Tag Archives: West Memphis

Jonesboro Storm Past West Memphis in Senior Night Blowout

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Story, photos, and video by DDNS Reporter Allie Carson.

Senior running back TJ Brown breaks the tackle of a West Memphis defender to gain extra yards on his carry. While Brown got hurt during the game, he was back out on the next Jonesboro drive. Photo by Allie Carson.

The Jonesboro Golden Hurricane beat the West Memphis Blue Devils 56-25 in their final regular season game to secure a playoff spot.

The Blue Devils didn’t win a single game their entire season, on a 13-game losing streak stemming all the way back to the end of last season while the Golden Hurricane is 5-5 overall and 4-3 in conference, 4th overall in 6A, sending them to the playoffs. 

“We’ll see where we fall for the playoffs. Hopefully we’re at home. If not, we’ll be road warriors, and we’ll get ready to go play whoever we play,” Jonesboro coach Tyler George said.

Jonesboro started with the ball on their own 48 and within 30 seconds of the game, the Golden Hurricane scored their first of many touchdowns after senior running back TJ Brown ran it 37 yards to the end zone.

On the Blue Devils’ kickoff return, the special teams unit put the offense on the Jonesboro 41 after catching it on their own 35. A play later, West Memphis wide receiver Kevius Woods runs it in for a touchdown after a 41 yard pass play. 

While Jonesboro made their extra point on their touchdown, West Memphis did not, keeping the Golden Hurricane in the lead 7-6.

Jonesboro would end up in a 4th and 13 situation at the West Memphis 42 after a snap that quarterback Asa Myers would have to fall on. The Golden Hurricane, however, would fire a deep pass down field to wide receiver Kam Davis for another Jonesboro touchdown. 

Junior wide receiver, Kam Davis, takes the ball downfield past the West Memphis 20 to the end zone to score. Photo by Allie Carson.

West Memphis would end up in a 4th and 8 situation on their next drive and they assumed they could do the same thing that Jonesboro did: Get a first down. Instead, Blue Devils’ quarterback Andrew Clay’s throw is intercepted by senior defensive back Randy Eusebio. 

While Brown would get his Golden Hurricane team to their own 20 yard line after a 22 yard rush, he would get injured on the play and taken out of the game.

Jonesboro would have to punt but West Memphis bobbles the catch and it’s recovered by senior defensive back Jaylen Alexander on the Blue Devils’ 32 yard line. 

Brown was back in the game and picked up a first down for Jonesboro to get into the red zone and then some. Davis would score another touchdown on the night soon after to extend their lead in the first quarter. 

West Memphis would score a touchdown at the start of the second quarter but miss their two point conversion, Jonesboro staying in the lead 21-12. 

Jonesboro would score on a quarterback keeper on the next drive with a made kick. 

During West Memphis’ next drive, Clay would drop the football and it’d be scooped up by senior cornerback Jaques Jordan and taken 56 yards for a touchdown.

Two bad snaps in a row on the Blue Devils’ next drive would be the curse for this West Memphis team as a snap goes over the head of Clay. Jonesboro would scoop it up and score after a 43 yard bouncing football carry. 

42-12 would be the score with 5:16 until halftime. 

However, the Golden Hurricane isn’t done as on their own 33 yard line, Myers sends a short pass to Davis and he has the room to go. Davis, on 3rd and long, scores a 64-yard touchdown for Jonesboro’s senior night.

“He’s a player. We’re going to get him the ball as much as we can, because he’s going to win those one on one matchups. So that was really good for him to see again. Him getting back healthy,” George said. 

Myers was taken out of the game and quarterback Aiden Grimes was put in. With 1:18 remaining in the half, Grimes threw an interception. West Memphis cornerback Martavious Sanders intercepted the pass at their own 35 yard line and made it to the Jonesboro 5 yard line before being brought down. 

West Memphis quarterback Micha Ingle threw to wide open running back Demetrius Craft for a touchdown and to be sent to half 49-18 Jonesboro.

Myers is put back in the game and throws a touchdown to Jordan, his second of the game from a 5-yard pass play. 

