Abomination: Devil Worship and Deception in the West Memphis Three Murders
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Damien stated that on Wednesday he was with Jason Baldwin and Domini Teer and that they had gone to Jason’s uncle’s house on Center Street in West Memphis. He couldn’t give a specific address but said that it was near Alexander’s Laundry Mat where he stated that he called his mother to pick him up.
He stated that his mother picked him up along with Domini Teer and took Domini home. Domini is Damien’s girlfriend who is pregnant with Damien’s baby. Domini lives in Lakeshore Trailer Park with her mother. Damien stated that after he and his mother dropped Domini off that he along with his mother, sister (Michelle), and father (Joe Hutchison) had gone to the residence of Susan Sanders and visited for a while. he stated that he was at their residence at about 3:00 to 5:00 PM on that date and after leaving the residence he went home where he stated that he got on the phone with a Holly George who he states lives in Bartlett, Tennessee. He stated that he got off of the telephone with Holly after talking for a long time at about 11:30 PM that night.
Damien stated that on Thursday he went to Lakeshore where he stated with Domini. he stated that he heard the boys were missing from Jason Baldwin while he was a Lakeshore that day. He then stated that he heard that the news that the boys were missing from Jason’s mother.
Damien stated that Steve Jones from the Juvenile Authority had been by to see him a day or two before and that Steve had told him about how the boys testicles had been cut off and that someone had urinated in their mouths.14 He stated that Steve stated that could have been the reason that the bodies were placed in the water so that the urine could have been washed out.
Damien had an opinion for who could have done the murders as being someone sick and that it was some type of thrill kill. He also stated that the penis was a symbol of power in his religion known as Wicca. He also stated that the number 3 was a sacred number in the belief.
When asked about Jason Baldwin he described a Jason Baldwin that lived in west that was not his friend Jason Baldwin. He claimed that the other was mean and that he had been known to kill snakes which he claimed was just for the “hell” of killing. This Jason was described as being about 5'9" tall, 18 years old, and 300 pounds. He stated that he thought Jason was known to smoke dope but, he was not queer.
Damien stated that he knew LG Hollingsworth through Domini. He thought that LG was a relative by marriage. He stated that LG was kind of weird in that on one occasion he wanted to trade girl friends with Damien for a night.
Damien stated that he felt that it was probably one person because if it were more than one person somebody would probably tell about it sooner or later. He said that there would be a fear of squealing by one of the person in the act if it were more than one person.
When asked if the water had any type of meaning in the Wicca or black magic, Damien stated that water was a demon type symbolism and that all people have a demonic force. He further stated that people have control over the demonic force in them.
When asked about how he thought the person felt that had done the homicides, he stated that the person probably felt good about what he had done and that he felt good that he had the power to do what he had done.
When asked why he thought the victims were so young, he stated that the younger the victim then the more innocent the victim would be. That in turn meant that the more innocent the victim would be the more power that the person would have gotten from the sacrifice.
Damien went further to explain that in his Wicca religion he knew that evil done comes back three times. He stated that meant that any evil done by a person would be rewarded by the person doing the deed having three times the evil done to him in revenge.
Damien stated that his favorite book of the Bible was that of Revelations because of the stories in it about what was being done by the Devil and the suffering done by people at the hands of the Devil.
Damien stated that he figured that the killer knew the kids went into the woods and even asked them to come out to the woods. He stated that the boys were not big, not smart, and they would have been easy to control. He also felt the killer would not have been worried about the boys screaming due to it being in the woods and close to the expressway. He further stated that the killer probably wanted to hear the screaming.
Damien mentioned that he thought that it was scary that we were doing psychological profiles and that he was on an antidepressant that he said was Amipromin.
When asked what he thought the person who killed the boys was feeling now, Damien stated that the person probably thought it was funny and that he didn’t care whether or not he got caught.
When asked what kinds of items we should be searching for, he stated that we should be looking for stones in the area, candles, a knife, and some type of crystals.
Damien was asked what kind of cigarettes he was smoking and he stated that he smoked the cheapest brand that he could find.
Damien stated that he felt the murderer would be someone local and that the person would not flee from the area.
Damien was asked about his sex life and he stated that he now thought sex was boring.
It was noted that Damien had the tattoo of “E”, “V”, “I”, and “L” across his left knuckles and he stated that Jason Baldwin had the same tattoo on his knuckles.
Damien was asked if he would submit to having hair samples taken and blood samples. He stated that he did not object to the samples being taken. It was further asked if he would be willing to take a polygraph examination if one could be scheduled and he again stated that he would take the test.
