AL AL - J.B. Beasley, 17, & Tracie Hawlett, 17, Ozark, 31 July 1999 #1

[Veidt]

How long between the girls' death and the death of the dad ?

It doesn't say (see my last post for a cap of the post), but I Googled him. If I found the right person, I believe he died in 1987. That means it might be less likely that their deaths are related if he was not alive in 1999, but who knows. Some people hold grudges for a very long time.

As you know the girls were not from the area. They were lost and asking for directions.
What may seem out of the way to locals may-have appeared normal to the girls. When your lost nothing seems out of the way, because you dont know your way, your lost. Being 14 years ago some things, if not many may have changed from that pitch-black night.

But your probably correct.

But if the killer didn't know the girls and where they were from he would have assumed that he was placing the car somewhere that seemed innocuous to him by the standards of the area. Or he could have overheard them getting directions but then he probably could have left the car in the middle of some woods. :twocents:

 

[killarney rose]

A couple more points then I have to check out for awhile-

I hope some more people who are local will confirm this or tell me if I'm incorrect. I don't think Ozark has changed very much since the girls murders- a few people have mentioned in their posts that things could have changed since then- but not really. The place that has seen the most change is out on Hwy 231. The stretch between the intersections of 231 and Union Ave/123, on down to the intersection of231 & Andrews Ave/27. Along this are a strip shopping center that has seen some restaurants added, but thats about it.

Businesses have come and gone all over town in already established buildings, but there really has been little change as far as construction in Ozark since 1999. Especially in the areas we have been discussing that relate to the murders.


Also, do we know if Barrentine had access to a work truck from his job? Would he have possibly been driving a truck belonging to the garage? I remember when I had a business, I had a couple of employees that would need a vehicle and many times I let them take our work truck to get to and from work.

 

[tang]

I dont believe the LEOs went out far enough in there search for the crime scene. They should of went out at least quarter tank where the car was found.

I know we aren't supposed to bash LE but the killer did leave a trail of bread crumbs. They should have been able to follow the trail of blood back to the source or at least close to it. Of course we aren't privy to their records so perhaps this is yet another piece of the puzzle we can't see.

 

[jenstar]

I haven't read every post over night but thought I was current before that, so if this has been asked/answered I'm sorry. Do we know where Johnny William Barrentine is today ? What has he been up to the last 12 years ? Does he have a big criminal history ? Was he a clean guy and began a criminal history after 1999 , as if he had a life altering event? Now I'm going back to page one and Dime's timeline to see if the answer is there.

Johnny packed up his family and moved to Georgia, also I haven't found any other arrest records since the last couple of times and that's when he was in Alabama.

 

[jenstar]

Also, do we know if Barrentine had access to a work truck from his job? Would he have possibly been driving a truck belonging to the garage? I remember when I had a business, I had a couple of employees that would need a vehicle and many times I let them take our work truck to get to and from work.

Respectfully Snipped.
That's what i was kinda hoping that your friend Rickey could confirm for us from the bond records or just general knowledge of where Johnny worked at the time. From there we can determine if this business and the logo we're looking at are connected directly to him, and placing him near the girls right before the crime.

 

[killarney rose]

Respectfully Snipped.
That's what i was kinda hoping that your friend Rickey could confirm for us from the bond records or just general knowledge of where Johnny worked at the time. From there we can determine if this business and the logo we're looking at are connected directly to him, and placing him near the girls right before the crime.

I don't know him- wouldn't recognize him if I ran into him on the street, I just read his blog.

 

[deca]

I know we aren't supposed to bash LE but the killer did leave a trail of bread crumbs. They should have been able to follow the trail of blood back to the source or at least close to it. Of course we aren't privy to their records so perhaps this is yet another piece of the puzzle we can't see.

I thought they did eventually find the area where they thought the girls were shot? And a bullet there? Maybe I am thinking of something else.

My guess is that LE has a few POI in mind but nothing that ties them to it. I know some various rumors of who these people are have been mentioned here and elsewhere.

 

[smm31822]

A couple more points then I have to check out for awhile-

I hope some more people who are local will confirm this or tell me if I'm incorrect. I don't think Ozark has changed very much since the girls murders- a few people have mentioned in their posts that things could have changed since then- but not really. The place that has seen the most change is out on Hwy 231. The stretch between the intersections of 231 and Union Ave/123, on down to the intersection of231 & Andrews Ave/27. Along this are a strip shopping center that has seen some restaurants added, but thats about it.

Businesses have come and gone all over town in already established buildings, but there really has been little change as far as construction in Ozark since 1999. Especially in the areas we have been discussing that relate to the murders.


Also, do we know if Barrentine had access to a work truck from his job? Would he have possibly been driving a truck belonging to the garage? I remember when I had a business, I had a couple of employees that would need a vehicle and many times I let them take our work truck to get to and from work.

