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

[TruthJustice]

Podcast about the Melissa Witt case. Episode 34: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-and-mysteries/id1163385141?mt=2&i=1000394024353

 

[LR1]

I can't provide a link, but I can tell you the logging road is called Stephens Road.

Thanks, I think I've finally found it using something other than google maps as theirs does not show that road name. That place is most definitely out of the way and not somewhere one not very familiar with would stumble upon. I've listened to the podcast and also the TCG's podcast and whether anything comes from all the digging in this old case or not, as a cold case head it's nice to see people putting in the effort.

As far as LS goes I wouldn't worry too much about getting answers from him as I don't think he has them. The family 150 miles away and the receipt from there in the days leading up doesn't really do it for me. I think it was said that he had hiked in the area at one time but not knowing the when and the where or the credibility of the hearsay I cant put a lot into that either. The notebook with Missy and the detective's name is compelling but maybe there's an explanation for that. That was in 1999, Feb. I think, so 4+ years in. I'm wondering if he didn't read some media about the case or perhaps his family or lawyer if he had one looking at similar crimes came upon Missy's case and passed it on to LS. It could've been a potential early effort on his part to weasel his way out of his predicament. Knowing what else was found in his cell along with Missy's case would be good to know as well. Either way, I'll tip a glass to Lady Justice when Texas finally sends him to meet his maker.

I think TC is still a good suspect, was he living at the church camp or just working there? Did he ever bowl? Need to know his frame of mind leading up to the murder, a triggering event perhaps. I think lying in wait in a dark parking lot for a opportunity to present itself is just as probable as trolling at a mall and if he went on to do other crimes this exact MO wouldn't necessarily be repeated. I would bet whoever it was had made up their mind as to the outcome of this abduction and the location he would take her long in advance. I would be surprised if this was his first event of this type.

Lastly... It's troubling that they couldn't locate this caller from the day before, even without the caller ID. He would be someone who was in the area almost daily it would seem. I see only one residence in the area in 94 and its closer to the location than the camp. What prompted him to look behind the rock, did he investigate a strange odor? A acquaintance of the killer seems far fetched. This aspect does have some questions that need to be looked at psychologically. I'm wondering if LE consulted the feds at all in this case. Not their jurisdiction but what was clearly an abduction from the start and what later turned out to be murder, consulting them might have bore fruit.

 

[4SAM]

Reading over this cold case, hope this comes across has delicate as possible, but reading where the "grandson" of the caller was possible the one that was seen changing clothes by the area she was found, and also they thought he had moved the body...do you think he may have done something sexual to the body? Could his DNA be on her? and that is why that this has not been solved?

 

[J.M. Bee]

I just listened to the True Crime Garage podcast about this case and did a bit of reading as well, and I want to point out a couple of things:

1. The fact that she was struck with a blunt object suggests that this crime was carried out in a premeditated way and by a sexual predator, not by a young man whose advances she spurned. A young man would not have been carrying a blunt object with him; a predator, however, would.

2. The remote site where her body was found also points to planning, premeditation, "professionalism" and a predator. It does not suggest a spontaneous act by someone who had not given much thought to where one might dispose of a body.

3. The fact that no forensic evidence was left behind also points to planning, premeditation, "professionalism" and a predator.

4. The fact that it occurred on a "ladies bowling night" also points to the possibility of a predator, as this is precisely the kind of circumstances a sexual predator would look for (lots of women, a large, dark parking lot).

Thus I think there is good reason to believe that this crime was committed by a predator, a "professional" as it were.

 

[TruthJustice]

I tend to disagree. First, there are some details about the incident in the parking lot that need to be taken into consideration: including the fact that two credible witnesses say they saw/heard Melissa arguing with someone. These are not the same witnesses that say she was arguing with an African American man. I tend to believe it was an argument that got out of hand. The location of her body, I do not believe, was spontaneous. The killer had been there before -- I definitely believe that. There isn't zero forensic evidence -- so do keep that in mind. What evidence is there is being tested again. I agree with your thoughts about it possibly being a predator... but I believe if it was a predator, it was someone she had met before. The parking lot layout with the blood spots and the witness testimony leads me to believe an argument ensued -- perhaps she was rejecting them again and they couldn't handle it. Perhaps they confronted her in the parking lot because she had rejected them earlier in the day. I am not saying you are wrong -- these are good thoughts -- and definitely something to consider. There is quite a bit of evidence to consider as a whole, some of which isn't discussed openly yet. Nothing that is too much of a shocker -- but enough to make you really believe she had met the person at least once before. Anyway, good thoughts!