Lt. Sudbury then left the room and attempted to set up a polygraph examination to determine if he was being truthful in his statements. I asked Damien if he considered himself to be intelligent at which time he stated that he thought he was very intelligent. He stated that he dropped out of school but that he was self taught and that he was very smart and more intelligent than most people.
Lt. Sudbury had asked questions throughout the interview that he had listed. Lt. Sudbury kept notes himself as to the answers that Damien had given to his questions.
Notes from Sudbury report concerning urinating in the mouth at this time Damien was turned over to Detective Durham for a polygraph examination.
After a time, Detective Durham came and met with me and other officers and reported that Damien had been untruthful and according to the polygraph was involved in the murders. It was determined at this time Detective Durham and Lt. Sudbury would continue the interrogation that had begun when it was discovered that he was being untruthful.15
A full record of the polygraph report is included below:
West Memphis police department p. 93-0021
Polygraph report
To: Det. Ridge date of exam may 10,1993
Complainant number case file number 93-05-0666
Subject: Damien Wayne Echols SSN. ***-**-****
Purpose of examination
Homicide investigation
Remarks:
In the pretest interview, the subject denied having been in Robin Hood Hills on Wednesday, May 5, 1993. He denied being present when the victims were killed and denied having killed any of the victims. He also said he did not know who killed the three victims.
A ten question polygraph test was formulated and three polygraph charts were conducted. The test contained the following relevant questions:
Q.#3. At any time Wednesday or Wednesday night, were you in Robin Hood Hills? "NO"
Q.#5. Were you present when those boys were killed? "NO"
Q.#7. Did you kill any of those three boys? "NO"
Q.#9. Do you know who killed those three boys? "NO"
Q.#10. Do you suspect anyone of having killed those three boys? "NO"
It is the opinion of this polygraph examiner that this subject recorded significant responses indicative of deception when he answered the above listed relevant questions in the manner noted.
Conclusion: Deception Indicated
In the post test interview, the subject
denied any involvement in this crime. After approximately forty-five minutes, I asked the subject what was he afraid of? He replied: "the electric chair." He then said that he liked the hospital in Little Rock. (He said he had been treated there for manic-depression) after a short period of time, the subject ceased to deny his involvement. (admission through absence of denial) he then said: "I will tell you all about it if you will let me talk to my mother." Detective Ridge brought his mother in to my office to talk to him. After talking to his mother, he again denied being involved in the murders. After approximately twenty minutes, I asked: "Your'e never going to tell anyone about this but your doctor, are you?" he replied: "No"16
MAY 10th, 1993
Christopher Douglas Littrell
Police Statement
Christopher Douglas Littrell, a student in the eleventh grade at West Memphis High School and an acquaintance of Damien Echols, was asked to take a polygraph at the police department. He provided information to Detective Ridge that confirmed he was at the First Baptist Church from about 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on the night of the murders and was removed from suspicion by the West Memphis Police.17
On May 10, West Memphis police brought Narlene Hollingsworth to the station. She and her family witnessed Damien walking near the scene of the crime on a service, or access, road. I have excerpted a portion of the interview with the police below. The actual transcript, as with other transcripts in this book, are in a separate font.
MAY 10th, 1993
Narlene Hollingsworth
Police Statement
This is Det. Dabbs and Lt. Diane Hester. This is Monday, May 10th, 1993:
NARLENE: Okay, I got ready to go, and my husband went with me and my children were too. And, on our way, coming do[wn] like you’re going to Love’s, I saw Dominic [Domini] and Damia[n] coming down the street.
DABBS: What time was this?
NARLENE: This was exactly 20 minutes til 10, exactly, cause w[e] had our watches and we knew what time it was. Okay they had dark clothing on and they were not cleaned.
DABBS: You said at one time that they were muddy all over.
NARLENE: They did have dirt on them, yes they did, now.
HESTER: Now, which way were they walking?
NARLENE: They was coming back towards Lakeshore, this way....
NARLENE: So, that I could get a good look at them, to see who they were, yes I did. And I said, that’s Dominic and Damien, no don’t look like, it is and I got a good close look and said, it sure is.
HESTER: Alright, these people are known to you, is that corre[ct].
NARLENE: Ma’am.
HESTER: These people are known to you, Dominic and Damien?
NARLENE: Yes, I see them all the time.
HESTER: How long have you known them?
NARLENE: Well, I don’t really know Damien, cause I don’t go around him from all the bad things that I hear about him, but therefore, I don’t let my children go around him and Dominic, I’ve known her all of her life. Cause I use to hold her on my hip when she was six months old baby.
DABBS: You did advise that she lives behind trailer there?
NARLENE: Yes, she does.
DABBS: At his time?
