GUILTY AL - J.B. Beasley & Tracie Hawlett, both 17, murdered, Ozark, 31 July 1999 *ARREST in 2019* #5

[TedMac]

Seems odd that someone would've left that bullet casing like that. If I was going to throw the police off, I wouldve took their wallets or purses to make it look like a robbery. I wonder if McCraney was still at the residence around Herring at this time. The report says that the power was disconnected on 8/16/99.

I tend to believe that he dropped the casing in all the confusion and due to the darkness, he failed to see it. I'm sure once he had killed JB & Tracie, he moved rather quickly to get out of the area not spending much time to examine the bodies.

Supposedly he was living on Patterson Street in Ozark, but I'm not sure how close it is to Herring Ave.

 

[joni22]

According to google maps, patterson is right next to depot lane and within a mile of herring.

 

[TedMac]

According to google maps, Patterson is right next to depot lane and within a mile of herring.

Some have speculated that the girls were actually murdered on Depot Lane. But no one really knows

 

[Crazy Mama]

I feel like the detective work in this case was rather shoddy. Just my opinion. So lacking in information or is it being held back until the trial?

 

[cherrymeg]

Well, no one knows where they were killed. The car ended up on Herring Ave in Ozark, but there was a blood trail that led to that area meaning they were killed prior to where the car was located.

He may have wiped down the steering wheel, seats, door handles, etc. The car was fingerprinted inside and out.

I thought they were shot in the trunk.

 

[cherrymeg]

If it was pitch black dark like they stated Herring is at that time of night, how in the world did the killer not leave any evidence on steering wheel, car door, knobs, etc....
I know I'm new to this site but Ive known about the murders since they happened. I was 20 at the time and very well knew what it was like riding around on a Saturday night going to field parties.

Could McCraney stopped off somewhere to clean up like a garage?

 

[Crazy Mama]

Well from the mud and mess on the girls it's obvious that at one point they tried to run for it, they were probably ordered to get in the trunk and had no choice but to comply. I seriously doubt that they knew him and he can't use that as an excuse for his dna as he has already said that he didn't know them. Only option is to search for a missing twin?

 

[cherrymeg]

I feel like the detective work in this case was rather shoddy. Just my opinion. So lacking in information or is it being held back until the trial?

I remember they seemed to hold back information suggesting McCraney raped or had sex with either girl. It was usually just semen on a pant leg or something. That's not the easiest thing to explain, but it's harder to say you didn't know a person at all and explain why your semen was inside them.

 

[cherrymeg]

Well from the mud and mess on the girls it's obvious that at one point they tried to run for it, they were probably ordered to get in the trunk and had no choice but to comply. I seriously doubt that they knew him and he can't use that as an excuse for his dna as he has already said that he didn't know them. Only option is to search for a missing twin?

Could someone else have been with McCraney or did he have multiple guns? I wonder how LE treated the car before they found the bodies. The wet clothing makes it seem like they were running. Did this guy offer to take them to the field party or a different party? Did the car have mud on it?

 

[Crazy Mama]

I really don't think that the crime scene was handled correctly. Trying to look at old reports and very little investigation. I'm hoping that they have kept it for trial.

 

[Niner]

snipped...
Anyway, when will this go to trial?

and others who asked...

from my notes from the last update that I have.
9/24/20 Update: McCraney had a trial date tentatively set for Nov. 16, 2020. However, a motion was filed recently by McCraney’s defense attorneys requesting a continuance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The motion states additional time is needed to meet with witnesses & to re-examine evidence. Dale County Circuit Judge William Filmore issued an order granting the motion to continue trial; no specific trial date has been scheduled for 2021.


This is a county where I can look up every week - it only gives 5 days in advance on who is going to court. I can not find a court link to his "actual" case - unless someone here can help me on finding that one!

 

[TedMac]

I thought they were shot in the trunk.

They were shot in the trunk-or at least one of them was. In my statement you quoted, I was referring to the geographical area in which they were shot (Ozark, Headland, etc).

 

[joni22]

Could someone else have been with McCraney or did he have multiple guns? I wonder how LE treated the car before they found the bodies. The wet clothing makes it seem like they were running. Did this guy offer to take them to the field party or a different party? Did the car have mud on it?

I'm wondering that too. How could he handle two girls in the dark if they run away from him. The car was not clean and I read where the tires were muddy.

 

[TedMac]

Could someone else have been with McCraney or did he have multiple guns? I wonder how LE treated the car before they found the bodies. The wet clothing makes it seem like they were running. Did this guy offer to take them to the field party or a different party? Did the car have mud on it?

I too, believe they made a run for it. The wet clothing along with the briars and mud on their shoes, socks and jeans supports that. According to the first reports, the car sat out in the open from that morning until the bodies were discovered in the afternoon. Sadly, it was reported that some of LE actually sat on the outside of the car and may have even gone inside of it prior to knowing the girls were in the trunk. I have read that the car was muddy and also have read that it wasn't. So, not sure about that part.

Like you, I have wondered if he acted alone. I am still hoping that he will someday come clean and tell exactly how everything went down. I have always been curious as to how he gained control of them. It would had to have been a ruse of some sort. Both families have stated that they would not have picked up a hitch hiker or even stopped for a stranger.

 

[joni22]

and others who asked...

from my notes from the last update that I have.
9/24/20 Update: McCraney had a trial date tentatively set for Nov. 16, 2020. However, a motion was filed recently by McCraney’s defense attorneys requesting a continuance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The motion states additional time is needed to meet with witnesses & to re-examine evidence. Dale County Circuit Judge William Filmore issued an order granting the motion to continue trial; no specific trial date has been scheduled for 2021.


This is a county where I can look up every week - it only gives 5 days in advance on who is going to court. I can not find a court link to his "actual" case - unless someone here can help me on finding that one!

There shouldn't be anytime to meet with witnesses for Ms. Merritt has passed away I think. Not sure about the daughter. What other witnesses would there be?? I hope it starts soon.

 

[joni22]

I really don't think that the crime scene was handled correctly. Trying to look at old reports and very little investigation. I'm hoping that they have kept it for trial.

I think the car was turned over to the insurance company not long after the murders. But I agree, I don't think the crime scene was handled properly. First, at 8am they didnt know it was a crime scene so I would imagine they walked around the car and probably touched it as well.

 

[TedMac]

There shouldn't be anytime to meet with witnesses for Ms. Merritt has passed away I think. Not sure about the daughter. What other witnesses would there be?? I hope it starts soon.

I am not sure Ms. Merritt passed away. That was reported here years ago and another poster came back and said she was still alive and added that a person by the same name had died, but it was a different person.

 

[Niner]

I am not sure Ms. Merritt passed away. That was reported here years ago and another poster came back and said she was still alive and added that a person by the same name had died, but it was a different person.

That's the way I remember it too!

 

[TedMac]

I'm wondering that too. How could he handle two girls in the dark if they run away from him. The car was not clean and I read where the tires were muddy.

Just wanted to add...he may have been able to control them by pointing a gun at them. As stated in a different post, they did run, but he may have been able to run them down or at least catch one of them and yell at the other something to the effect, "I'll kill your friend if you don't stop". MOO

 

[joni22]

I am not sure Ms. Merritt passed away. That was reported here years ago and another poster came back and said she was still alive and added that a person by the same name had died, but it was a different person.

It would be good to hear Ms. Merritt's testimony about that night for sure.