00 pm on Herring Avenue in Ozark, AL. This is the same location where J.B.'s car was located with both girls' bodies in the trunk.

 

[TedMac]

Just as an FYI to everyone following this case...The annual vigil for J.B. & Tracie will be held this Sunday, July 31 at 6:00 pm on Herring Avenue in Ozark, AL. This is the same location where J.B.'s car was located with both girls' bodies in the trunk.

Forgot to mention that the general public is welcome to attend.

 

[TooCurious]

How was the turnout Tedmac?

 

[TedMac]

I understand it was not very well attended. If so, that is a real shame.

 

[iron_angel]

I understand it was not very well attended. If so, that is a real shame.

I'm wondering if that guy (who seems to know a lot) from that other forum was there? Wondering how was he reacting during the whole thing?

 

[TedMac]

I'm wondering if that guy (who seems to know a lot) from that other forum was there? Wondering how was he reacting during the whole thing?

He has already posted on the same forum something to the effect that he planned to come, but decided against because he had nothing to add. He did indicate that he was glad to see LE on the right track (pursuing a LE Officer) for the murders.

 

[TooCurious]

Uh, where did he get that info from and is it true? Anyone else heard of a police officer being a legit person of interest?

 

[TedMac]

Uh, where did he get that info from and is it true? Anyone else heard of a police officer being a legit person of interest?

BBM No POI has not been publicly named. He has pretty much blamed LE for the murders since the beginning except when he paused to blame J.B.'s guardian and the PI she hired who is very suspicious of him.

 

[Bulldog23]

If you are referring to the poster whose screen name begins with a V, he posted on the other forum the day
after the memorial. He said he wasn't there, and he knew there were people at the memorial who still thought he knew more about the murders than he let on. He also reinterated that he thinks they were killed by LE. Interesting he pops back up around the anniversary of the murders, in my opinion.

 

[Bulldog23]

Sorry TedMac, I didn't see your post in response to Iron Rose.