NARLENE: She lives in my sister’s trailer, Pamela Hollingsworth.
DABBS: Okay, what did you do then, right after you saw them?
NARLENE: Well, I was upset about it, for them being out that late and around that area, but you know I was wondering what they were doing out at that time of the night. My husband told me to quit worrying about it, cause they are out all the time. He said that he sees them all the time. So, he told me to quit worrying about it. So, then when I talked to Dixie Hollingsworth, I got to the laundry mat, she said that L. G. Hollingsworth had just left from there in some car. And, I said uh, that’s funny, she said that it i[s] and she never did say why, and I thought it was funny, but I thought that he had just left from there and they were coming down the street. So, then when I talked to Dixie about it, I told Dixie what I had seen and she said, yeah that is kinda odd. I said, yeah it is, I said Dixie, those little children and later on they found out that they were dead, I said Dixie that’s kinda odd for them to be out that time of night and those little kids were dead, don’t you think, she said yes I do, yes I do. I said, let me ask you something, I said since you know Damien better than me, do you think that he’s capable of anything like that and she said, yes, I do. She said because he’s in with the devil.
HESTER: Okay, so the next day, what time the next day did you find out?
NARLENE: It was late, well, when I came back over in this area, again Thursday, because I promise L.G. that I would take him to work, cause he didn’t have no way but me, okay, when I come back down the street, I seen a white car that belonged to a policeman or an undercover car, you know and they were two others out there too, and there was a crowd of people gathered around and I said, that’s unusual.
HESTER: You’re talking about right here on the corner.
NARLENE: Right down here.
HESTER: The corner of Barton and 14th.
NARLENE: I said, that something bad has happened, I just know it And uh, L. G. was in the car.
HESTER: About what time a day was this?
NARLENE: Uh, let’s see, it was uh, well, he had to be at work about 10:00 o’clock.
HESTER: 10:00 o’clock in the morning?
NARLENE: Right.
HESTER: Okay.
NARLENE: Cause they were all gathered up there and I didn’t know what was going on, so I went on down there and L. G. was saying, get me on to work. So, anyway I went on and got him on to work, so then later on that day, he got off early.
HESTER: What time?
NARLENE: I don’t know. I know he come to my house about 2:40 or a quarter to three and I thought that he would be working a little later than that on Wednesday, but anyway my kids started hollering about those kids, you know, uh.
HESTER: So, this was after school sometime?
NARLENE: Yeah, yeah it was definitely after school, cause my kids had already made it home.
HESTER: Alright.
NARLENE: Okay, and the kids said, that later on that night, he came over there in a yellow car with some boxes in them, now what was in the boxes I don’t know. The kids said that the box was about this big and some thing like this and they didn’t know what was in the box, but he said, don’t look at it, don’t touch it, don’t step on it or I’ll hurt you.
HESTER: Okay, so she showed.
DABBS: What’s his name?
HESTER: She showed about the size of a shoe box, the width of a shoe box.
NARLENE: No, I think that it’s a little wider than a shoe box.
HESTER: Okay, wider than a shoe box, okay. And the kids were in the car with L. G.?
NARLENE: No, they were out there around the car.
DABBS: Damien them.
HESTER: Okay, and what did your children tell you about the box?
NARLENE: [BLANK]
HESTER: Okay, anything else.
NARLENE: Well, I talked to my sister in law after that and she went over to their house to L. G.’s house and she said that they were whispering and shaking their heads, I said, Debra, I got a funny feeling about that field and she said , I do too.
HESTER: When was this that she was over there?
NARLENE: I don’t know, I think it was last night, she said that they were there whispering around and acting all funny.
HESTER: Alright, when she said they, who does she mean?
NARLENE: She meant the mommy, the daddy and the son, she said I don’t know what’s going on over there and she said, they are making me nervous, she’s a Christian girl, she said and I got out of there, I said yeah, I get bad feelings around them too. And, I’ll tell you something, I would take up for my kids when I’ve known that they have done something, cause ain’t no telling what they would do. I don’t know what L. G. is capable of, and I am not saying that he would do it, and I am not
saying that he wouldn’t, but I know Damien. Everybody said that Damien, I know that he’s suppose to have 666 on his shoes.
HESTER: And your husband and your children saw him and Dominic [Domini] both.
NARLENE: Yes, aint no way they missed that.
HESTER: And, where is your husband now?
NARLENE: He’s at Davis’ Tire Shop.
HESTER: Davis’ Tire Shop.
DABBS: And that’s in Memphis?
NARLENE: Right.
HESTER: What’s the phone number?
NARLENE: 366-1134.
HESTER: And what’s his name?