Produced by Ruth Chenetz. The law enforcement community had become aware of the arrest of the Golden State Killer , Joseph James DeAngelo, through a new process called forensic DNA phenotyping. Colin McCraney, 45, was charged Friday with five. 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. In Ozark, Alabama you have a 1 in 98 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Carl Harris was out on bail, having spent two-and-a-half weeks in jail after his arrest. Kirke Adams: Not one witness we had ever mentioned that she was possibly seeing someone else because it was clear from the witnesses that Carl wouldn't allow that. Show All. Carl Harris: It just blows my mind. Carl was real controlling and, you know he didn't want her to have a lot of friends. You guys don't want me to testify.". David Harrison: Never, never. OZARK, Ala. (WTVY) -A man wrongfully charged in the cold case murder of his estranged wife has filed a $6 million lawsuit against the city of Ozark. didn't have a problem with each other or nothing like that. Carolyn Aznavour: It's a relief that we found somebody. The violent crime rate in Ozark is 1,030.8 per 100,000 people. Kirke Adams: Can we really do this? Alabama My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Violent Crime 1 in 341 in Ozark 1 in 168 in Alabama Ozark VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 14,313 United States VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 331,888,310 Property Crime Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents) 100 75 50 25 0 22.71 25.85 National Median: 19 JEFF BEASLEY: I didn't strangle her. I remember taking her, pushing her under water I mean if the autopsy says it, I don't, I guess . 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. I wonder what she looks like. Dawn refused to come, saying she was too busy. Tracy Harris murder Pictured in a January 2016 Street View image is Woodham Bridge in Dale County, Alabama. 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. Ozark has a diversified economy, mild winter weather and is convenient to several of the South's metropolitan areas, as well as the beautiful white beaches of Florida. They soon left Ozark, hoping to start over, and moved to Texas. That, however, changed with Jordan's insistence that she testify at Carl's murder trial. Alabama state records show McCraney incorporated Spirit and Truth Lifeline Ministries, a nonprofit religious ministry, in 2013. INVESTIGATOR: I'm not, I'm not going to put a word in your mouth. According to our research of Alabama and other state lists, there were 86 registered sex offenders living in Ozark, Alabama as of February 21, 2023. or redistributed. Legal Statement. Like she did everything for me [crying]. Property Crime Rates In Ozark 619 Property Crimes 4,311.2 Property Crimes / 100k People 104.33% Above National Average "The evidence was circumstantially strong," said Adams. And in big, huge spray paint letters was the last name Beasley. McCraney filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy while living in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1995, according to federal court records. Maybe I write a letter. Police accused Carl Harris of killing. It is not known if he has hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Ozark, Alabama, May 22, 1962 Eugene was nervously adjusting his tie and thinking about any loose ends. Jordan Davis: I don't think there was one particular motive. Jordan Davis: We were mortified that we were that close to putting the wrong man on trial. Selina Dodson: So, I would wonder, I wonder what happened to Carolyn. And so, Dawn made her decision. Police accused Carl Harris of killing. And said she was telling Dawn. Box 279 Ozark, AL 36361. He faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Dawn Beasley: Well, they asked me so what do you know about Carl Harris? JEFF BEASLEY: And we got into an argument. Heres what you need to know about Coley McCraney and the cold case murders of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett: Family PhotoJB Beasley and Tracie Haweltt. Still, Carolyn wondered about her mother wanting to know what really happened. The real life killer was the member of a popular trio of brothers. She still has no relationship with Carl. The man, Coley McCraney, was charged with capital murder in March of this year for the killings of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett and is facing the death penalty. Heart of Goal as a bishop and co-founder. (334) 733-5927. My job is very stressful. Trial in 1999 Ozark slayings continued due to lack of jurors. Everywhere I turn, they you know, you hear them whispering in background, 'there's the man that killed Tracey. Ozark alabama, it was the Culverhouse murders. TRACEY'S AUNT: Because it kind of shocked me, because he was saying, it was like he was smarter than the police, you know? Maureen Maher: Were you worried that there was some new piece of evidence that they had? She got mad at me. Jordan Davis: And so, they went back through all the witnesses that had given statements in 1990. 