AL AL - J.B. Beasley, 17, & Tracie Hawlett, 17, Ozark, 31 July 1999 #3

[Bulldog23]

Bulldog- What about these murders points to a “sex offense”?

Other than the “semen” on J.B.’s shirt.
(Which was found on J.B.’s clothing three months after the murders, after it had been sitting in the Ozark evidence room.)

Crime scene photos, and autopsy’s clearly show neither of the girls had been sexually assaulted. If this were a sexually motivated murder- why weren’t they sexually assaulted?

The statement "you have to assume it came from a sex offense," IIRC was from David Emory who was the DA in Dale County at that time (Correct me if I am wrong, going from memory). So I am assuming, at least, he believed it. I don't know for sure, but I am guessing he was referring to an oral sexual assault or something of the sort, since they was no evidence of rape. And if it were not for that DNA, Barrentine might have spent the rest of his life in prison.

Now, if you are right, and this had nothing to do with a sex offense, then the DA was mistaken or putting out false information. That brings to mind the lady in your film that said, this case was very solvable, if it had been investigated correctly from the beginning.

Shined Rabbit, I think I have a good idea who you feel is responsible for the murders. (Since there is a rule against sleuthing families, I think we should leave it at that.) Do you think that person might have had help? There is something about this crime, maybe the dominance it took to do it, that makes me think a male was involved in the actual murders. I could be wrong, thoughts?

 

[Bulldog23]

One more thing on the DNA, on the Justice Facebook page, Jacqui Burgoon and Rex Tipton were discussing the DNA, and she asked if JB's boyfriend at the time (KC) had been checked against the DNA. He replied that he remembered that a teenage male had been checked.

 

[killarney rose]

Assuming JB had a boyfriend, and assuming he was checked, puts more weight on the theory that the DNA came from the killer. Perhaps he assaulted JB and that allowed Tracie to run for it, and JB followed. Thus the wet jeans legs and shoes.

 

[SHINED Rabbit]

The statement "you have to assume it came from a sex offense," IIRC was from David Emory who was the DA in Dale County at that time (Correct me if I am wrong, going from memory). So I am assuming, at least, he believed it. I don't know for sure, but I am guessing he was referring to an oral sexual assault or something of the sort, since they was no evidence of rape. And if it were not for that DNA, Barrentine might have spent the rest of his life in prison.

Now, if you are right, and this had nothing to do with a sex offense, then the DA was mistaken or putting out false information. That brings to mind the lady in your film that said, this case was very solvable, if it had been investigated correctly from the beginning.

Shined Rabbit, I think I have a good idea who you feel is responsible for the murders. (Since there is a rule against sleuthing families, I think we should leave it at that.) Do you think that person might have had help? There is something about this crime, maybe the dominance it took to do it, that makes me think a male was involved in the actual murders. I could be wrong, thoughts?

I do believe there would have been more than one person to commit the murders.

It is believed by authorities that J.B. didn’t know she was about the be shot- she didn’t see it coming. Also I don’t believe J.B. would willingly submit to an oral assault without fighting, their clothes were perfectly on, not even a pulled up shirt or open belt- nothing to suggest they were assaulted physically is any way. Every LEO or agency official I have discussed the case with- including the woman from my film, former FBI task force agent who worked the case for several years- all agree the DNA is not related to the murders.

 

[SavageMarkIII]

Some things I don't understand if true, here are 2 avenues, if pursued, could possibly help move the case forward, that seem to be rejected by OPD:

<modsnip - rumor>

2) If the Ozark PD hasn't already submitted the DNA to Parabon to get the DNA sequence to put on the GEDmatch website to do the familial DNA search, why would they not do this?? <modsnip - rumor>

It just seems crazy to me that these avenues would be rejected by Ozark PD. Correct me if I am wrong on any of this.