You are absolutely correct about Ozark not changing much. We were back last weekend for a baseball tourny in Enterprise and dtayed in Ozark. Not much has changed.

 

[jenstar]

I don't know him- wouldn't recognize him if I ran into him on the street, I just read his blog.

I'm sure he'd bee interested in helping out. I know the Media is not necessarily "our friend" at this point but since he's heard of the case. It's worth a try to ask him for a minute of his time, since you're a faithful follower?

 

[Veidt]

I thought they did eventually find the area where they thought the girls were shot? And a bullet there? Maybe I am thinking of something else.

My guess is that LE has a few POI in mind but nothing that ties them to it. I know some various rumors of who these people are have been mentioned here and elsewhere.

I don't think that the area that came up was confirmed. They made the connection based on a few things, like a woman who lived on that road reporting that she had heard (two?) gun shots and when LE went there they found shell casings for a weapon that could be a match. The more recent news was that they were going to conduct soil tests on the mud on the girls' clothes and examine the shell but I don't think LE has released any updates on that.

 

[killarney rose]

I'm sure he'd bee interested in helping out. I know the Media is not necessarily "our friend" at this point but since he's heard of the case. It's worth a try to ask him for a minute of his time, since you're a faithful follower?

Tried to send you a PM about why I woud not be comfortable doing this. It has to do with another case.

 

[killarney rose]

I woudn't have a problem with anyone else contacting him, he might even do a story on the case. I'm sure he would contact the family first. Anyone wants to know why I wouldn't feel comfortable contacting him, feel free to PM me.

I talked to me DD yesterday who at 24 is not too far past the field party age. I asked her to tell me what she and her circle would describe a field party as. I got a suprising answer. She said it would depend on the people attending.

It could be a group of friends building a bonfire and just hanging out. No drinking/drugs involved, or it could be drinking, etc like I consider a field party to be. It depends on who is having the party and who is invited.

 

[SCHMAE]

Did someone say this case has a cold case type show about it? If not, it sure needs one. Those kind of shows really trigger people's memory .

 

[killarney rose]

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions on how we might follow up on the video pic of the truck and possible logo on the door?

 

[jenstar]

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions on how we might follow up on the video pic of the truck and possible logo on the door?

Besides a personal investigation (someone going there and having a look around for themselves) I don't see a way to do that. And that's pretty frowned upon. I say that someone should contact the lead detective on the case and go from there.
Basically explain that we've blown up the image on the truck and suspect that the logo on the side matches "American Towing". Letting them piece it together after that.
Our resources are very very limited unless there's someone on the inside.

 

[smm31822]

Besides a personal investigation (someone going there and having a look around for themselves) I don't see a way to do that. And that's pretty frowned upon. I say that someone should contact the lead detective on the case and go from there.
Basically explain that we've blown up the image on the truck and suspect that the logo on the side matches "American Towing". Letting them piece it together after that.
Our resources are very very limited unless there's someone on the inside.

I don't mind trying to contact LE with the information. Does anyone object.to me doing this.

 

[killarney rose]

I don't mind trying to contact LE with the information. Does anyone object.to me doing this.

I say go for it. I woke up this morning thinking about this. It's so hard to try to guess what LE has done or not done. We have come so far with computers since 1999, I have to wonder if they tried to work with enhancing the truck image back then?

The possibilty of that image on the truck along with the grease stain on the back seat...

 

[killarney rose]

Looks like I have an uplanned trip to Ozark tomorrow. We use the vet there- people go to them from miles around because they are great vets and are super cheap. One of my cats jumped from a high shelf just now and we think she might have broken her front leg. So off I go tomorrow. Anyone want me to go check on anything or make pics of anything we've been discussing?(No e-vets like you see on TV around these parts).

 

[jenstar]

Looks like I have an uplanned trip to Ozark tomorrow. We use the vet there- people go to them from miles around because they are great vets and are super cheap. One of my cats jumped from a high shelf just now and we think she might have broken her front leg. So off I go tomorrow. Anyone want me to go check on anything or make pics of anything we've been discussing?(No e-vets like you see on TV around these parts).

Ooooh! Sorry your kitty has an owie! That's gotta hurt. I would just look up the address if you can be in town that long and see if the building still has an eagle logo on it. But if kitty is sick I wouldn't take too long doing that.

 

[jenstar]

I say go for it. I woke up this morning thinking about this. It's so hard to try to guess what LE has done or not done. We have come so far with computers since 1999, I have to wonder if they tried to work with enhancing the truck image back then?

The possibilty of that image on the truck along with the grease stain on the back seat...

TBH that's the only way I see this going as of now. If we turn in what we know to law enforcement and let them take the leads from there. Hopefully we've done our job and it leads to the questioning of suspects or links a POI to the girls before the crime. Maybe it's the last shred of evidence they need to put him in jail. I hope they update us on the case if it leads to anything factual.