Viable suspect: James Kenny Martin

[Ausgirl]

CR - I see you're here, lol.. wanted to ask you what you make of the whole '200 feet' thing, where he's saying there was a hidden kill site, and a dump site, and the Hobbs accusations, the shoelace comment --all of this on the 19th, just2 weeks after the murders (I think? omg, I cannot even count now.. using my fingers.. yup? 2 weeks..lol) -- isn't this a bit uncanny? (or you know... downright suspicious)

 

[Compassionate Reader]

Caution: this is a bit of WAS (wild *advertiser censored* speculation) on my part!

If Martin is involved in some way (and I'm definitely not ruling out the possibility), he may be off the police radar for the same reason that I suspect TH is - they (Hobbs and Martin) know something about some illegal involvement by the police with drugs or something else - like maybe even pedophilia.

 

[Ausgirl]

If I was not fantastically anaesthetised, I think I'll get my compass out (the pointy kind, not the kind that is mind-bogglingly absent from the hilt of certain items that may or may not be serrated..) and draw a 200ft circle around parts of the crime scene and see what's on the circumference.

It was just an oddly -specific- thing to say. And the more I compare what Martin said about Hobbs and the whole step-parent thing, the closer it aligns to present Hobbsian Theory, which is just .. weird.

 

[Compassionate Reader]

CR - I see you're here, lol.. wanted to ask you what you make of the whole '200 feet' thing, where he's saying there was a hidden kill site, and a dump site, and the Hobbs accusations, the shoelace comment --all of this on the 19th, just2 weeks after the murders (I think? omg, I cannot even count now.. using my fingers.. yup? 2 weeks..lol) -- isn't this a bit uncanny? (or you know... downright suspicious)

Sorry, I missed this post before!

Within 200 feet of the discovery ditch are (I think) three manholes. I think it's very possible that Martin was working with Hobbs. IIRC, the Martin residence is between the Hobbs house and Catfish Island. The reason I keep Hobbs in the equation is it would provide a strong motive. I know that pedophiles don't need an additional motive, but . . .

Here's a little more wild *advertiser censored* speculation (WAS). I've long thought that there is a pedophile ring in the West Memphis area involving Hobbs, Martin and some members of LE. (I know it's sick to think about, but it would explain a lot, IMO, starting with why Hobbs wasn't investigated and why Martin's shaky alibi was so readily accepted.) Maybe Buddy Lucas (who isn't the brightest bulb in the drawer) confused Martin with Jacoby (although they look nothing alike) in his "confession" to Guy or Stewart (I never can remember which one of those two spent time with Buddy, but one did.) These are just my random thoughts right now. (ETA: Just reread the affidavits. Buddy lived with Bennie Guy for a while, according to Bennie Guy.)

Sometimes I think that, if my WAS above is true, we'll never know the whole truth! I hope everything eventually is made clear. It usually is! However, today I'm reminded that, even after 50 years, some crimes go unpunished. Sometimes a cover up is extremely thorough!

 

[Ausgirl]

I'm just getting my head around this, sorry if I get repetitive -- Martin, on 19th May, 1993, pretty much puts forward every major aspect of the present Hobbs theory, including what may be clearly construed as sly references to the manholes as those 'secluded' places '200 feet' from the bodies, the shoelace bindings, the water as secondary dumping sites, the paucity of blood despite wounds that undoubtably bled a lot.. ALL of it is laid out, right there. With very little of the extremely leading and word-twisting interview techniques used on the WM3.

Two weeks after the murders. Which were committed a few days before Martin's birthday on the 8th, just FYI.

Now, Hobbs may be a complete *advertiser censored*, as well as a VERY good suspect -- but I am looking at this pedo laying all that out neat as you please, and thinking, this guy just really likes rubbing it in the face of LE, doesn't he. Look at how he described his child rapes in sickening detail (or don't, it's horrible, ewwie) and let slip how many times that he is proud of his predatory skills...

And I am thinking -- what if Hobbs wasn't involved at all? What if these murders were Martin's way of 'winning' after being turned in by his psychiatrist (and he lies about that, and I believe he does so because he is MAD about it, but that's another post..) and doing time as a pedo (which was not fun at all) and forever being under scrutiny, forever GUILTY.

Idk, the more I stare at this guy, the more I see someone who could have had motive besides sexual gratification alone..

