In 1996, Linda and film producer Patrick Matrisciana released the documentary, Obstruction of Justice: The Mena Connection, which detailed the botched investigation into the murders. They have spent many hours at the spot where they were killed, wondering how it could have happened. Eugene Hasenfus, who flew for the CIA, was the sole survivor of the crash, out of four men. So when I saw that there was a movie filming called Mena, starring Tom Cruise, I was shocked. The general public remained ignorant of many of the facts until long after the fact when the record was researched by people such as Leveritt. The plane was ultimately sold to a company after Seal died that had connections to the CIA and was shot down soon afterwards. True story of a parents passion to find justice for their sons killed on the rail tracks going by a typical small town, near the Metroplex of Little Rock. I grew up listening to the stories my mom told me of her two friends who were run over by a train 29 years ago. If this Arkansas murder tale weren't a true-crime thriller by an established investigative journalist, it would be too crazy, complicated and bizarre to believe. Her approach is one of scrupulous reporting and lively narrative. However, her intimation, in the epilog, of an ongoing, large-scale conspiracy is open to question. However, Linda and her attorney did not find anything in the documents related to the murders. When police officer Danny Allen stopped to question him, the man opened fire. Thanks for sharing the real word, this cant rest until solved. Hassle free customer service through Amazon. I hope and pray all the families who have been affected by these crimes and cover-ups will get justice someday. Even though the judges overturned the ruling of defamation, they were critical of the film in their ruling, saying it blurred the lines between fact and fiction. Sentenced to ten years in prison, Seal pulled some strings and met with two members of Vice President George Bushs drug task force. The cocaine aspect of Iran/Contra wasnt publicly well known until Gary Webbs Dark Alliance series was published in 1996 Even though AP reporters Robert Parry and Brian Barger, first broke the Contra-Cocaine-association story in December 1985, the press and the networks refused to put the story out and it was ignored, although it was thanks to their reporting that the Kerry Committee was formed sadly to no avail though(even though Kerry DID uncover quite a lot of evidence). Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. My primary frustration with the book is that there is no resolution, no one is identified as the culprit. Kevin and Don set off to go spotlighting, a form of night hunting which is illegal in Arkansas. [3] Linda Ives, the mother of Kevin Ives, stated that her interest for participating was solving the mystery of her son's death, and was concerned her comments were used for political purposes. Paula Jones, who appeared in the film accusing Clinton of harassing her, sued the president for sexual harassment. The upcoming Tom Cruise movie, American Made, was originally scheduled to be called Mena, but for some reason hmmm they changed the name. is the story of a parent's worst nightmare, a quiet woman's confrontation with a world of murder, drugs, and corruption, where legitimate authority is mocked and the public trust is trampled. Hasenfus was captured by the Sandinistas and confessed to them that the CIA was providing the Contras with weapons to fight the Sandinistas. The boys had reportedly left home about midnight to go hunting. The others I believe were there are Keith Mckaskle, Larry Roushall, Sharline Wilson, narcotics detective kirk Lane, narcotics detective Jay Campbell, and deputy Danny Allen. Jay Campbell and Kirk Lane vs. Citizens for an Honest Government, Inc. By all accounts, Kevin and Don were typical teenage boys who both loved to work on their cars and hunt. In the early hours of August 23 rd, 1987, they also died together. The film was produced shortly after Clinton's election to the presidency and provides background on a number of conspiracy theories associated with now former president Bill Clinton. All four of the people on the train who were able to observe the scene prior to the accident stated that the bodies were partially covered by the green tarp. I learned of this book while listening to a true crime podcast and was fascinated by the story. [10] Keith McCaskle, also implicated in the murder,[10] was stabbed to death by an unknown attacker[11] on November 10, 1988. Gary Parks, who appeared in a segment of the film discussing the suspicious circumstances of the death of his father while investigating Clinton's womanizing, admitted he embellished some details in the film, but still believes his father was killed for political reasons. Teenagers Don Henry, 16, and Kevin Ives, 17, popular students who were gearing up for their senior year at Bryant High School, had decided to hang out with a group of friends at a local commuter parking lot, a popular gathering place for teens. Kevin and Dons parents are determined to continue working on and investigating the case until it is solved. Read this book and you will understand why they don't. I finally understood, Duffey wrote in a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal in 1997, To solve the train deaths case would be to expose the crimes of Mena, and no government agent who has come close to doing either has survived professionally.. The ninth case I