AL AL - J.B. Beasley, 17, & Tracie Hawlett, 17, Ozark, 31 July 1999 #4 *ARREST*

[iluvmua]

Does anyone know how well lit the Big/Little store was?

Like were there street lamps over the payphones? On the corner befire you turn into the gas station?

 

[iluvmua]

Only time will tell. I’ve always thought this was a cover up job and there were several theories as to why early on in the case, but I could be wrong. We have to see what this DNA is and where it came from. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out. I’m sure there are many things that we don’t know about in this case as usual in cold cases.

I think there is a lot we don't know jmo.

 

[JourneyAmongstTheStars]

I think there is a lot we don't know jmo.

I agree.

 

[shark315]

Only time will tell. I’ve always thought this was a cover up job and there were several theories as to why early on in the case, but I could be wrong. We have to see what this DNA is and where it came from. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out. I’m sure there are many things that we don’t know about in this case as usual in cold cases.

So OPD covered it up and then the FBI, ABI and all other agencies covered up for OPD...thats ridiculous

 

[ddav]

On the whole question of whether or not they were lost.
I'm willing to stipulate that 1/things may have been different when I was coming up, (late 70s) 2/I wasn't a tremendous party animal. 3/Iwas a guy. That being said I did my share of sneaking out and not being entirely honest with my parents as to my plans, and I have to wonder about how the not being lost theory works. If they had changed their minds or never planned to go to the party, but secretly wanted to do something else why call? The mother thought they would out at a party so they could just say they went and come home when they felt like doing so. Calling the mother and explaining they were lost in Ozark simply puts a time limit on their plans. If I had called my mom and told her I was lost in Ozark and was coming back to town, she would expect me back in less than an hour.Why do that when you wouldn't have to? Also if I was going to do something I shouldn't be doing in Ozark why would I admit I was there when I wouldn't have to do so. The only way might be if someone who knew me saw me there and I needed an excuse for being seen there, but surely if someone who knew her saw her there they would have said something.
It simply seems to me that the call serves no purpose as a cover for any unplanned activity.

 

[shark315]

Does anyone know how well lit the Big/Little store was?

Like were there street lamps over the payphones? On the corner befire you turn into the gas station?

On the inside there where parts of the lights on and at the pumps, but the sign and around the top of the pumps plus the outside lights were off

 

[rsanders27]

I think at that point they just gave up finding the party and decided to head home. Jmo

If they did, then they would have just taken 431 south back to Dothan. No, something drew them to Ozark, possibly Skipperville before that.

 

[shark315]

If they did, then they would have just taken 431 south back to Dothan. No, something drew them to Ozark, possibly Skipperville before that.

But they had already planned to meet 2 Midland city boys at the shell station....so that theory is bs

 

[rsanders27]

But they had already planned to meet 2 Midland city boys at the shell station....so that theory is bs

Which theory? They would have taken 431 back to Dothan if they gave up finding the party or that something drew them to Ozark and possibly Skipperville prior.

 

[JourneyAmongstTheStars]

So OPD covered it up and then the FBI, ABI and all other agencies covered up for OPD...thats ridiculous

That crime scene was totally destroyed in the 6 hours they supposedly waited for keys to unlock the trunk. I’ve heard a lot of theories seeing as how I’ve lived in Dothan my whole life. I’ve heard them straight from people I know.. from friends of friends, etc. this town is as backwards as it gets. I’m not saying anything definitively, but I’m keeping an open mind on all sides.

 

[somequestions]

I watched a video with her sister Jacqui and she said thst JB knew her way around Ozark because she grew up there etc.

I think I saw the same video you saw of J.B. Beasley's sister, and I do not doubt she knows what she is talking about. In fact, I changed my theory about the case after seeing the video to the idea that the girls made it out of town and were probably kidnapped at the only place I could see them stopping before Midland City, AL, the rest stop on 231.

But I just think if you are a good investigator you examine all possibilities no matter how remote they may be and even if the family members do not agree with you. So the suspect lived on Lisenby Drive in the summer of 1999. That is right off of 27(Broad or Andrews street), I cannot remember since it looks like it changes names right in that area.

How in a black car at night did the suspect in the case come into contact with J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett? And where? Maybe they did know him and decided to stop by on the way out of town? I know that seems unlikely, but who knows.

It is probably going to be a while before there is an answer to that main question.

 

[Gardenista]

That crime scene was totally destroyed in the 6 hours they supposedly waited for keys to unlock the trunk. I’ve heard a lot of theories seeing as how I’ve lived in Dothan my whole life. I’ve heard them straight from people I know.. from friends of friends, etc. this town is as backwards as it gets. I’m not saying anything definitively, but I’m keeping an open mind on all sides.

Are you saying they waited to get keys? The podcast says they popped the trunk from inside.

 

[shark315]

That crime scene was totally destroyed in the 6 hours they supposedly waited for keys to unlock the trunk. I’ve heard a lot of theories seeing as how I’ve lived in Dothan my whole life. I’ve heard them straight from people I know.. from friends of friends, etc. this town is as backwards as it gets. I’m not saying anything definitively, but I’m keeping an open mind on all sides.

I was 19 and living in ozark, so what would you like to talk about... I was there when the police tape was around....the night before I was there before 11pm...

 

[rsanders27]

Are you saying they waited to get keys? The podcast says they popped the trunk from inside.

Apparently they weren't waiting for keys but for the tow truck to haul the car back to Dothan. They only considered it an abandoned car at that time. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[shark315]

Apparently they weren't waiting for keys but for the tow truck to haul the car back to Dothan. They only considered it an abandoned car at that time. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct, at that point the were.a missing persons

 

[shark315]

They popped the trunk after an officer saw that they could without a key. Using a latch inside the door area

 

[Andreee]

I still wonder how J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett ended up all the way up in Ozark, AL if after they stopped at the Headland, AL BP (now Citgo) gas station they then decided to get directions to Midland City, AL? The geography and psychology aspect of the case is very interesting.

Do you think they got lost after leaving the Headland, AL BP(now Citgo) gas station the night of July 31, 1999?

I found some articles that I linked down below to describe why I ask the question. I am not stating for a fact that J.B. Beasley was lost driving that night. Maybe she was not lost? In my opinion, I think she was lost. But somehow she made it to the party in Skipperville, AL northeast of Ozark, AL where she and Tracie were spotted by others. And then from there they ended up at the Big Little gas station in Ozark, AL where they were spotted by Ms. Merrit and her daughter.

uxpamagazine.org/geographic-orientation-disorientation-getting-lost-and-getting-found-in-real-and-information-spaces/

Opinion | ‘Lost Every Day’

I wonder if Ms. Merrit and her daughter would've been able to recall if there were any other vehicles in the gas station area when they left...

 

[shark315]

They said no

 

[shark315]

Does anyone know how well lit the Big/Little store was?

Like were there street lamps over the payphones? On the corner befire you turn into the gas station?

I just answered this in the page before

 

[Andreee]

I wonder if it was ever determined as to whether or not the girls had car trouble after leaving the gas stn., so stopped along the road somewhere. Or perhaps the suspect was hitching a ride or waved them down. Just a few more ideas.