 

[primitivefuture]

I'm just getting my head around this, sorry if I get repetitive -- Martin, on 19th May, 1993, pretty much puts forward every major aspect of the present Hobbs theory, including what may be clearly construed as sly references to the manholes as those 'secluded' places '200 feet' from the bodies, the shoelace bindings, the water as secondary dumping sites, the paucity of blood despite wounds that undoubtably bled a lot.. ALL of it is laid out, right there. With very little of the extremely leading and word-twisting interview techniques used on the WM3.

Two weeks after the murders. Which were committed a few days before Martin's birthday on the 8th, just FYI.

Now, Hobbs may be a complete *advertiser censored*, as well as a VERY good suspect -- but I am looking at this pedo laying all that out neat as you please, and thinking, this guy just really likes rubbing it in the face of LE, doesn't he. Look at how he described his child rapes in sickening detail (or don't, it's horrible, ewwie) and let slip how many times that he is proud of his predatory skills...

And I am thinking -- what if Hobbs wasn't involved at all? What if these murders were Martin's way of 'winning' after being turned in by his psychiatrist (and he lies about that, and I believe he does so because he is MAD about it, but that's another post..) and doing time as a pedo (which was not fun at all) and forever being under scrutiny, forever GUILTY.

Idk, the more I stare at this guy, the more I see someone who could have had motive besides sexual gratification alone..

Is there a timeline anywhere of when and what was released to the media?


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[primitivefuture]

Is there a timeline anywhere of when and what was released to the media?


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For the first 3 or 4 weeks, I mean. I don't know that it would do -that- much good, considering word of mouth rumors were rampant as well, but I'm still wondering if any research crazies made one.


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[Ausgirl]

I hope so, PF!

It bugs me that Martin was seeing the ex wife of a police officer who was directly involved with the case, as well... I don't know how much info Barbara was privy to, if any, above and beyond the town gossip and papers. But his relationship with her --and-- his sly and repeated requests for 'insider' LE information suggest to me that perhaps Martin had a personal interest in figuring out what, exactly, the cops knew and where the investigation was headed.

Of interest also is that one of his step-sons came forward to state that he is absolutely convinced Martin did the murders. I can't find a lot of info on that presently, but it's on my to-do list.

Also, I intend to collate the various alibi timelines for Martin..

 

[Compassionate Reader]

Ausgirl,

Yes, I can see Martin as the lone killer as a possibility. However, I'd like to have more of a motive for him committing the murders alone. I know that being a pedophile is motive enough, but I wonder how he knew where the boys were on May 5, 1993. Again, I'll agree to the possibility; I'd just like to flesh out a motive a bit more.

I think I posted this elsewhere, but I'll say it again here, too. I find it interesting that either Martin's or his girlfriend's house is in the "path" between the Hobbs house and Catfish Island, Pam's place of employment. Don't I remember something linking Martin and Hobbs or is my mind playing tricks on me?

If my pedophile speculation is true, I just think that they could be in it together, which would provide a motive. Suppose the "group" began preying upon the three boys, escalating from Hobbs perhaps allowing others to abuse Steven to include his friends, too. Steven may have threatened to tell his grandparents, which may have been the source of the rage in Hobbs which lead to the attack, with Martin (and maybe Jacoby and/or the teenagers named in the affidavits) being used to help in the cover-up. Again, just speculating!

 

[Ausgirl]

Ausgirl,

Yes, I can see Martin as the lone killer as a possibility. However, I'd like to have more of a motive for him committing the murders alone. I know that being a pedophile is motive enough, but I wonder how he knew where the boys were on May 5, 1993. Again, I'll agree to the possibility; I'd just like to flesh out a motive a bit more.

^ just to address this first - yep, me too. There's a couple of ideas on that floating around in my head, but I'm waiting a bit before I settle on any as real possibilities (above and beyond the simple idea that he lusted after one or more of the boys, they looked like hollering and so he killed them in a panic). It has not escaped me that Martin himself puts forward a very plausible scenario as to how and why all three were killed by a lone pedo (sounds a bit like the lone gunman, doesn't it).

As to whether he knew where the boys would be - his gf's child was actually attending the boy's school, and his unfortunate step kids were attending the next school over, so there's just a few reasons I see can him having an eye the area and the general movement of schoolkids (and I have no doubt he would have paid attention to the preferred hangout spots, and timetables..)

I'm also wondering what the views were like from the gf's house.

Martin wasn't just a pedo, either - he has been arrested for a variety of crimes.