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. I walked out, and I do remember the sense of relief because I hadn't actually had to lie. "Carl Harris did have a reputation for being very violent in particular towards Tracey Harris," said Davis. One suspect, Johnny William Barrentine, was arrested after he implicated himself by placing himself at the crime scene during an interview with police. . Tracie had called her parents to say she and J.B. were lost . When her grandmother died in 2015, Carolyn returned to Ozark to bury her next to her mother. I think that the domestic violence was definitely in the back of our heads But also, the 17-year-old girlfriend that he had. McCraney was arrested Friday and charged with multiple counts of capital murder as well as first-degree rape, online jail records show. Carl Harris: We was all happy and everything. Property crimes include burglary, theft and vehicle theft. Despite the suspicion, no arrest was made and the case languished. For more than four hours, Beasley insisted he had nothing to do with Tracey's death: JEFF BEASLEY: It seem like you guys are wanting me to say I did something, when I didn't . Dawn told police about those altercations she said she saw -- and her feelings about Carl. Houston County real estate transfers Feb. 13-Feb. 16, 2023, Dothan woman charged with assaulting police officer, New biotech can 3D print living cells inside the human body, Ukraine will join NATO but in 'long- term', says NATO chief Stoltenberg, Finland begins building fence along Russia border. His attorneys have requested documents related to Ozark Police Department officers and the girls' deaths, and they will make their case for access in a hearing scheduled for Monday. Dale County District Attorney's Office/CBS News. Dawn Beasley: I was going to have to throw my entire life away. Police in Ozark, Alabama, arrested Jeff Beasley . You go to sleep crying. Hawlett had called her mother and told her they were on their way home, but they never made it, according to police. Friday, a member of that family was arrested in Oklahoma City by federal and local law enforcement officers and accused of killing his mother, father and older brother in Ozark, Ala. Jason Hunter Culverhouse, 23, was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshals' Service Metro Fugitive Squad at an Oklahoma City truck stop. Maureen Maher: Did she talk to you about it at all? Its hard, but I pray every day law enforcement will come up with some answers, Carol Roberts, Hawletts mother, said during a vigil marking 10 years since the murders, according to the Dothan Eagle. she felt like if she could just get through the rough stuff, you know, that it would be OK. Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams and Assistant DA Jordan Davis spent years building a case against Carl Harris for the murder of his ex-wife, Tracey. Please enter valid email address to continue. "I have tried to piece it together that's what I do -- I try to piece everything together and make it all make sense," said Carolyn Aznavour, Tracey Harris' daughter. He was buried in a $25 suit and a cheap wooden box. 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. Coley McCraney with his wife and friends. Ozark Alabama Police Department, via Associated Press "It raised my awareness as something we needed to check into," he said in an interview. McCraney has worked for several trucking companies in Alabama over the past 20 years, according to the Dothan Eagle. Carl admits to having a girlfriend and talking to her about Tracey but says any comments he made were misunderstood. In 1999, two teenage girls, J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were found dead with a single shot to the head in their vehicle. We finally did it. Carl Harris heard the news that he was a free man from his attorney. Maureen Maher: How do you react when the thing you want is justice for your mom, but it's your dad who's been charged with her murder? Main Phone: (334) 774-2335. Dawn Beasley: Maybe I do it on my deathbed. He died Wednesday. She started asking people in town what they knew about Tracey and the investigation. DOTHAN, Ala. ( WDHN) A Dothan man has been arrested for the alleged murder of his daughter after her skeletal remains were found near Ozark in February. Alabama police have linked a suspect to the 1999 cold case murders of two 17-year-old girls using DNA and genetic genealogy. A press conference is also scheduled for Monday where Dale County officials and Ozark Police are expected to announce the charges against McCraney. Online bankruptcy court records from the time are not available online. In other recent cases, a 44-year-old nursea was arrested in the 1993 cold case murder of an Alaska woman at a college, a 72-year-old retired grandfather was charged in the 1973 murder of an 11-year-old girl in California and in Minnesota, a 52-year-old father and well-known businessman was charged in the 1993 murder of a woman. In a 2018 post, McCraney is pictured under the name Bishop Coley McCraney with the caption, Bishop/ motivational speaker/ working for the Lord.. McCraney had never been on the radar of police during the 20-year investigation into the murders. McCraney remains in custody without bail at the Dale County Jail. Cheryl Burgoon, Beasleys mother, told the newspaper at the vigil, Once you lose a child, it takes you to places you could never expect. 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. Carl made Tracey miserable. Because the credibility of the people that were going to testify they had no credibility, none whatsoever. A week later, her body was found in a nearby river. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The break in the case came when investigators submitted DNA from the crime scene to Virgina-based Parabon Labs, Ozark Police Chief Marlos Walker told ABC News. An Alabama preacher has been arrested for the 1999 cold case murders of two 17-year-old girls thanks to DNA testing, officials said Monday. Through Gods grace and strength, weve come this far, and thats what Tracie would want us to do.. And I think when they reopened the case, they were just trying to prove Carl did it, not look for anybody else. These murders resulted in a delay riot that quickly garnered media attention across the country. Investigators also tracked down that girlfriend of Carl's, who was 17 when Tracey was murdered. And maybe he freaked out and made sure she wasn't going to ruin his family. According to reports by WTVY, only 75 of the 250 potential jurors summoned actually showed up at the Dale County Courthouse on Monday. He is an Alabama native and has lived in the area in the years since the murders, according to court records. 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. - October 16, 2018 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: There are quite a few people who said that they saw you being abusive to Tracey. And those who knew Tracey, did not believe she was having an affair. Maureen Maher: Do you wonder what your mom would be like today? Judy Tygard is the executive producer. The search of the genealogy website was conducted using DNA from the crime scene, according to the paper. PRAYING FOR MY GOD LOVING,FAMILY 1ST,PEACEFUL MILITARY SERVING,HARD WORKING FATHER/HUSBANd/SON/UNCLE/COUSIN/ His DNA was not on file because he had no criminal record, WSFA-TV reported. iDawn Beasley told police in 1990 that she had witnessed Carl abuse Tracey and that Carl threatened to kill Tracey in front of her. And I can't forgive him if he can't be man enough to look at me and tell me what he did and that he's sorry for it. You have permission to edit this article. 1 In 1988, Tullie Culverhouse was murdered by a then unknown assailant. The case drew nationwide attention and has been the subject of TV shows and documentaries over the years. Ozark continued to grow, and by the 1980s serious crime had arrived. Originally set for trial in November 2020, the case was continued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carolyn was just 4 years old when she lost her mom. Police then brought the 45-year-old in for a DNA swab, the police chief added, and it matched the evidence collected at the crime scene. Coley McCraney in an undated police photo. And that's kind of nauseating, to be honest, that we were that close. They married in her senior year in 1986. Cole McCraney was sued in a paternity case in September 1998 and was ordered to submit his DNA by a judge on July 30, 1999, just a day before the killings, according to court documents obtained by the Dothan Eagle. The couple had recently divorced, and Carl had a girlfriend. Maureen Maher: So, Jordan, for you This wasn't an invitation. A financial advisor drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss. David Harrison: Bobby Herring was convicted of raping a woman in a sister county. They have a lot of political pressure to charge somebody the environment of Ozark, Alabama was we need to do something. Police accused Carl Harris of killing Tracey Harris whose body was found about 10 miles from her home in the Choctawhatchee River. BROTHERCOLEY MCCRANEY (GOD HAS YOU & THE FAMILY AS WELL), James Lee Fuller wrote on Facebook. Aug 3, 2008 Updated Mar 29, 2016. (Dale County Jail). Dawn Beasley: And he said, "I accidentally hurt her and now she's dead." / CBS News, [This story first aired on January 24, 2021.It was updated on August 21.]. They found the name "Beasley" spray-painted in big letters. The remaining potential jurors were questioned individually about their knowledge of the case and their death penalty beliefs. On January 13, 2020, the day prosecutors had planned to be in court starting Carl Harris's trial, instead, they held a press conference. An arrest has been made of 54-year-old Jeff Beasley of Ozark with the murder of Tracey Harris. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Physical Address: 113 West Reynolds Street Ozark, AL 36360. Dawn, who had moved away from Ozark and was now divorced, says she didn't even know there was an arrest for the murder of her friend Tracey, until that call. Marlos Walker was dismissed as chief in July. So, we just kind of started with a long list And we just started trying to narrow it down. Dawn says she told Jeff they needed to go to the police, but he insisted they keep quiet. I know he's innocent because the man that did commit the crime confessed it to me the night he did it. "What happened?" We were in between high school and college that summer. The most famous murder in Alabama history is the 1988 Hawes murders, which took place in the city of Birmingham. In investigating Carl Harris, Jr. as s possible suspect in the death of Tracey Harris, the Ozark Police Department found no blood, no crime scene, no DNA evidence, no marks upon the body of Carl Harris, Jr., the lawsuit alleges. Mean if the autopsy says it, I would wonder, I 'm not going put! 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