They found the name "Beasley" spray-painted in big letters. Tracy Harris murder Pictured in a January 2016 Street View image is Woodham Bridge in Dale County, Alabama. McCraney was identified as a suspect 20 years after the killings when DNA from the crime scene was submitted for genetic genealogy testing similar to how California law enforcement identified the Golden State killer in 2018. Dawn Beasley: I was very unhappy. Maureen Maher: There are a lot of people who are going to say, maybe she should be charged with something. 69-year-old suffered stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house left him there. Tracey met Carl Harris when she was in high school. "I. Kirke Adams: Back then, the domestic violence law was much different if the police arrived and nobody wanted to make a report there was just no reports done. The trial was continued again in 2021 and was set for May 2022 before being continued to August. But Jeff Beasley should have raised some red flags for police; he had a criminal record. Seller, buyer, property location, total purchase price, date. Alabama state records show McCraney incorporated Spirit and Truth Lifeline Ministries, a nonprofit religious ministry, in 2013. 192 West Reynolds Street, Ozark, AL, 36360. Dawn Beasley: And every word of my statement was true. Dale County Sheriff's Office Ozark Police Chief Marlos Walker told reporters that authorities apprehended McCraney after entering DNA evidence from the crime scene into a genealogy database. Pike Road head football coach resigns after 1 season, Alabama, 4 other states prevail in suit to block Equal Rights Amendment certification, Youth mental health is a growing concern in Alabama. The church appears to hold services and community events at local places of worship around the Ozark area. The week before trial, Jordan continued to scour over old witness reports, deciding who should testify. I'm about to get married, I'm pregnant This baby deserves a chance at a life with a loving family and a mom and a dad. J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett, of Dothan, were on the way home from Beasleys birthday party in Headland, on July 31, 1999, when they got lost in Ozark, according to Al.com. NewsBreak provides latest and breaking Ozark, AL local news, weather forecast, crime and safety reports, traffic updates, event notices, sports, entertainment, local life and other items of interest in the community and nearby towns. Walker told ABC News the investigators recognized McCraneys name in the DNA search and brought him in for a DNA swab. Dawn Beasley revealed to ADA Jordan Davis that her ex-husband was Tracey Harris' killer. McCraney then failed to appear for the DNA test and failed to appear in response to a second DNA test ordered months later, according to the Eagle. Man Whose First Wife Died Mysteriously Is Wanted in the Murder of His Second Wife. All rights reserved. Jordan Davis: He did have a 17-year-old girlfriend at the time who several people said he had had conversations with about marrying her, but that she couldn't -- he couldn't leave Tracey because he'd have to pay child support. . August 21, 2021 / 11:02 PM Other winners at the Producers Guild of America awards ceremony Saturday night include Navalny, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, The Bear and The White Lotus. Barrentine later told police he made up stories to get reward money. Dawn Beasley: Sure I've gone back, Maureen, and questioned that decision over and over and over and over and over again. While police were reinvestigating the case, Carl was trying to get on with his life. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Tracey's mother, was taking care of Carolyn You know young parents, you could tell, you know, that her and Carl, you know, struggled some. . The City of Ozark is located in Dale County in the State of Alabama.Find directions to Ozark, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.According to the 2019 US Census the Ozark population is estimated at 14,139 people. "Who?" Dawn Beasley: He said he took her down to the river because he didn't want them to come home and find her body. Selina Dodson: When she had Carolyn, she was adorable everybody just loved her. Still, Carolyn wondered about her mother wanting to know what really happened. More than 26 years after Tracey Harris was killed, Carl Harris was arrested for her murder. There is no indication that McCraney knew the teens before they were killed, Walker said. Carolyn Aznavour: It's a relief that we found somebody. I cant do it alone., READ NEXT: Man Whose First Wife Died Mysteriously Is Wanted in the Murder of His Second Wife, Coley McCraney: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. The prosecutors also visited the area around the river where Tracey's body was found. Coley McCraney with his wife and friends. I think that he was jealous of their success. OZARK, Ala. (WTVY) - A woman who had accused Ozark police of covering up the murder of two teens to protect one of their own recanted those claims in explosive testimony on Thursday. Dawn refused to come, saying she was too busy. That, however, changed with Jordan's insistence that she testify at Carl's murder trial. Originally set for trial in November 2020, the case was continued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the river was a sandy beach area where Tracey would get together with her friends, but friends say she would never get in the water because she didn't know how to swim. Her grandmother provided a loving a home and, Carolyn says, that was more than enough. For people to come out and care this much, its a miracle. Carolyn Aznavour: I knew my mom was murdered And then, as the years went on, I found out it had to do with my dad. He is an Alabama native and has lived in the area in the years since the murders, according to court records. This is a murder trial. And in big, huge spray paint letters was the last name Beasley. It is a trial that was supposed to take place in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn't. So, Monday was his first day where he met the jury for the first time. Marlos Walker was dismissed as chief in July. In 1999, two teenage girls, J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were found dead with a single shot to the head in their vehicle. Jordan Davis: They had a statement from Dawn and that was things that they had witnessed while living in the home together. Walker said he was not considered a suspect in 1999 and had been under investigators' radar. She looked like her and she had a personality like her. Police were able to find a match to a family member who had submitted DNA to one of the website databases. Carl was believed to have been the last person to see Tracey, picking her up the night she disappeared from the restaurant where she worked as a waitress. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Ozark is 172 to 1. Dawn Beasley: They asked me we need you to testify. There is no evidence whatsoever that that is true. He is married with children and has no apparent criminal record. It was there she first saw Tracey with Carl. Dawn, who was pregnant at the time, and Tracey, a young mother, quickly became friends. Jordan Davis: The one in particular that we found that they hadn't talked to in 2016 was this Dawn Hulbert now Beasley. Long routs Charles Henderson, PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Draper strikes out 16 to spark Carroll win, PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Steed's double helps Ariton defeat Opp, SATURDAY PREP SOFTBALL: Wicksburg goes unbeaten in HA tourney, George Scott named head coach for Enterprise State Lady Weevils basketball, Academy bridging academics and careers officially opens. Maureen Maher: You just pulled a dark curtain over and that was it? INVESTIGATOR: Everybody in the case who knew Tracey says she was scared of water. Investigators found their bodies in the trunk of J.B.s car on Aug. 1, 1999, a day after their families reported them missing. iDawn Beasley told police in 1990 that she had witnessed Carl abuse Tracey and that Carl threatened to kill Tracey in front of her. Walker told WDHN-TV, I dont believe DNA lies. He called the latest developments shocking.. FLORIDA AUTHORITIES ARREST MAN IN CONNECTION TO 1984 MURDER OF NAVY RECRUIT WHO WAS BEATEN AND STRANGLED. Q: Do people have the right to take your picture and publish it without your permission? She would stay quiet, she says, out of her desire to keep her life intact, and also out of fear that police might not believe her. Engineer Richard Hawes, his wife, and two children were brutally murdered in an event that baffled people for years. Maybe I write a letter. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 270.6. McCraney was eventually ordered to pay $243 in back child support and $50 per month after that to catch up. The four sons of the slain Ruthie Mae Jackson stand in front of her vacant home on East Adams Street . Beasley and Hawlett, high school friends from Dothan, Alabama, were 17 when they were killed on July 31, 1999. Hawlett had called her mother and told her they were on their way home, but they never made it, according to police. Defense attorney David Harrison says the entire investigation is not just flawed, but that the police narrative is fabricated. He faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Email Map. Cops investigating the deaths of high school seniors Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley in Ozark, Ala., got a break when DNA and a search of apublic genealogy website linked Coley McCraney, 45, to the crime, local media reported. The couple had recently divorced, and Carl had a girlfriend. The missing person case became a homicide, and Ozark police started interviewing those close to Tracey and her ex-husband Carl, with whom she still lived. OZARK, Ala. (AP) A truck-driving preacher accused of killing two teenage girls from Alabama nearly 20 years ago was found with the same genealogy database techniques used to apprehend the suspected "Golden State Killer" last year. Maybe I make an anonymous phone call. Dawn Beasley: We all saw it. And there was the issue of why Tracey, known to be terrified of water, would voluntarily go in the river. Along with his attorney David Harrison, they held their own press conference. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I said, "you're ruining my life and you don't understand why. Why? Even after Jeff was arrested again, in 1991 for burglary, and spent 5 years in prison, Dawn kept the secret, wanting her family life to be normal when he got out. Ozark: Created by Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams. She started asking people in town what they knew about Tracey and the investigation. J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were found shot to death Aug. 1, 1999, in the trunk of Beasleys car on Herring Avenue in Ozark. Mailing Address: P.O. 936 were here. Este 26 de febrero se celebran los SAG Awards 2023. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Police in Ozark, Alabama, arrested Jeff Beasley . David Harrison is Carl's defense attorney. Like she did everything for me [crying]. Please continue to pay online and use the mail service when possible. Advances in DNA technology and genealogical search methods have led to several other high-profile cases being solved in a similar manner, most notably the Golden State Killer serial murder case in California. It was higher than in 93.1% U.S. cities. Kirke Adams: But it doesn't mean anything at that time because on the statement Dawn's name was Dawn Hulbert. Jeff Beasley's name, until they spoke to Dawn, was unfamiliar. And I think when they reopened the case, they were just trying to prove Carl did it, not look for anybody else. Dawn Beasley: Tracey and I were a lot alike. PRAYING FOR MY GOD LOVING,FAMILY 1ST,PEACEFUL MILITARY SERVING,HARD WORKING FATHER/HUSBANd/SON/UNCLE/COUSIN/ She got mad at me. I remember taking her, pushing her under water I mean if the autopsy says it, I don't, I guess . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Then, after being subpoenaed, she called prosecutor Jordan Davis again. Carl Harris: No, ma'am, I never said that. When determining if Ozark, Alabama is a safe place to live, we analyze factors including air quality, water quality, crime rates, natural disaster frequency, substance abuse rates, cancer . Many retirees live in Ozark and residents tend to have moderate political views. Dawn Beasley: Maybe I do it on my deathbed. I think its incompetence We're talking about an innocent man. Less than a week before it was set to begin, the trial for the suspect in the 1999 killings of two Dothan teenagers has been continued due to the lack of available jurors. Dawn Beasley: It was extraordinary relief. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. It is not clear where he is currently employed. She died in 1990, but not until 16 years later did police arrest Carl Harris and, even then, those charges did not hold up. Coley McCraney has been charged with murder in the 1999 deaths of two teen girls, JB Beasley and Tracie Hawlett, in Ozark, Alabama, thanks to DNA and a genealogy website. Maureen Maher: Did you want to ask him about her? We finally found out who killed my mom. BROTHERCOLEY MCCRANEY (GOD HAS YOU & THE FAMILY AS WELL), James Lee Fuller wrote on Facebook. Carolyn's focus remains on the mother she never had the chance to get to know. "Yes, ma'am," he replied. Police say Carl then picked up a friend, reportedly at 9:30 p.m. Making all those stops, Carl would have traveled about 20 miles. Marshall said anyone with a cold case tip is encouraged to contact the Alabama Attorney General's Office Cold Case Tip Line at (866) 419-1236, or email coldcasetips@ago.state.al.us. McCraney had never been on the radar of police during the 20-year investigation into the murders. Market data provided by Factset. Produced by Ruth Chenetz. Dawn Beasley: Well, they asked me so what do you know about Carl Harris? And I signed it. I know a bad one from a good one, and they never had a shot with this case. Just a 10-minute drive away, the Army base attracted - and still does - a slew of newcomers to town. "Tracey." McCraney was indicted in June 2019. An. A DNA match found through a genealogy website has led to an arrest in the killings of two teen girls nearly 20 years ago, Alabama authorities said. She was terrified of water. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Standard Hours. Police accused Carl Harris of killing. This was not me. The search of the genealogy website was conducted using DNA from the crime scene, according to the paper. According to Al.com, investigators conducted more than 500 interviews, examined forensics and tested the DNA of 70 potential suspects. The remaining potential jurors were questioned individually about their knowledge of the case and their death penalty beliefs. By 2016, he had moved to South Carolina, where investigators gave him a call. Despite the suspicion, no arrest was made and the case languished. The girls, both from Dothan, had traveled from. Daveed Diggs kicked off the show with opening comments. Dawn Beasley: We just pretended it never happened. "She was a very sweet friend a very shy person," said friend Selina Dodson. Kirke Adams: There's a lot of graffiti under this bridge -- a lot of names as well. And that's what I need. One of those people was Dawn Beasley. A woman Davis contacted as a possible witness told Davis that that her husband, who she is no longer married to, killed Tracey Harris. Can we really solve this for Carolyn? In other similar investigations, police obtained an item with DNA on it discarded in public by the person of interest and then confirmed it was a match to the DNA from the crime scene. Carolyn Aznavour: Jordan called me to come to the police station, that they had to tell me something. Kirke Adams: It hurt our pride that we had the wrong person you've got to, you know, check your ego at the door, because what's important is the right person got charged. Maureen Maher: You and Jeff never talked about it ever again? Matt Elofson. Those things just add up. It took Jordan several calls to wrong phone numbers to find Dawn Beasley. "I think from the very get-go, there was only one suspect in this case " said Davis. JEFF BEASLEY: I didn't strangle her. Carolyn Aznavour: I've always heard that he was very abusive towards my mom that he was just a bad individual. Then, in 2016, Ozark police announced the arrest of Tracey's ex-husband, 51-year-old Carl E. Harris Jr. The murder of the two teenagers was the obvious . Among those who police went back and interviewed -- an acquaintance of Tracey and Carl's, and Tracey's aunt: WOMAN: He said, "the police are so dumb, I can kill somebody and get away with it.". 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