Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast

Episode 4: A Shoe in the Unnamed Creek

On the morning of May 6, 1993, exhausted and terrified parents in West Memphis, Arkansas, resume their desperate search for three missing eight-year-old boys—Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch—who vanished the evening before. With no meaningful help from law enforcement overnight, the families, joined by friends and community members, scour the bayous, woods, and bridges near Robin Hood Hills by first light. As frustration mounts, Mark Byers pushes hard—alerting Search and Rescue, calling the media, and demanding action. Meanwhile, the West Memphis Police Department finally mobilizes, saturating Robin Hood Hills, the Blue Beacon woods, the 10-Mile Bayou, and surrounding areas. A helicopter thumps overhead, a search and rescue boat glides down the bayou, and volunteers on foot, bikes, and three-wheelers comb the terrain. Parents stand vigil at the pipe bridge, haunted by questions of how the boys could have crossed with their bikes—and whether the dark stains in the water are oil… or something far worse. Then, as the search stretches into the afternoon, juvenile officer Steve Jones makes a chilling discovery while walking a remote gully: a small white shoe floating in an unnamed creek. Nearby, more shoes and a Cub Scout cap drift in the murky water. What began as a frantic hunt for missing children takes a devastating turn. In this episode, we follow every tense step of that pivotal day—the community’s overwhelming response, the parents’ raw fear, and the moment that shifted the search from rescue to something much darker. The discovery in the creek changes everything.

Episode 3: Searching Robin Hood

In this gripping continuation of the West Memphis Three case timeline, Paul Day and Kristin Rich dive deep into the chaotic night of May 5, 1993, after Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch disappeared. From the moment the sun sets under a massive, bright waxing gibbous moon, the episode follows the desperate searches by the families and police. Paul and Kristin reconstruct key moments in detail: Pam Hobbs learning her son is missing while at work at Catfish Island, Officer John Moore taking reports, frantic foot searches in Robin Hood Hills and Devil’s Den, and the memorable “mosquito incident” at the pipe bridge. You’ll hear about Jackie Hicks Sr.—Stevie’s grandfather, an expert hunter and Army veteran—rushing from Blytheville without socks, tracking bicycle trails by moonlight, and the chilling “evil presence” felt by multiple searchers in the woods. The episode explores family panic attacks, Terry Hobbs and David Jacoby’s nighttime searches behind Blue Beacon, Mark Byers’ calls for help, and shocking police miscommunications during the critical overnight hours. With emotional firsthand accounts, precise timeline anchors, and analysis of how these overlooked evening events shaped the entire investigation, this episode sheds new light on the fear, confusion, and urgency of that fateful night. A must-listen for anyone following the case, true crime fans, or those interested in victim advocacy and investigative breakdowns.

Episode 2: Bike Tracks in Devil's Den

In this gripping continuation of our deep-dive series on the 1993 West Memphis Three case, Paul Day and Kristin Rich meticulously reconstruct the critical hours after Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch vanished on May 5, 1993. Starting with Christopher’s well-documented movements, the episode follows the frantic searches by the Byers family as daylight fades. You’ll hear how a simple lie about Stevie’s address sent the family looking in the wrong direction, the police encounters that led to official missing persons reports, and the pivotal moment when Dana Moore revealed the boys were last seen riding bikes together. As night falls, the search intensifies. Local teens and parents converge on the wooded area locals called Robin Hood Hills—entering through the ominous “Devil’s Den.” Discover the sudden end of bicycle tracks in the mud, frightening sounds in the darkness (including splashes and a gunshot), the treacherous pipe bridge crossing under moonlight, and the mosquito-plagued search by Officer Regina Meek. This episode pieces together a precise, minute-by-minute timeline using police reports, witness accounts, and firsthand details—revealing how an ordinary spring evening spiraled into one of the most infamous missing children cases in American history.  New to the series? Start with our previous episode for full context. A must-listen for true crime fans, West Memphis Three researchers, and anyone interested in police procedure, witness timelines, and the early hours of a haunting disappearance. New evidence and clarified details included.Available now on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts

Episode 1: Two Bikes and a Skateboard

On May 5, 1993, in West Memphis, Arkansas, three eight-year-old boys—Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore—did what kids do on a beautiful spring afternoon: they went to school, came home, and headed out to play. They never returned. What started as an ordinary Wednesday in the tight-knit Holiday Gardens neighborhood turned into one of the most haunting and divisive true crime cases in American history. The next day, the boys were found murdered in a drainage ditch, their bodies bound and left in water. Three local teenagers—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley—were arrested, tried, and convicted. But decades later, many believe they were wrongfully convicted, and the real killer(s) have never been brought to justice. In the premiere episode of Crooked Tree, criminologist and victim advocate Kristin Rich and her research partner, geologist and victim advocate Paul Day, take listeners back to the very beginning. Told from the victims’ perspective, this episode reconstructs the final hours of Christopher, Stevie, and Michael through the eyes of their families. You’ll hear how the boys spent their last afternoon—riding bikes, watching Muppet Babies, singing and dancing, and simply being kids on a perfect spring day. Kristen and Paul, who have spent over nine years deeply immersed in the case files, evidence, and witness statements—and have been formally asked by two of the victims’ families to advocate on their behalf—bring fresh eyes and a victim-centered approach to this tragic story. They don’t shy away from the tough questions: Why didn’t Stevie come home at 4:30? Where were the boys heading at 6:30 when they were last seen riding north? And how did three well-tracked kids simply vanish from a dense neighborhood full of eyes and ears? Whether you’re new to the West Memphis Three case or have followed it for years, Crooked Tree offers new perspectives, deep dives into the evidence, and a commitment to the victims and their families that sets it apart. "This is the case that keeps me up at night. The one that has broken my heart over and over again. The one I want to see resolved." — Kristin Rich Join Kristin and Paul as they search for answers, honor the memory of three innocent boys, and fight for justice that has been denied for over 30 years. New episodes drop regularly. Follow Crooked Tree on your favorite podcast platform, and join the discussion on Facebook, X, and YouTube. If you have information about the murders of Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, or Michael Moore, please reach out to the podcast.

Introducing Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast

Trailer for Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast