Post by Scumhunter on Mar 28, 2016 8:40:52 GMT -5
The still unsolved murders of 17-year old girls J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were profiled on the August 26th, 2000 episode of America's Most Wanted as well as a 2005 episode of the then Court TV network's "Haunting Evidence." I will post the 2000 archive article below (which although old is well detailed) along with a very bizarre update on the case:
"On August 1, 1999 the bodies of two Dothan, AL girls, JB Beasley, 17, and Tracie Hawlett, 17, were found in the trunk of Beasley’s Mazda on an isolated road in Ozark, AL. They were each shot once in the head at close range and Beasley was sexually assaulted. Semen was also found on Beasley’s clothes and skin.
July 31st was JB’s birthday and The Alabama Bureau of Investigations says that that night, the girls were going to a field party in Ozark to celebrate JB and another classmate’s birthday. While driving to Ozark, the girls apparently took a wrong turn and ended up at the Big/Little Convenient store around 11:30pm. Because it was getting late, they asked a woman in the parking lot, Marilyn Merritt, for directions back to the main highway to get home. Before they left the store, Tracie called her mother from the pay phone to say they were on their way, but the girls never made it. The girls were also planning to meet two boys later that evening at another gas station in Midland City and never made it to them either.
A surveillance tape from the convenient store shows a white pick up truck at the store the same time the girls were getting directions. Police say every truck matching the description has been checked out. One man was questioned but a grand jury refused to indict Johnny Barrentine on capital murder charges after DNA tests ruled him out. Police say he is mentally retarded and was consumed with the case and lied to collect the reward money. Over 400 people have been interviewed, but no other witnesses, suspects or leads have brought new clues to this murder mystery."
web.archive.org/web/20001018115015/http://amw.com/
Ok, and here's the update, in the years since, this excerpt from the website "The Henry Report":
"Rena Crumb, reportedly an Ozark auxiliary or reserve police officer, according to JB Beasley’s sister, a private investigator working the case, and a Houston county Deputy, told members of the victim’s family that a former Ozark police officer, who currently is employed with a Henry County law enforcement agency, may be who killed Beasley."
The author of The Henry Report article tried to contact the Officer but was threatened. However, upon further further questioning, admitted he was a original suspect and was DNA tested, He denied being responsible and claims he has an alibi that night.
The Officer's name is being withheld per a State Investigator's request.
Here is the link to The Henry Report article: henrycountyreport.com/blog/2015/11/03/police-officer-killed-jb-beasley-and-tracie-hawlett-16-years-ago/
Thoughts? The Officer upset really came out of nowhere but currently all we have is an accusation and not proof. Regardless, at the very least hopefully this has breathed new attention into a case that is now over 15 years old.
Admin Note #1: Based on news articles, our advice for anyone with information on who killed Beasley and Hawlett would be to contact the Alabama State Bureau of Investigations. Information on how to contact them can be found at the following link: www.alea.gov/home/wfContactInformation.aspx?ID=20
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