West Memphis would score with 9:20 to go in the fourth quarter, third strings in for both teams, as the player who scored wasn’t even on the roster and the Blue Devils had their third quarterback, Keaton Troxler,  in to play.

With the mercy rule in effect, the clock would keep running and the third strings would keep playing until the clock hit zero on Jonesboro senior night, the Golden Hurricane winning 56-25. 

“We lost last year’s senior night, so to be able to win this one in the fashion that we did is big for those guys,” George said. “This is the first class that I’ve had as a head coach of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Told them they mean so much to me, personally, and to this program. We still have a lot of work to do, but they have definitely played a huge part in helping with it.”

West Memphis Three attorneys participate in panel discussion

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DDNS Story by Jerry Don Burton

(From left) Jeff Rosenzweig and Paul Ford listen as Dan Stidham speaks during the West Memphis Three panel discussion. All three men were attorneys involved in the defense of the West Memphis Three and were invited by the Arkansas State University Sociology and Criminology Association to attend the panel. Photo by Jerry Don Burton.

JONESBORO – Attorneys who defended three freed men convicted as teenagers, known as the West Memphis Three, spoke in a panel discussion at Arkansas State University to share insight, advice, and theories regarding the case.

The highly publicized and controversial case originated from the murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. Damien Echols, Jessie Miskelley Jr., and Jason Baldwin were convicted of the murders, despite questionable evidence.

The A-State Sociology and Criminology Association (SCA) hosted the public panel on Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Reng Student Union Auditorium.

Stacy Dewald, faculty co-adviser for the SCA, said she wanted the event to bring attention that the criminal justice system is flawed, show wrongful convictions exist and offer new perspectives for those who still think the West Memphis Three are guilty. She said she believes the panel discussion achieved this goal.

The three attorneys who participated in the panel, Jeff Rosenzweig, Paul Ford, and Dan Stidham, began the discussion by detailing their connection to the case. Rosenzweig was on the team responsible for releasing the West Memphis Three in 2011, Ford was on the original defense team for Baldwin, and Stidham represented Miskelley as an attorney.
Ford said this case highlights the power of confirmation bias.

“Once you have this notion, all new information is going to be sorted to reaffirm whatever that notion is. If your first notion is ‘they’re guilty,’ you’re going to hold on to that,” Ford said. “So when you meet people who are less than 40 years of age and their first involvement in this proceeding was to watch the HBO documentaries, they can’t believe they were convicted. Because that was the first story that they heard, but that was not the first story that people heard in 1993.”

Ford said the citizens of West Memphis needed somebody to blame so they could feel their community was safe.
The existence of multiple potential suspects other than the West Memphis Three contributes to the controversial nature of the case and is the topic of many ongoing debates.

The three panelists said they are confident the West Memphis Three are innocent and have their own theories as to who committed the murders.

Rosenzweig said one valid suspect is “Mr.Bojangles,” referring to a bleeding man who was seen entering the nearby Bojangles restaurant about two hours after the boys were reported missing. Witnesses said the man was mentally disoriented and entered the women’s restroom. The next day, police took blood samples from the restroom that were later lost.

Ford said he has always been suspicious of Chris Morgan, a teenager who unexpectedly traveled to California with Brian Holland, another teenager, four days after the bodies were found. During questioning, Morgan said he had a history of drug and alcohol use and experienced blackouts and memory lapses. He said he might have killed the victims, but recanted this statement. This recanted statement was debated in the trial, but was found inadmissible as evidence.

Stidham said he has a suspect, a serial killer, whom he can place in the vicinity of the murders. He said he will explore the lead further and hopefully have more information to present before he retires.

Prevalent media coverage represents another element that generated controversy for the case.

Ford said national attention in the case, specifically from the media, was a double-edged sword.

“To have a CNN truck pull up outside of the courthouse in Corning, Arkansas, that’s like finding Bigfoot,” Ford said. “It was a big deal. Everywhere you went, there were reporters, cameras, people wanting interviews, producers from talk shows.”

Ford said if he could do anything differently in the trial, he would trust the media less. However, without a relationship with the media, he said, there would never have been a documentary and the West Memphis Three would still be in prison.