And if the families need support to either pay for the DNA sequence or a show of strength in numbers who want all means necessary to get this solved, all they would have to do is put it on this site and the FB page and I'm sure they would get all the support they need. I for one would donate to getting the DNA sequence and pay for somebody to do the GEDmatch search (it takes someone who knows what they are doing and a lot of time).

 

[SavageMarkIII]

Every LEO or agency official I have discussed the case with- including the woman from my film, former FBI task force agent who worked the case for several years- all agree the DNA is not related to the murders.

BBM - that is interesting piece of information. Thank you for sharing!

And I posted my previous post above, before seeing your post, so this answers my DNA question.

Now, there have been news articles where different law enforcement have said they were ruling out, one article said 100 people had been compared to the DNA and excluded, suspects using the DNA and "other means". Why would law enforcement be using the DNA to exclude suspects, if they did not believe the DNA was related to the murders?

 

[SHINED Rabbit]

BBM - that is interesting piece of information. Thank you for sharing!

And I posted my previous post above, before seeing your post, so this answers my DNA question.

Now, there have been news articles where different law enforcement have said they were ruling out, one article said 100 people had been compared to the DNA and excluded, suspects using the DNA and "other means". Why would law enforcement be using the DNA to exclude suspects, if they did not believe the DNA was related to the murders?

Sorry for not being clear-
The officers I spoke with, some FBI, some former investigators, not the LEO currently working on the case, and not OPD- agree that the DNA is not involved.

Why they have a differing opinion that other experts- I have no idea- but also, the case isn't solved, so...

 

[Bulldog23]

So in exploring the idea that they were executed by someone (or an agent of someone) who had something to lose in the upcoming custody proceeding, this person (and possibly his or her helper) followed the girls, intercepted them somewhere in or near Ozark, executed them, and left their bodies on Herring.

I know OPD investigated the area south of town on 123, near an old house and some old barns. Does anyone see a connection between this location and any possible suspects? Thanks to LR1, I recently looked at the location on 123 south of town again. If this was the location of the killings, (BIG IF), then it may have been someone familiar with the location. It required them pulling in a driveway beside a house and at 11:30 at night. So if that was the location, someone either knew the house was empty or felt comfortable enough there to use the location for the murders. It seems like I remember hearing that one of the girl's family members was from Ozark. Does anyone know of any connections between any POI and the location on 123?

 

[CuriousD]

Some things I don't understand if true, here are 2 avenues, if pursued, could possibly help move the case forward, that seem to be rejected by OPD:

<modsnip- rumor>

2) If the Ozark PD hasn't already submitted the DNA to Parabon to get the DNA sequence to put on the GEDmatch website to do the familial DNA search, why would they not do this?? <modsnip - rumor>
It just seems crazy to me that these avenues would be rejected by Ozark PD. Correct me if I am wrong on any of this.

And if the families need support to either pay for the DNA sequence or a show of strength in numbers who want all means necessary to get this solved, all they would have to do is put it on this site and the FB page and I'm sure they would get all the support they need. I for one would donate to getting the DNA sequence and pay for somebody to do the GEDmatch search (it takes someone who knows what they are doing and a lot of time).

<modsnip - rumor>I would think that they would want any info they could get. That's just me though. I think some detectives from other areas that are non biased would be a great help in solving this and if they can't then it would only help give credit to the OPD. They should be doing EVERYTHING they can to solve this. It only makes them look bad when they don't but theyve looked bad before so maybe there's just no care anymore. Just my opinion.

 

[CoolJ]

One more thing on the DNA, on the Justice Facebook page, Jacqui Burgoon and Rex Tipton were discussing the DNA, and she asked if JB's boyfriend at the time (KC) had been checked against the DNA. He replied that he remembered that a teenage male had been checked.

It’s almost like RT was playing stupid here. Of course he would have remembered if they checked the DNA to a boyfriend.

And of course they checked the boyfriends DNA. The semen threw their entire case against Barrentine out the window!

