somequestions
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This is good information. I am still trying to understand the details of this case. The entire time before trial I always thought J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett had safely left the Big Little gas station in Ozark, AL. I thought this whole time that the abduction of the girls happened after they left the Big Little gas station. It helps to have the factual details of a case correct.I live in the area ... it takes about 15 minutes to get to city associated with my mailing address, lol. All it would take is being on a back road on West side of Headland (field party) and making a wrong turn or losing sense of direction with the many twist and forks in the roads. Eventually many will hit a highway and be able to get their bearings. If this was the case it's unfortunate it was Hwy 27. They had better odds of it being 231 or 134 and being able to recognize where they were. The Big Little was where Hwy 27 ends in Ozark (kind of.. it really reroutes)
They may have been at the gas station twice from how I understood the reported testimony. The clerk said they had been inside and asked for directions around 10:30? I can't remember time, but before she closed and left. The store was closed and no staff there when the women gave directions at 11:38.
For simplicity and failsafe landmarks, I would have said go right out of Big Little, turn left at the courthouse, keep going until you hit the highway. My thoughts were he was speaking of allegedly taking them down 27, past Johntown (where his parents lived, and his property was) to CR 20. It comes to CR 18 in view of the truck stop his truck was at and Highway 231, and according to MapQuest is faster and shorter from the gas station in Ozark. It's likely the route he took to and from the truck stop since he lived nearby. (It's less than 5 minutes from there to the gas station they were meeting boys at on 231 in Midland City)
There is a small area where you can park directly off of the road to the side of the store that isn't viewable from most of the front parking spaces, or the phone if I recall correctly. It might not have had camera coverage. It was very visible from the road though, so he likely wasn't there when Merritts were. Breaking down or turning off car and coasting in wouldn't be very noticeable with lights off, particularly if distracted (on phone).
The one major question I have left is, "Where did the crimes take place?"
Now that this case is over, I wonder if some major news media investigation program like Dateline or 48 Hours will do a story about it? Hopefully they will get the details right. It was nice to see this case get solved.