It would absolutely floor me if a solid connection between Martin and Hobbs, of any sort, could be established. I find Martin's finger pointing and weak reasons for doing so enough cause to look for links between them (not necessarily pedo ones).

 

[reedus23]

^ just to address this first - yep, me too. There's a couple of ideas on that floating around in my head, but I'm waiting a bit before I settle on any as real possibilities (above and beyond the simple idea that he lusted after one or more of the boys, they looked like hollering and so he killed them in a panic). It has not escaped me that Martin himself puts forward a very plausible scenario as to how and why all three were killed by a lone pedo (sounds a bit like the lone gunman, doesn't it).

As to whether he knew where the boys would be - his gf's child was actually attending the boy's school, and his unfortunate step kids were attending the next school over, so there's just a few reasons I see can him having an eye the area and the general movement of schoolkids (and I have no doubt he would have paid attention to the preferred hangout spots, and timetables..)

I'm also wondering what the views were like from the gf's house.

Martin wasn't just a pedo, either - he has been arrested for a variety of crimes.

It would absolutely floor me if a solid connection between Martin and Hobbs, of any sort, could be established. I find Martin's finger pointing and weak reasons for doing so enough cause to look for links between them (not necessarily pedo ones).

Aus, can you do me the favor of letting me know what else he had been arrested for. I feel like I should know this already but I'm coming up blank. TIA

 

[Ausgirl]

All I know so far is what Martin himself admitted to in various places, petty crime - larceny, bad checks and the like, failing to register as a sex offender - and a charge of 3rd degree battery in 1992 against his wife (the one he was living with at time of murders), as well - but I'd like to be accurate with all that so a proper list will have to wait. In the metric ton of info I've read lately, there's a few listed. Just gotta find 'em again.

I've found quite a bit of stuff, really. None of it makes my skin crawl any less. But what's perhaps of most interest to me this point is a document on callahan from 1990... basically, it's saying he's aggressive and unrepentant, an extreme risk for re-offending and had refused treatment. So much for rehabilitated, eh. But when he got out in 91 he wasn't even given parole, though there was recommendation he be placed on it for 8 years. So that's why he could be around kids all he liked, and he pretty much immediately set about establishing relationships with women who had children. There's a bunch of other stuff.. his trail is not hard to follow and it is disturbing, to say the least.

Real piece of work. I'm working on the alibi thing, presently.

 

[Ausgirl]

Not that we will -ever- find out.. But I'd be REALLY interested in who in that town had contact with the Martins via 'swinging'.

Barbara wasn't just a bit on the side - she was friendly with Darlene. The Martins were definitely into the swinger lifestyle, I've seen where they've advertised as such. I have to wonder why the women were not concerned about the previous child rapes. Nuff said there.

I see Martin moving from family to family, creating and step-fathering children.. I see him encouraging his kids to take drugs...

(aus-snip) No way is he now, and no way was he in 1993, ever going to allow himself to be arrested and go to prison again.

I can totally see this man killing kids to avoid that situation. And I can see the women he collected protecting him via (those very confused) alibis.

This guy's so far up there as potential perp, IMO.

(I edited some stuff out.. I am not sure if it was in accord with TOS or not is why. Suffice to say NOTHING this man has done in years following the murders and that I can see, in any way eases my suspicions of him)

 

[Ausgirl]

What I would REALLY like to know is this:

a/ is every hour of Martin's time at work (about SIX minutes' drive - at legal speed- from the RHH) that night accounted for, and

b/ did he have access to a work vehicle

 

[Ausgirl]

Here's another thing I found potentially interesting, and am note-to-selfing for further investigation:

- JKM drove a small blue toyota
- a man described as a 'large black man' was seen near the crime scene, in a (IIRC) small blue toyota with no licence plate
- JKM had a 1992 arrest for driving with no licence plate
- a negroid hair was found at the crime scene (?)
- Mr Bojangles
- JKM stated to police that he believed two men did the crime, and described how, as well as how to molest a child and leave NO evidence, and also many other disturbing details that in parts suggest he might have been boasting.

- JKM's posts in a chat saying the park across from his work was a good place to find children (to whom did he say it, and when did this occur..?)

 

[Ausgirl]

Yet another thing for the to-do list - Barbara's mother is surnamed Cagle and so is one of the pedos who was interviewed. Are they related?