 

[J.M. Bee]

Except that: (i) such a person would not be carrying a blunt instrument with them (on their person); and (ii) eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable and it was already getting dark at that point.

As for the evidence that you say was left behind, what are you referring to specifically? In the True Crime Garage podcast, they discuss the fact that the killer seems to have made an effort not to leave behind DNA which suggests that we are in no way dealing with an ordinary person here but that we are instead dealing with a predator or with someone with intimate knowledge of crime scene investigation. IMO.

 

[TruthJustice]

It has been suggested by a profiler that the perp grabbed a weapon out of the back of a truck possibly. We don't can't know for sure as no weapon has been uncovered. One of the witnesses overheard the argument (she couldn't actually see what was happening) and this testimony is reliable. One theory is that she argued and walked back and forth with the perp who then eventually got so angry that he hit Melissa. With that said, you are absolutely correct about eye witness testimony being unreliable.

I am sending you a private message.

 

[TruthJustice]

There is a new forum dedicated to the Melissa Witt case: whokilledmissywitt.com

 

[Ibiz]

I think J.M. Bee pretty much summed it up in post 104. I dont think she knew her abductor. It really seems that this was probably some screwball that was trolling the dark busy parking lot that night looking for a victim.

The fact that she still had her car keys in hand seems to point in this direction.

If you watch the show "See No Evil", you will find that crimes like this are very common in parking lots at shopping stores and malls and so on. Probably more so back in those days when many businesses didn't have security cameras. Unfortunately, I dont think this crime will ever be solved.

 

[TruthJustice]

I think J.M. Bee pretty much summed it up in post 104. I dont think she knew her abductor. It really seems that this was probably some screwball that was trolling the dark busy parking lot that night looking for a victim.

The fact that she still had her car keys in hand seems to point in this direction.

If you watch the show "See No Evil", you will find that crimes like this are very common in parking lots at shopping stores and malls and so on. Probably more so back in those days when many businesses didn't have security cameras. Unfortunately, I dont think this crime will ever be solved.

I disagree. Some kind of disagreement or argument ensued before Melissa was struck in the back of the head and ultimately abducted. There is so much more to the case and I think that knowledge might change your mind... might not.

 

[Jmack2020]

I wonder if this guy was a logger. What if he was frustrated that he couldn't pick up a woman and that was what he came into town for? How big was the town that Missy was abducted from? Were there no surveillance cameras?

Fort smith is the second largest city in Arkansas also its where i live

 

[Jmack2020]

I believe that Charles ray vines is a very probable suspect unless he has a solid alibi ex. In police custody he was an active serial killer in the area during the time also samuel little who has confessed to killing women in Arkansas but i think vines is most likely he was said to be likable which is trait needed to abduct someone in public

 

[TruthJustice]

I believe that Charles ray vines is a very probable suspect unless he has a solid alibi ex. In police custody he was an active serial killer in the area during the time also samuel little who has confessed to killing women in Arkansas but i think vines is most likely he was said to be likable which is trait needed to abduct someone in public

Why is Vines "most likely"... because according to the FBI profiler, Vines was not the guy. What am I missing?

 

[mlhenn]

Murder of Arkansas woman still unsolved nearly 30 years later | thv11.com

March 4, 2021
For nearly three decades the homicide case of Fort Smith teen Melissa Witt has gone unsolved, but a former detective refuses to give up hope.

On a daily basis, JC Rider, a retired Fort Smith Police Department detective, thinks about the case.

“I either have a thought about it, wonder about it, or try to do something about it,” Rider said.

...

Rider said detectives believe she was struck in the head then kidnapped.

“Two people actually witnessed the abduction,” Rider said.

But even after 26 years, no one has ever been able to give police any descriptions.

...

45 days after her disappearance, they received a call from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office that would shift the entire investigation.

