AR AR - Melissa 'Missy' Witt, 19, murdered, Fort Smith, 1 Dec 1994

[TruthJustice]

Do you have links to those articles? I am part of the team that is putting together the documentary on the abduction and murder of Melissa Witt. We also run this website: http://whokilledmelissawitt.com. To our knowledge (based on interviews with law enforcement for the documentary) we are unaware that any suspect was seen around the bowling alley that night. So we are very interested in reading those articles -- I have been unable to locate them on my own but I will keep digging.

I do know that many believe (some law enforcement agents included) that Charles Ray Vines was responsible for Missy's abduction and murder. Currently our requests for interviews with Charles Vines have gone unanswered.

We believe that the person(s) responsible for Missy's abduction and murder live and work in the area. We believe that they have committed crimes before and since Missy's murder. The profile of the killer is someone who is believed to be familiar with the area… he could be a local or someone who came into the area from out of state on a regular basis to hunt. Investigators also believe the rock near where Missy’s body was discovered holds some significance to the killer.

Personally, I believe that the suspect could be a hunter, trapper, taxidermist, logger, or someone who works outdoors.

Unfortunately, with a case this old, it's tough to keep up decent media exposure. We hope to change that with our efforts with the documentary.

As for the phone call that was mentioned, it is believed to be a significant clue in this case. Just two days before Missy’s body was discovered, law enforcement received a voice mail message. On the message were two people with heavy Southern accents. A female urged a man, apparently her grandson, to tell the police what he had found. The man panicked, afraid he would be blamed for the murder, and hung up the phone. To date, the people who are responsible for this voice message have not come forward. I have my own personal theory on this phone call. But I will save that for another post.

 

[Ibiz]

Thank you for checking in. We too have been working to keep this case in public view. Keep us posted about the documentary , and whatever we can do to help.

 

[TruthJustice]

Thank you for checking in. We too have been working to keep this case in public view. Keep us posted about the documentary , and whatever we can do to help.

Thank you! We really need all the help we can get to keep the discussion about Missy's abduction and murder active... we are able to gather some important information from these discussions to research, to potentially cover in the documentary, and to share with law enforcement.

 

[LR1]

The info about TC being seen in the area of the bowling alley comes from this old google groups page. The article (a copy) is from The Southwest Times Record from 1999.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.true-crime/JD8kZts8ncA

 

[Ibiz]

Thank you! We really need all the help we can get to keep the discussion about Missy's abduction and murder active... we are able to gather some important information from these discussions to research, to potentially cover in the documentary, and to share with law enforcement.

I remember seeing this case on the news years ago. Missy would be about the same age as me if she were alive today. I would really like to see the monster that did this to her captured.

 

[TruthJustice]

The info about TC being seen in the area of the bowling alley comes from this old google groups page. The article (a copy) is from The Southwest Times Record from 1999.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.true-crime/JD8kZts8ncA

Thank you! Somehow, I missed this before. I appreciate your sharing the article.

 

[scriptgirl]

Who is TC?

 

[Ibiz]

Who is TC?

Go to page 2, and read post #18

 

[LR1]

Thank you! Somehow, I missed this before. I appreciate your sharing the article.

No problem glad I could help. I had never heard of Mr. Vines until you mentioned him. He's a confessed multiple murderer working the same area with crimes both before and after Melissa's murder. I can see why they think he might be responsible for Missy. It was after he was caught assaulting the teen in 2000 that he confessed to the earlier murders.

I guess I'm a little skeptical of him being responsible for Melissa though because you would think he would have copped to her murder as well. The MO is somewhat different also in that he was a home invader for the most part with no attempt to conceal. His victims were also reported to be elderly, one he'd known for some time.

I think this guy would have been very familiar not only with the dump site but also the bowling alley, possibly frequenting the place in the day's leading up to the abduction but steering well clear post offense.

I'm curious as to the location of the headstone rock, would you happen to know its precise location and could you have got there in a car?

 

[LR1]

The key's were said to be found and turned in the same night as the abduction. This might suggest they were laying out in a area that could be seen and not right next to the car. Depending on how far away from the car and whether they were laying in a parking space or in the driving area, you could possibly determine if he was parked or pulling past when the abduction took place. With the blood being found, there was possibly a trail that stopped at some point which might have helped make this determination. Its always possible he injured himself while forcing her into the vehicle so some of it could be his. I like to think she got into him with those keys the sob.