Dewald said the 1996 HBO documentary, “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills,” saved Echol’s life. Echols was the only teenager sentenced to death in the trial.

The case is also associated with the Satanic panic, due to the prosecution’s assertion that the children were murdered as part of a Satanic ritual. The Satanic panic was a social panic that began in the 1980s and continued throughout the late 1990s, involving widespread cases and accusations of Satanic ritual abuse.

Rosenzweig said some still believe the West Memphis Three are guilty for a number of reasons, ranging from having personal connections to being ill-informed.

“You’re never going to convince everyone, no matter what,” Rosenzweig said. “You just have to move on and go to the next person.”

Stidham said the use of the Alford Plea in the case is a common source of confusion that many people struggle to understand.

In 2011, the West Memphis Three entered an Alford Plea, meaning they pleaded guilty while maintaining their innocence. Judge David Laser accepted the plea, which simultaneously freed the men after serving 18 years in prison and put the case to rest.

Rosenzweig said he agrees with Stidham that the Alford Plea is a confusing part of the case and is controversial in its own right. Rosenzweig said if the state really thought the West Memphis Three killed the boys, they would still be in prison.

Ford said if the prosecution felt the teenagers actually killed the three eight-year-old boys, they should feel ashamed for letting them go free.

“Why would you ever agree to let people you think killed eight-year-olds walk free?” Ford said. “That, to me, is the greatest evidence that they really didn’t believe it.”

Scott Ellington, the prosecuting attorney at the time, said he recognized the compromise was not ideal. Still, he said, it gave the state the guilty plea it wanted and the defendants the ability to continue asserting their innocence.

“It certainly was not a perfect resolution to the case for the state, but it was much better than having three trials, trying to convince 36 jurors of the defendants’ guilt using old evidence, failed memories, changed minds, dead witnesses and the parents of two of the victims who now say they believe the defendants are innocent of the crimes,” Ellington said in a 2011 article from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Rosenzweig said procedural mechanisms, which are rules designed to secure a fair and consistent application of due process, have not improved in Arkansas since the original West Memphis Three trial. He said forensic advancements make scientific evidence much more precise, but misunderstandings still persist and proliferate on social media.

Stidham said documenting is important, and interrogations should be recorded in their entirety. Ford said what he found egregious about the case was that adolescents were questioned by law enforcement without a parent present or knowledge.

The discussion ended after the panelists advised the audience on what to do if they are ever falsely accused of a crime. Stidham and Ford said to stay quiet and get a good lawyer, and Rosenzweig said to recognize that the exoneration process takes time.

Dewald, who is also an assistant professor of criminology, said planning for the event began in August, when A-State students Lesleigh Sullivan and Anna Hartley expressed an interest in the West Memphis Three for their honors project.
Dewald said she feels a connection to the West Memphis Three because she grew up around the same time and shared similar interests in music and books.

“I kind of felt connected to them, but what was different is they grew up in the South, I grew up in the North,” Dewald said. “So it wasn’t so frowned upon in the North to like Metallica and Stephen King.”

The assistant professor of criminology said the case remains nationally relevant because DNA evidence remains to be tested and many questions remain unanswered. She said community interest endures because many people feel a local connection to the case.

Stidham said interest in the case will persist for many years.

“People are going to be talking about this case in 300 years, like we talked about the Salem witch trials,” Stidham said. “It’s essentially the same thing.”

Dewald said she didn’t think the panel would draw as many attendees as it did. Nevertheless, she said she appreciates the interest and hopes the event raises awareness and helps dispel some myths surrounding the West Memphis Three and the criminal justice system.

On Aug. 1, 2025, new DNA testing for evidence from the original crime scene was ordered by Crittenden County Circuit Court Judge Tonya Alexander. At the time of writing, however, no other updates have been announced.


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Fast Start for Valley View Sparks Victory Over West Memphis

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Story and video by DDNS Reporter Benjamin McDowell

The Valley View Blazers left no doubt on Friday night, racing out to an early lead and never looking back in a 45-6 rout of West Memphis. The victory marked the Blazers’ second win at home this season and highlighted their ability to dominate in all three phases of the game — offense, defense, and special teams.

From the opening kickoff, Valley View seized control. West Memphis mishandled the return just 90 seconds into the contest, and the Blazers pounced on the loose ball with 10:51 left in the first quarter. A few plays later, running back Levi Manning powered in from 2 yards out to put Valley View on the board and give the home crowd an early reason to cheer.

The defense followed suit, applying heavy pressure on the Blue Devils’ offense. A strip sack on the next possession gave Valley View the ball back in favorable territory. Quarterback Taylor Hyneman quickly capitalized, delivering a 53-yard touchdown strike with just 1:37 remaining in the first quarter. In the span of a few minutes, the Blazers had built a double-digit lead and shifted all momentum in their favor.

The second quarter brought even more fireworks. Valley View’s offense continued to click, producing a 7-yard touchdown pass and later a 7-yard scoring run with 4:04 left before halftime. The Blazers’ special teams also made their presence felt, blocking two punts that set up short scoring drives. Each phase contributed to what would become a commanding 28-0 lead at the break.

“We had a fast start tonight,” Valley View head coach Sean Cockrell said. “We got up 28-0 and were playing well on both sides of the ball.”

That fast start carried over into the second half. The defense stayed aggressive, forcing hurried throws and disrupting West Memphis in the pocket. Midway through the third quarter, Valley View intercepted a pass with 7:54 left, once again flipping momentum back in their favor. Manning capped the ensuing drive with an 8-yard touchdown reception on fourth-and-7, extending the lead to 35-0 with 4:09 left in the period.

Before the quarter was over, the Blazers struck again. Another touchdown stretched the margin to 45-0, sealing the outcome and sending much of the Valley View crowd into celebration mode. With the game well in hand, Cockrell turned to his reserves in the fourth quarter, giving younger players valuable varsity reps while resting his starters.

West Memphis finally avoided the shutout late, punching in an 8-yard touchdown run with 4:21 to play. The score gave the Blue Devils a brief highlight, but it did little to change the overall storyline of the night: Valley View’s overwhelming dominance.

For Cockrell, the game was about more than just the lopsided margin. After describing his team’s previous effort as slower, he was pleased with the sharpness, energy, and balance his team displayed from start to finish.

The 45-6 win not only gave the Blazers another mark in the win column but also served as a reminder that when they start fast, they can be a tough team for anyone to slow down.

ASU System Reports Preliminary Fall Total Enrollment Growth

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Picture and story by ASU System.

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas State University System institutions reported strong 11th-day preliminary fall total enrollment growth of 7.6% with multiple record-setting performances, System President Dr. Brendan Kelly announced today.

“Six of our seven campuses had an overall enrollment increase, including record enrollment for A-State and an extraordinary upswing for Henderson,” Kelly said. “Our two-year institutions also attracted more students as workforce training programs grew. I appreciate the work of our teams across the ASU System to seek out and meet the needs of students and Arkansas employers.”

Total ASU System preliminary 11th-day enrollment was 30,339, up 2,132 students or 7.6% compared with official final enrollment of 28,207 in fall 2024. Full-time equivalent totals were up 7.2%.

Kelly noted that the traditional 11th-day enrollment measure, while positive for the ASU System, has become antiquated in today’s higher education environment because it doesn’t reflect collective enrollment throughout the year.

“Our campuses are enrolling and serving new students almost every week through online and non-credit training programs,” he said. “And ASU-Newport is piloting an initiative for eight-week general education courses that simply doesn’t align with the traditional reporting periods. The ASU System’s ultimate service numbers throughout the year are substantially higher.”

Arkansas State led the growth for the system with a record 17,926 students – a 7.4% increase of 1,239 over last fall’s record of 16,687. First-year students totaled 2,222, a 12% rise over last year, and include 1,764 Arkansans – who make up 79% of the class and represent a 30% increase from a year ago.

“This class is a clear sign that Arkansas families see A-State as their home for opportunity,” A-State Chancellor Todd Shields said. “It means they believe in what we are building here, and they trust this institution to shape their future and strengthen our home state.”