 

[Bulldog23]

Bittersweet 16: The Harrowing Story of an Unsolved Case, From a Mother’s Perspective

This is an interesting article, given some of our recent discussions. It gives some interesting times and locations.

 

[aegis100]

I know OPD investigated the area south of town on 123, near an old house and some old barns. Does anyone see a connection between this location and any possible suspects?

Bulldog I have seen RC mentioned in posts here and other sites. If you do a records check a couple of different addresses for him and members of his family come up on County Road 123 south for different time periods. Also of note is an address listed for RC at 727 Eufaula Avenue that is convenient to the Big/Little Store and Herring Avenue. Unfortunately the date ranges may not be accurate without a formal background check.

 

[aegis100]

This is an interesting article, given some of our recent discussions.

Interesting that the article states that J.B.'s mother was attempting to regain full custody of her. So was this the hearing that Shined Rabbit pointed out earlier?

 

[Islands]

Some things I don't understand if true, here are 2 avenues, if pursued, could possibly help move the case forward, that seem to be rejected by OPD:

<modsnip - rumor>

2) If the Ozark PD hasn't already submitted the DNA to Parabon to get the DNA sequence to put on the GEDmatch website to do the familial DNA search, why would they not do this?? <modsnip - rumor>
It just seems crazy to me that these avenues would be rejected by Ozark PD. Correct me if I am wrong on any of this.

And if the families need support to either pay for the DNA sequence or a show of strength in numbers who want all means necessary to get this solved, all they would have to do is put it on this site and the FB page and I'm sure they would get all the support they need. I for one would donate to getting the DNA sequence and pay for somebody to do the GEDmatch search (it takes someone who knows what they are doing and a lot of time).

 

[Islands]

‘

 

[Islands]

<modsnip - discussing >

With the new documentary & a large following pushing & paying for the police agencies to use all the new technology to get this case solved.

Then if the DNA was consensual it should be easily determined. That would take care of that problem. All the previous POI should be look at again. Along with everyone else.

Also the 100’s of fingerprints found in the car. After 20 yrs I would hope all of them have been looked at. If not let’s hire a company to do that.

 

[CoolJ]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>
They are? How involved in the investigation are they?

Who is leading the investigation?

Depends on who you ask is what it seems like to me.

 

[SavageMarkIII]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>

Ted, it seems like VS is indicating there is not a definitive agreement between all the agencies and investigators, both current and past, on how the DNA fits. It seems like there are 2 factions: 1) the DNA is not related to the murders 2) it is related and has been used to clear suspects.

I can only offer MOO on this, because I am not in this situation and have never experienced anything like this However, I believe I would want to know definitively about the DNA, if I was in the same situation. Especially in this time, when DNA has advanced and the ability to use familial DNA to research suspects has come out lately, I would want a definite answer.

 

[CoolJ]

Ted, it seems like VS is indicating there is not a definitive agreement between all the agencies and investigators, both current and past, on how the DNA fits. It seems like there are 2 factions: 1) the DNA is not related to the murders 2) it is related and has been used to clear suspects.

I can only offer MOO on this, because I am not in this situation and have never experienced anything like this However, I believe I would want to know definitively about the DNA, if I was in the same situation. Especially in this time, when DNA has advanced and the ability to use familial DNA to research suspects has come out lately, I would want a definite answer.

Lets not forget the grand jury did not indict Barrentine due to the DNA. I would think if Spivey could have ruled out the DNA at that point in time he would have.

 

[Bulldog23]

I looked back at some articles from around the time that Barrentine was arrested. First, they said they had their man. Then they said they were looking for a second suspect. (I'm guessing this happened when the DNA did not match.) Then Barrentine's lawyers told him to shut up, so he did. Then the grand jury cleared him. But an ABI agent, whom I tend to place more trust in than a local, said that Barrentine could identify the girls' clothing and such. Just out of curiosity, how many of the sleuths on the board think Barrentine was completely uninvolved?