 

[TruthJustice]

No problem glad I could help. I had never heard of Mr. Vines until you mentioned him. He's a confessed multiple murderer working the same area with crimes both before and after Melissa's murder. I can see why they think he might be responsible for Missy. It was after he was caught assaulting the teen in 2000 that he confessed to the earlier murders.

I guess I'm a little skeptical of him being responsible for Melissa though because you would think he would have copped to her murder as well. The MO is somewhat different also in that he was a home invader for the most part with no attempt to conceal. His victims were also reported to be elderly, one he'd known for some time.

I think this guy would have been very familiar not only with the dump site but also the bowling alley, possibly frequenting the place in the day's leading up to the abduction but steering well clear post offense.

I'm curious as to the location of the headstone rock, would you happen to know its precise location and could you have got there in a car?

I agree that the crimes Vines typically committed don't line up with the Missy Witt case. However, there are reasons why LE can't entirely rule him out. My gut says it wasn't him. But I don't feel comfortable forgetting about him entirely... so he remains in the back of my mind.

The person/s involved in this crime were familiar with the area... most likely a local or someone that frequented the area enough to know it well. I will see if I can find a map of the location of where Missy's body was found. I do know the area was very remote and not easily accessible. I do not believe that a car could have driven up to the site... there is a little bit of a hike that is involved in reaching the location. The area is well known to trappers and hunters... and law enforcement have said in their profile of this killer that they believe the person who killed Missy Witt is a hunter of some sort. The headstone rock is of significance to the killer... but we just don't know why yet. Let me do some digging to see if I can find a map of the location for you.

 

[TruthJustice]

As we work on the documentary in the Melissa Witt case, we are looking for volunteers to assist with research. Specific details are below. Please be sure to share this request with anyone who might be interested in volunteering:

We are currently looking for volunteers to assist us with a research project. We are looking for SPECIFIC cases across the United States that meet this criteria:

1) Female remains recovered (identified/unidentified) on a remote logging road OR in a remote location in a heavily wooded area such as a national forest, etc.


2) We are searching for cases in the following time frame: 1975 to the present. (We can not accept cases later than 1975 for this project)


3) We are specifically in search of UNSOLVED cases (where a suspect has not been identified) but if the case information found matches the first two requirements, we will fact check the case against the specifics of what we are looking for in this project.


4) We are primarily interested in cases that are found in: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana. However, we will review cases from other states.


If you would like to participate, please contact us at whokilledmissywitt@gmail.com.

 

[tjredline]

I grew up in this area and while I haven't really been "home" in about 6 years, if memory serves me correctly there is one or two car dealerships next to the bowling alley. I also think there are/were some fabrication or automotive shops in that area. The parking lot is pretty big but can fill up pretty fast, and this was a bowling league night which means it was probably packed.

Here's what I was able to pull up with Google Earth.

View attachment 87019

What is that building across the parking lot with the three driveways? Also, if her car was found in the Northwest corner of the lot, would that be up toward the bowling alley building?

It seems that both of her parents have passed.

Moms Obituary

http://m.legacy.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Mary-Witt&lc=4727&pid=149529193&mid=4602360

Father's Obituary

http://m.sequoyahcountytimes.com/archives/article_85159933-e563-5390-b21f-8a1ed6aa18b6.html?mode=jqm

I'm still trying to find the location on a map where MW was found, and maybe try to figure out a route the killer would have taken. You did say you've been to the area?

Here's what I came up with so far:

View attachment 87020

 

[TruthJustice]

Newspaper article in the Missy Witt abduction and murder.

 

[TruthJustice]

I thought I would share these newspaper articles that have composite sketches in the Missy Witt case.

 

[TruthJustice]

 

[TruthJustice]

 

[TruthJustice]

 

[Ibiz]

Huh, that's a lot of info. I wonder why none of it has been posted in any online news articles?

 

[TruthJustice]

Huh, that's a lot of info. I wonder why none of it has been posted in any online news articles?

Good question. I had to go to a lot of trouble to find these. Very strange indeed.