A-State on-campus enrollment grew by 7.8% while online program enrollment is up 6.7%. The A-State total also includes 1,053 students at Campus Queretaro in Mexico, which is a 10% increase over fall 2024.

Total preliminary enrollment at Henderson climbed 9.9% to 2,258, up 203 students from the fall 2024 total of 2,055. The number of first-time freshmen jumped 46% to 572 compared with 391 a year ago while transfer students were up 32% to 196 compared with 149.

“The Reddie Spirit is alive and well on campus as we welcome our returning students and the largest freshman class in six years,” Henderson Chancellor Trey Berry said. “Our faculty, staff, alumni and friends are committed to the success of our students, and it is inspiring to see the growth and tremendous energy throughout our campus community.”

Leading the way for the system’s two-year institutions in the fall reporting are ASU-Beebe with 3,588 students, which is an 9.5% increase over 3,277 last fall; ASU-Newport with 2,118 students, a 13.4% increase over 1,868; ASU-Mountain Home with 1,318, a 0.2% increase over 1,315; and ASU Mid-South with 1,180, a 15.5% increase over 1,022. ASU Three Rivers reported 1,951 students, a 1.6% decrease from 1,983.

The two-year institutions and A-State reported robust growth in high school concurrent credit enrollment with 5,650 students as the ASU System works with the state’s high schools to fulfill goals outlined in the Arkansas ACCESS Act.

I-55 Bridge Replacement in Memphis to Start in 20206

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Images courtesy of Adobe Stock

Memphis, Tennessee – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has selected Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. as the construction manager for the I-55 bridge replacement project.

In July 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a landmark federal investment in Tennessee of nearly $400 million towards half the cost of replacing the I-55 Bridge over the Mississippi River. In addition to the nearly $400 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, TDOT, utilizing a state general fund allocation provided through the Transportation Modernization Act, and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) have each committed up to $200 million demonstrating a collaborative effort to fund this bridge replacement. This marks the single-largest transportation investment in Tennessee state history.

Courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The I-55 Bridge, a vital link for national commerce, is set to undergo a comprehensive overhaul to add capacity, improve safety standards, ensure route resiliency, and maintain optimal operational conditions. The existing bridge, which has served travelers for 75 years since its construction, will be replaced with a larger structure designed to meet modern seismic codes as it sits on the New Madrid fault line.

“This project is building a stronger future for Tennessee,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We are thrilled to partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Arkansas, and now Kiewit, whose proven track record will be invaluable to the success of this transformative project to enhance regional and national connectivity and safety significantly. We look forward to its positive impact on our state and country for decades to come.”

“The Arkansas Department of Transportation is pleased to partner with TDOT to construct a modern structure on a corridor that conveys many critical goods and services through the heart of our nation each day,” said ARDOT Director Jared Wiley. “We are thankful that TDOT was able to secure this historic grant award and are confident in Kiewit’s ability to deliver the project on time and budget.” 

“Kiewit is very pleased to have been selected to help deliver the bridge replacement project for the Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation,” said Dave Miles, Executive Vice President of Kiewit Corporation. “We have a long history of safely building and engineering complex bridge and transportation projects across the United States, including in both states. We are excited to bring our experience and skilled workforce to this project, which importantly connects both states for people within and traveling through the region.” The environmental process is wrapping up on the I-55 Bridge Replacement project. Design is underway, and Right-of-Way coordination should begin later this year. Construction is estimated to start in fiscal year 2026.

While finalizing the contract with Kiewit for the construction manager, the department will continue to deliver this project. This decision is another progressive step utilizing an Alternative Delivery method, the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC). CM/GC is used for complex projects, aligning technical direction, organizational structure, and budgets with the department’s strategic vision.

For more information about the proposed project, visit America’s River Crossing.

Small businesses gear up for the holidays

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By Maddison Smith
Delta Digital News Service 

JONESBORO – Small Business Saturday is a big deal for some, for others – not so much. 

   Small Business Saturday was first observed in the U.S. on November 27, 2010 and was trademarked by American Express. 

   Refinery Store Manager Amy Willhite said their company will be participating in Small Business Saturday, along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

   “We want people to shop local and to keep business here in town,” Willhite said, “We want them to come into the store.” 

