And of course no treatment of alibis and timelines would be complete without a look at the three who were arrested, charged, tried, and convicted of this horrendous crime: DWE, CJB, and JLM Jr. Many claims have swirled about these three for over two decades, and the controversy doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Almost three years after entering Alford pleas, there are a number of people who still consider them guilty of the crime; there are an equal, if not greater number, who consider them innocent and work to see them exonerated.
DWE, CJB, and JLM Jr. have been accused of not having alibis for the evening of the disappearance and murder of SB, CB and MM. Others have accused their families and friends of fabricating alibis; the prosecution at trial accused DWE of changing his alibi whenever necessary; several changes in their alibis during police interviews were viewed with suspicion; and their alibis were said to have not been able to withstand closer scrutiny, which is why so many alibi witnesses were not called by the defense teams. But these same people have no problems with other suspect’s alibis having the same deficiencies. Granted, there were contradictions, and some of their witnesses did not provide them with the best of alibis, but this is the case with others who were investigated and then cleared. So why were they singled out for prosecution? As usual, the main source is Callahan’s for documents and testimony, except where noted otherwise.
On May 9, 1993, DWE, CJB and DAT (
http://www.callahan.8k.com/wm3/bddjd.html) told police officers that all three had gone to CJB’s uncle’s house that day, where CJB mowed the lawn. However, they were unsure of the time they went, and the address, although it was recorded by BD as being “somewhere off Dover behind Blockbuster Video.” DWE called his father for a ride. DWE’s father picked him, CJB and DAT up some time around 6:00 PM at a nearby Laundromat at Missouri and N Worthington. They drove CJB and DAT home; then DWE went home with his father. SG then completed a questionnaire with DWE, and had started asking CJB the same questions when his mother (AGG) arrived, became upset, and cut the questioning short., whereupon the officers left.
On May 10, 1993, DWE told police a different story according to police notes and a transcribed report. First let’s examine the notes taken by detective BR. On page one of the notes, it is highlighted that DWE went with his “dad, mother, and sister” on May 5 to RS/SS home from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. After that, he went home, got out the telephone and talked with HG until either 11:00 or 11:30 pm (
http://callahan.8k.com/images2/d_echols/de_ridge_report_01.jpg). In the transcribed report, there is more detail. According to the report, DWE was with CJB and DAT at CJB’s uncle’s house on Center Street in West Memphis, near Alexander’s Laundry Mat. DWE called his mother from Alexander’s to pick him up. His mother did, and she also picked up and took DAT home. After that, DWE, his mother, sister, and father (JH) went to the RS/SS house from about 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Upon leaving, he went home where he and HG from Bartlett, TN talked on the phone until about 11:30 pm (
http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/dwe.html). In this account, nothing is said about CJB being picked up as well by DWE’s mother. Also, this would mean that DWE and DAT were picked up at the Laundromat around 2:00 or 2:30 pm, and not 6:00 pm as stated previously. It would be interesting to know if these changes in timeline were the result of DWE’s memory, his mother’s, or someone else’s. If they were indeed with CJB, the later time would be more likely, as CJB was in school during the day. If they were not, then either dates were mixed up, indicating a faulty memory, deception, or manipulation. Given the track record of the WMPD…
However, on May 10, 1993, DAT also talked to BR of the WMPD and MMK of the AR State Police. In her statement, she affirmed that she, DWE, CJB and KW were at CJB’s uncle’s house where CJB mowed the lawn. DWE’s mother picked up him and her from the Laundromat, “the time was about dark or just before it got dark” (sunset was 7:48 pm that evening). DAT stated she called DWE from her home, and “that he told her he was tied and was going to sleep.” Additionally, the police report says, “DAT’s mother stated that DAT came in when Time Trax was on TV on Wednesday evening” (Time Trax started at 7:00 pm). DAT’s statement is confirmation that DWE’s initial statement is the more correct (
http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/domteer.html).
On either May 12 or May 16, 1993, DWE’s mother, PH, gave a statement to BR and JS of the WMPD. The top of the transcript states 05/16/1993, but in the body of the statement, 05/12/1993 is given. Regardless of the date, she stated that she had taken DWE out to Lakeshore to CJB’s house and left him there “from 1 till 4.” DWE called her about 3:45 pm and asked her “to come and get him… at the laundry mat on Missouri Street with DAT…” She did, and dropped DAT off, getting back to their trailer by 4:00 pm. A short time later, she states the time was “… about ten [?] minutes after four…” And her recollection of the visit to the RS/SS house was that it took place at “… 6:30 or 6:00 Wednesday night, Wednesday afternoon…” They stayed about an hour, then went home and were in for the rest of the night. There were several phone calls; one from DWE’s grandmother, one to a girl in Bartlett, she wasn’t sure of the name, and then he talked with DAT later that night (
http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/pamh1.html). PH’s statement confirms much of DWE’s statements.
May 17, 1993 saw SS confirming PH’s account with GB of the WMPD from her residence at 504 Balfour. “SS stated that on 5-5-93 between 6:30 and 7:00PM she left her residence and went to the Splash Casino in [Mississippi]. Her daughter StS told her that somewhere between 7:00PM and 7:15PM DWE and his mother showed up at her residence they stayed about 15 minutes and left. 2 days later DWE’s mother told her (SS) that the police would come by her house and ask her questions and told her to remember that her and DWE came to visit her on 5-5-93 that evening. Also told her that DWE didn’t kill those boys he was with her all night” (
http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/susan1.html).
Neither CJB nor DWE talked to law enforcement after their arrests, but their families and lawyers established their alibis. By this point, however, it seemed that CJB’s and DWE’s alibis contradicted each other. Was this due to faulty memory, incorrectly phrased questions, WMPD malfeasance or some other reason?
What we can do with almost 100% certainty is to determine that on Wednesday, May 5, 1993, DWE and DAT were not seen by NH on the South Service Road in West Memphis at any time after dark. Also, from the statements of DWE, DAT, PH, and others, it appears that DWE was not at any time on May 5, 1993 in the Robin Hood Woods at any time before or after dark, especially at the times when the three boys were said to have been murdered. The initial time of early evening, DWE was with his family. The later time, early morning of May 6, 1993, it is most likely he was in bed at home. No matter what way you look at it, DWE was not guilty of a triple homicide. Which leads to the conclusion that CJB was not guilty, neither was JLM Jr. guilty. All of which begs THe question, just who was guilty of THis heinous crime?
Granted, this is only a cursory look at the timeline and alibi for DWE, but it should serve to show that the prosecution and LE in West Memphis were not interested in the truth, but in expedience. Everlasting shame on such a cop-out (pun not intended, or maybe it should be). Even though it is not too late to be able to get to the truth, it is harder thanks to their bumbling, obstruction, and narrow-minded tunnel vision.
