You know that feeling when you’re watching a true crime show and you’re screaming at your TV because the detectives are missing something so obvious? That’s basically the entire West Memphis Three case in a nutshell—except the stakes involved three teenagers’ lives and a justice system that failed spectacularly.
I’ve been obsessed with this case since college (while my roommates were decorating their dorm walls with boy band posters, I had a timeline of the WM3 investigation pinned above my desk—totally normal behavior).
The Nightmare Begins
In May 1993, three eight-year-old boys—Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers—were found murdered in a wooded area called Robin Hood Hills in West Memphis, Arkansas. Their bodies were discovered in a drainage ditch, bound with their own shoelaces.
What happened next was a masterclass in how NOT to conduct a murder investigation.
Police quickly zeroed in on three teenagers: Damien Echols (18), Jason Baldwin (16), and Jessie Misskelley Jr. (17). Why? Mostly because Echols wore black, listened to Metallica, and read books about Wicca. In early 90s Bible Belt America, this practically screamed “SATAN WORSHIPPER!” (Eye roll so hard I can see my own brain.)
The “Evidence” That Wasn’t
The case against the West Memphis Three was thinner than the alibi of a suspect who claims they were “just in the neighborhood.” Here’s what prosecutors built their case on:
- A confession from Jessie Misskelley that was coerced during a 12-hour interrogation (he had an IQ of 72 and was questioned without a parent or lawyer present)
- The teenagers’ interest in heavy metal music and occult literature
- “Expert” testimony about satanic ritual killings from a self-proclaimed cult expert whose credentials were basically “I read some books once”
Meanwhile, investigators completely overlooked or ignored:
- DNA evidence at the crime scene that didn’t match any of the accused
- A blood-covered man who walked into a restaurant bathroom near the crime scene on the night of the murders
- Multiple witnesses who provided alibis for the accused
- Bite marks on the victims that didn’t match the teenagers’ dental records
(I’ve literally seen more evidence on episodes of Scooby-Doo. At least they wait until they unmask someone before declaring them guilty.)
The Trials: A Three-Ring Circus
The trials were about as fair as a rigged carnival game. Misskelley was tried separately and convicted based almost entirely on his coerced confession. His “confession” was then used to implicate Echols and Baldwin, even though it wasn’t admissible in their trial.
Echols received the death penalty while Baldwin got life in prison. Why the difference? As Baldwin later said, “They were after Damien, and I was just along for the ride.”
My husband Ryan (who tolerates my crime obsessions with the patience of a saint) once asked why I keep revisiting this case. “Because,” I told him, “it’s the perfect storm of everything that can go wrong in our justice system.” He nodded and went back to watching The Great British Bake Off, probably wondering how he ended up married to someone who discusses blood spatter patterns over dinner.
The Overlooked Clues That Could Have Changed Everything
If you dig into the case details, you’ll find evidence that should have exonerated the three teens:
1. Hair found in the ligatures used to bind one victim matched Terry Hobbs (Stevie Branch’s stepfather)—not tested until years later
2. Witnesses placed Hobbs with the victims shortly before they disappeared, contradicting his initial statements
3. A knife belonging to Hobbs’ friend matched some of the wounds on the victims
4. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a blood-covered stranger near the crime scene (a lead never properly investigated)
5. The “satanic ritual” theory was completely debunked by actual forensic experts who determined the wounds were likely caused by animal predation after death
The West Memphis Three support site contains even more details about evidence that investigators either missed or willfully ignored. It’s enough to make you want to throw your laptop across the room.
Freedom (Sort Of)
After 18 years in prison, the West Memphis Three were released in 2011 through an Alford plea—a legal oddity that allowed them to maintain their innocence while technically pleading guilty. It’s basically the justice system saying, “We know we messed up but we’re not going to admit it.”
According to criminal justice researchers, the case represents a perfect storm of moral panic, tunnel vision, and confirmation bias. Investigators decided who was guilty first, then worked backward to prove their theory.
The real killer(s) of those three boys has never been brought to justice. The case remains officially closed despite mountains of evidence pointing away from Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley.
Would I have survived this crime? No one did—not the victims, not the wrongfully accused, not the community torn apart by fear and suspicion. And certainly not justice itself.