selected to write about is, "the boys on the tracks.". At the heart of the case are events surrounding the deaths of two young menbest friends Larry . In August of 1987, the bodies of 16-year old Don Henry and 17-year old Kevin Ives were hit by a train in Alexander, Arkansas. The new movie about Barry Seal will most likely be Hollywood nonsense. Just a few months later, on August 24, Kevin's sister, Alicia, passed away at the age of fifty-three. Law Lib., Washington, DC, Award-winning investigative reporter Leveritts debut is a wrecking-ball tale of tragedy, malfeasance, and machine politics that resembles an all-true Arkansas Confidential. Jerry Falwell, who also appears in the film. An optional selection for larger public libraries.APatrick Petit, Catholic Univ. Malak was known for asking police officers what they thought happened to a body, and then he would rule the death the way the officers told him to. He honked, but it was impossible to stop the . The story of betrayal begins locally but quickly expands. Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2021. It is likely that this is a direct result of Barry Seal running drugs out of Mena in the early eighties. Their parents would not accept Dr. Malaks conclusion. Kevin and Don were typical young men who enjoyed working on their cars (a Firebird and a Camaro . SUPERB read. There are many conspiracy theories about this case that say many differnet people are involved or responsible for their deaths. The government was certainly running drugs in '87. I cant believe how much evidence & eyewitnesses there are to this case, yet it gets blocked every time there was any positive movement. He took Curtis spotlight and took his own .22 rifle. Neither of them was moving. After meeting with deputy prosecutor Jean Duffey, who was put in charge of a drug task force for Saline County, Ives was made aware of incriminating information tying Harmon to the murders of Kevin Ives and Don Henry. Your email address will not be published. . These witnesses testimonies could have solved the murders of Kevin and Don, however they were all killed before they had the chance. The president paid Jones $850,000 to settle the case out of court. Mara Leveritt has covered this story since it first broke back in 1987. Police never found a tarp.[4]. Special prosecutor Ken Starr was assigned to investigate a number of incidents mentioned in the film. He is not sure why someone would do that, however. Known as the Fat Man, Seal was said to be smuggling about 1000 pounds of cocaine out of Mena at the height of his career, as reported by the Louisiana Voice. There was a problem loading your book clubs. These witnesses testimonies could have solved the murders of Kevin and Don, however they were all killed before they had the chance. The boys' bodies were terribly mangled. They went to high school and did everything together. I remember when this happened and it was on the newsthen faded. https://prospectiveonline.com/12135/feature/the-murder-of-kevin-ives-and-don-henry/#comment-5199, https://prospectiveonline.com/12135/feature/the-murder-of-kevin-ives-and-don-henry/#comment-5161, https://prospectiveonline.com/12135/feature/the-murder-of-kevin-ives-and-don-henry/#comment-5135, https://prospectiveonline.com/12135/feature/the-murder-of-kevin-ives-and-don-henry/#comment-5132, https://prospectiveonline.com/12135/feature/the-murder-of-kevin-ives-and-don-henry/#comment-5109. The Nicaraguan Contra were essentially the enemies of the Sandinistas. Self (segment "Unexplained Death: Don Henry and Kevin Ives) Getting Started | Contributor Zone . Interestingly, Campbell and Lane were involved in investigating Harmon. And cocaine is still just as easy to get as is was in the mid-1980s almost like once the taps were turned on, they were never shut off. She writes a column in the weekly Arkansas Times and lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. Former Saline County prosecuting attorney Dan Harmon investigated the case and presented evidence to the grand jury. Baz | May 1, 2017 at 5:54 pm. The Boys On The Tracks. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. In 1994 the University of Arkansas named her Arkansas Journalist of the Year. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. However, this never happened, and the federal investigation regarding corruption in Saline County was unexpectedly terminated. Kevin Ives and Don Henry; I'm sure we've got death. Linda wondered, if they were that stoned, how were they able to lie down in identical positions? According to WorldNetDaily, Matrisciana created the Obstruction of Justice documentary to show the connection between the cover-up of Kevin Ives and Don Henrys murder, Mena drug trafficking and Bill Clinton. However, Matrisciana successfully appealed the verdict, which was overturned in 1999. I know in August of 2016, Linda Ives filed another suit under the freedom of information act. Location: Alexander, Arkansas My nephew is Boonie Bearden. Linda at first trusted Harmon, but later came to believe he was involved. Mara Leveritt has covered this story since it first broke back in 1987. That was her immediate reaction to the ruling. One week before the boys died, a man wearing military fatigues was spotted not far from the train tracks. McKaskle then realized that he had told the wrong person, and made his own funeral arrangement. It wasn't until 1990 that we learned the drugs were being dropped by plane. Item may contain remainder marks on outside