The West Memphis Three Part 1

The 'Morbid' podcast episode titled 'The West Memphis Three Part 1' delves into the chilling case of three eight-year-old boys, Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore, who were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. The hosts, Ash and Elena, set the stage by describing the boys' last known activities: playing near the Robin Hood Hills area, a wooded location near a busy truck stop and freeway. The boys were reported missing on May 5, 1993, by their parents after they failed to return home. A large search ensued, involving the community and multiple police departments, which culminated in the discovery of the boys' bodies in a drainage ditch the following day.

The boys were found naked and hog-tied with their own shoelaces, bearing numerous injuries. Michael Moore and Stevie Branch's causes of death were drowning, while Christopher Byers died from blood loss due to genital mutilation. The episode discusses the lack of blood at the crime scene, suggesting the possibility that the children were killed elsewhere and brought to the location, or that they were murdered in the water. The hosts also introduce Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley, teenagers who would later be known as the West Memphis Three, as potential suspects. They highlight the scrutiny placed on Echols due to his gothic appearance and interest in Wicca, reflecting the era's 'Satanic Panic.' Throughout the episode, Ash and Elena touch on the investigative process, including the peculiar knots used to bind the boys, which could indicate knowledge of specific tying techniques, possibly pointing to someone with a background in scouting or the military. The police's handling of the crime scene and the subsequent investigation are questioned, particularly the decision to decline help from the Arkansas State Police and the focus on Echols as a suspect due to the influence of a juvenile officer with a personal vendetta.