   On the contrary, Smoothie King Owner Linda Bradley said she did not know about Small Business Saturday and if she did, she would have participated. 

   Bradley does support shopping local. “Your helping those local businesses to stay in business,” Bradley said, “It gives a more ‘hometown’ feel. Instead of spending your money on cooperate businesses, you should shop local to help our community.” 

   Shop local supporter Jessica Blevins said she shops local because it supports the community and those who live there.

   Blevins said, “It’s about being able to communicate about small businesses and being able to put a spotlight on a few of those locations on Small Business Saturday.” 

   “Black Friday absolutely helps us, and Small Business Saturday is just an extension of that,” Willhite said, “People are still wanting to shop local, but they are also wanting a deal.” 

   Bradley said, “We can’t offer that much of a deal on Black Friday, but if there was a small shop festival, where we could get our products into consumer’s hands, that would benefit us more.” 

Willhite said that consumers should shop local because they have good customer service, people that wait on you and want to talk to you.

   Willhite said, “You’re going to get a one-on-one experience and you’re going to talk to someone who has knowledge about the products in store.” 

   American Express also holds what is called “Neighborhood Champions,” which are towns or cities who have pledged to put small businesses first. 

   Conway, Paragould, Little Rock and West Memphis, to name a few, are part of Neighborhood Champions. Jonesboro is not included in this list. 

Editor’s Note: Feature Photo taken by Maddison Smith

Operation D.E.T.E.R. Causes Mixed Reaction

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By Jorge Quiquivix
Delta Digital News Service

WEST MEMPHIS — Even though this city has more than 25,000 residents, a police captain said it experiences violent crimes more than any other small town. That is something police hope to change.

Maisha Spears has lived in the Delta community for seven years and has seen crime get worse each year, especially when it comes to murders. West Memphis Police reported 11 murders in 2016.

“It’s actually scary because I have children of my own growing up in this neighborhood,” Spears said.

As a mother of three, Spears is one of many in the city who welcome the newly enacted crime crackdown by the West Memphis Police Department. Both the patrol and investigate units restructured so they could enact Operation Data Enhanced Targeted Enforcement and Restoration at the start of February.

Capt. Joe Baker said after being a member of the Violence Reduction Network for just more than a year, the police department visited Los Angeles to see LAPD’s Operation LASER in effect.

“We liked the elements of the program. So, we replicated the program to bring it back to West Memphis,” Baker said.

The department looked at the last three years of reporting data and searched for an area with a large concentration of violent crimes like homicides, battery, aggravated assault and terroristic acts. After an analysis, police focused on the southwest part of the city for the operation.

“It’s a really targeted effort,” Baker said. “It’s targeted based on the people committing these crimes. It’s not a suppression effort. It’s not a corner jump street effort.”

Spears agreed that particular side of the community was known for violent crimes.

“Hopefully, they’ll straighten it up because there have been a lot of killings going on in the last couple of months,” she said.

However, not everyone agrees with the crackdown. A man, who did not want to be named, was standing across the street from Maddux Elementary School. He said there’s no crackdown on crime because there is no crime.

“They’re harassing people,” he said. “The police say they are cracking down and they are setting up speed traps right in front of the school just to catch innocent parents who have nothing to do with anything.”

He said he feels violent crime in the southwest part of town is all lies because people can drive through the neighborhood without coming across gangs.

“In big cities, gangs huddle up. You see them everywhere; that’s not the case here,” the man said.

Nevertheless, Baker said the data speaks for itself. The department set a goal after the program has been in place for nine to 12 months.

“I know in a city like L.A. where we copied this from, a 3 to 5 percent decrease in their violent crime and a 10 percent decrease in their homicides is a big deal,” he said.

With more than 10 homicides last year, Baker said the odds look well for the small town.

“Ten percent, that’s one person’s life that is being saved,” he said.

The West Memphis Police Department is a pilot test for small-town adaptions of Operation LASER. If their version works, not only would the program expand to other parts of the city, Baker said his colleagues would teach other Delta communities how to incorporate it in their municipality.