Having looked at some info today that indicated possible molestation going on for Chris Byers, as well as some disturbing reports from other kids..

I couldn't help thinking about Martin's vivid and disgusting description of how a predator might groom a group of kids.. via game-playing, cops and robbers and so on.

I was also thinking of just how many sex offenders were actually living in West Memphis, in the areas immediately surrounding the boys' homes, in 1993.

 

[primitivefuture]

Yet another thing for the to-do list - Barbara's mother is surnamed Cagle and so is one of the pedos who was interviewed. Are they related?

Having looked at some info today that indicated possible molestation going on for Chris Byers, as well as some disturbing reports from other kids..

I couldn't help thinking about Martin's vivid and disgusting description of how a predator might groom a group of kids.. via game-playing, cops and robbers and so on.

I was also thinking of just how many sex offenders were actually living in West Memphis, in the areas immediately surrounding the boys' homes, in 1993.

I think you said a couple of days ago that you were going to dig to see if you could find a link between Martin and Hobbs, is that right? Have you found any links between Martin and Chris or Michael's parents?

Martin definitely seems like a good suspect, but in light of the thread you posted today, I'm thinking that if Martin didn't do the murders, could it be possible he was so interested in the case because he had molested one or more of the boys? Or it could just be that he knew or even thought they were victims of molestation and became excited by that(would that I could wash all of this from my brain.) Or as somebody on here(maybe you?) said, he fancies himself a Hannibal Lecter character providing his own unique(read: vile, subhuman, abhorrent, etc.) insight. Many options regarding this creep good call starting this thread.


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[Ausgirl]

Cheers, PF. There's probably a half dozen more REALLY good suspects I want to look at in-depth in future, but Martin is a doozy, ain't he?

No connection to Hobbs or any other parent that I can see. Who knows where he scored his pot from, you know?

Idk, something's nagging at me here and I dunno what it is, LOL. I get like a terrier at a rat hole when that happens.

There were a LOT of convicted pedos in a relatively small area, and Martin seems like a 'reach out' kinda guy. Chris' parents were worried he was being molested.. so they must have observed --something-- in him that would have them worried specifically about that. Even if Chad was talking out of his bum, that fact about the Byers' makes me want to keep exploring this angle until there's nothing left to see.

 

[Ausgirl]

Bumpity bumping the thread, seeing as there's talk of whether the victims were raped or not.

No, I don't think they were, not in the way Misskelley described it. 9 out of 10 experts agree, and that's that.

But there WAS, as I recall, a deal of conjecture over evidence that might support John and Melissa Byers' concerns regarding Christopher being molested. As in chronic abuse, not a one-off violent rape, which is same dog but whole 'nother leg.

JKM's work (at Flash Market) is -six minutes- tops drive from RHH and the hill behind Weaver, where they liked to hang out. If indeed any of the boys -were- being molested, JKM would be among the first persons I'd point to for it.

The very first being the pedo that was working on the Byers home and noticeably ogling Chris.

I think it's not a stretch to imagine a pedo fresh out of prison, already in danger of going back for bashing his wife, not wanting to take the risk that the kids he'd been grooming would complain to somebody about it...

 

[reedus23]

Bumpity bumping the thread, seeing as there's talk of whether the victims were raped or not.

No, I don't think they were, not in the way Misskelley described it. 9 out of 10 experts agree, and that's that.

But there WAS, as I recall, a deal of conjecture over evidence that might support John and Melissa Byers' concerns regarding Christopher being molested. As in chronic abuse, not a one-off violent rape, which is same dog but whole 'nother leg.

JKM's work (at Flash Market) is -six minutes- tops drive from RHH and the hill behind Weaver, where they liked to hang out. If indeed any of the boys -were- being molested, JKM would be among the first persons I'd point to for it.

The very first being the pedo that was working on the Byers home and noticeably ogling Chris.

I think it's not a stretch to imagine a pedo fresh out of prison, already in danger of going back for bashing his wife, not wanting to take the risk that the kids he'd been grooming would complain to somebody about it...

Aus, on my phone so have a hard reading all the posts but I recall discussing if there was any connection between him and the boys. We talked about his girlfriend as I remember. What about through the store? Is there any way to determine if there were any closer markets at the time? Could the boys have gone to his store to buy gum or whatever and that is where the initial contact came from. If so, how long did he work there? He could have befriended them there and gained there trust. Giving them free candy here and there. Just thinking out loud.