“They called and said they thought a couple of trappers may have found our girl,” Rider recalled.

It was in fact Melissa Witt.

She had been brutally murdered and left to die along a logging trail in the Ozark National Forest about 50 miles from where she was abducted.

...

LaDonna Humphrey, a northwest Arkansas woman and voice for Witt’s case believes her killer quite possibly could still be in the area.

Humphrey created a Facebook page called Who Killed Missy Witt and it’s gained thousands of followers and views over several years.


Rider and Humphrey have gained a friendship over their dedication to Melissa’s case.

Humphrey is now working on a documentary highlighting Melissa’s story.

If you have any information about the 1994 unsolved homicide case of Melissa Witt, you are urged to contact the Fort Smith Police Department.

 

[mlhenn]

Who Killed Missy Witt?

March 14 & 15 2021
These posts include the recently released documentary, Uneven Ground: The Melissa Witt Story

 

[lexthedetective]

I can't provide a link, but I can tell you the logging road is called Stephens Road.

hey! maybe you can clarify this for me, are you saying her body was found on/near Stephen's road? all other news outlets have reported her body being found at/around Turner's Bend. From my understanding, it seems like Turner's bend is a vague area, however if you map out Stephens' road and Turner's bed its over an hour away from each other. Otherwise if my interpretation, can you explain the significance of Stephens Road?

 

[TruthJustice]

hey! maybe you can clarify this for me, are you saying her body was found on/near Stephen's road? all other news outlets have reported her body being found at/around Turner's Bend. From my understanding, it seems like Turner's bend is a vague area, however if you map out Stephens' road and Turner's bed its over an hour away from each other. Otherwise if my interpretation, can you explain the significance of Stephens Road?

Stephen's Road is near Turner Bend. It is not an hour away. More like 6-7 minutes. Maybe 10 minutes. Not far at all. I am sure that the media described the location as near Turner Bend because it is so close. The person/people to ask run the website whokilledmissywitt.com. They also have a facebook page: facebook.com/whokilledmissywitt

 

[lexthedetective]

Stephen's Road is near Turner Bend. It is not an hour away. More like 6-7 minutes. Maybe 10 minutes. Not far at all. I am sure that the media described the location as near Turner Bend because it is so close. The person/people to ask run the website whokilledmissywitt.com. They also have a facebook page: facebook.com/whokilledmissywitt

Thanks for replying! When I looked up Turner's bend this is what comes up TurnerBendOutfitter - Google Search
but when I looked up Stephen's road ( Google Maps ), and do the directions between the two it shows its over an hour. It could be that turner bend is an approximate location the media used to preserve some other details. It's possible that the turner bend location I found is incorrect. But I thought it was interesting since nothing else comes up when Turner Bend is searched. I haven't seen any mention of Stephen's road aside from your comment above. But then again, I am not familiar with the area in general

 

[TruthJustice]

Thanks for replying! When I looked up Turner's bend this is what comes up TurnerBendOutfitter - Google Search
but when I looked up Stephen's road ( Google Maps ), and do the directions between the two it shows its over an hour. It could be that turner bend is an approximate location the media used to preserve some other details. It's possible that the turner bend location I found is incorrect. But I thought it was interesting since nothing else comes up when Turner Bend is searched. I haven't seen any mention of Stephen's road aside from your comment above. But then again, I am not familiar with the area in general[/QUOTE

The Turner Bend area (store) is about ten minutes away from Stephen's Road. There is a county road number associated with what is known as Stephen's Road and from what I see on the map, it's 11 miles away. Hope that helps.

 

[TruthJustice]

Thanks for replying! When I looked up Turner's bend this is what comes up TurnerBendOutfitter - Google Search
but when I looked up Stephen's road ( Google Maps ), and do the directions between the two it shows its over an hour. It could be that turner bend is an approximate location the media used to preserve some other details. It's possible that the turner bend location I found is incorrect. But I thought it was interesting since nothing else comes up when Turner Bend is searched. I haven't seen any mention of Stephen's road aside from your comment above. But then again, I am not familiar with the area in general

The Turner Bend area (store) is about ten minutes away from Stephen's Road. There is a county road number associated with what is known as Stephen's Road and from what I see on the map, it's 11 miles away. Hope that helps.