edges. Seal purchased his own plane, and as a part of the deal with the DEA, he rigged it with a hidden camera. Although she was no longer head of the task force, Duffey and another officer of the task force dug deeper into the train deaths case and eventually brought information to U.S. Attorney Chuck Banks, who promised that they would be able to testify with the information. The Mena Connection. Ives and Duffey helped Pat Matrisciana make the documentary, The Obstruction of Justice.. Almost like, huh? Just sayin. Now, Asa Hutchinson is the governor of Arkansas??? What had caused Kevin and Don to lie side-by-side on the railroad tracks? Teenagers Don Henry, 16, and Kevin Ives, 17, popular students who were gearing up for their senior year at Bryant High School, had decided to hang out with a group of friends at a local commuter parking lot, a popular gathering place for teens. The train was over a mile long and was traveling at a speed of . In October 1997, prosecutors brought more drug charges against Harmon, and he was sentenced to three years in prison, for a total of more than 11 years. On August 23, 1987, the bodies of 16-year-old Don Henry and 17-year-old Kevin Ives were hit by a freight train in Alexander, Arkansas, United States, as they were laying on the tracks. Mena, Arkansas, Bill Clinton, Don Henry, Kevin Ives, Cocaine, Drugs, CIA, Conspiracy, MediaGiant Language English. https://www.hellofresh.com/pages/podcast?c=killer80&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=cpm&utm_campaign=3020101010&utm_term=killer80Ano. [4] The fact checking site TruthOrFiction.com states that "There is no credible evidence that any of the deaths is related or can be attributed to Bill Clinton". After facing all of these drug charges, it may not be so far-fetched that he was at the tracks when Ives and Henry were murdered. They were best friends and popular seniors at Bryant High School. The death of a child is bad enough. His behavior had aroused suspicion. Neither Kevin nor Don owned such a tarp. The two left around midnight to go back to Dons house. Heres a documentary that is LOADED with footage, documents, info etc, about what happened to Kevin Ives and Don Henry, and the following cover-up of their murders, right up to the latest news about their story in August 2016. I ordered the book immediately and devoured it over the course of about 2 weeks. However, I came to find them helpful in feeling Linda's utter frustration with trying to crack the veneer of corruption of the good ol' boys network in Arkansas. A powerful story reminiscent of A Civil Action and Not Without My Daughter, The Boys on the Tracks is destined to become one of the most powerful works published in 1999. ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. The story of Barry Seal reveals that the CIA, DEA and State Department have each been implicated in various drug trafficking operations that were used to illegally supply countries with weapons internationally. In the months that followed, Ives's world darkened even more as she gradually came to understand that the very officials she turned to for help could not, or would not, solve the murders. A second autopsy revealed that Don Henry had been stabbed in the back and Kevin Ives' skull had been crushed prior to being run over. In the meeting, according to Spartacus Educational, Seal promised that the Medellin Cartel he ran for made a deal with the Marxist Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The Railroad Tracks (Documentary) m.youtube comment sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment The boys bodies were found in a drop location for drugs that were being flown out of Mena known to the pilots as A1. It is also known as the "Boys on the Tracks" case. These cases are either quickly closed or still under investigation. The action grips readers from the beginning, with the death of two teenagers, Don Henry and Kevin Ives, told from the perspective of the train engineers who accidentally ran over the boys' bodies. Ive been to Mena one time to go hiking with my dad. Three hours later, Stephen Shroyers locomotive came speeding down Bryant Hill. GoreGirl89 1 yr. ago. At first, police believed that the boys had died after smoking . The death of a child is bad enough. As a result, the families were not able to move forward with their investigation. It is not known if the boys were Kevin and Don. They denied any involvement in the case and sued Matrisciana and his film company for defamation, and the judge awarded them $USD598,750. Linda Ives, mother of the victim Kevin Ives, has devoted her life to finding out the truth behind her sons murder. Matrisciana created the Obstruction of Justice documentary to show the connection between the cover-up of Kevin Ives and Don Henrys murder, Mena drug trafficking and Bill Clinton. [citation needed]. On June 3, 2021, Linda passed away at the age of seventy-one. It also looked into an alleged drug ring in Saline County which ran out of Mena Airport and was covered up by police. However, their bodies were found along train tracks in Alexander, Arkansas, approximately 120 miles (190km) to the east of Mena. But their bodies were suspiciously neatly arranged on the train tracks. Keith McKaskle, who was allegedly at the tracks by Sharlene Wilson on Aug. 23, 1987, turned in information he had to Deputy prosecutor Richard Garrett, who was Dan Harmons partner. So many times I would drive up to see him out there almost stroking it for lack of a better word:)) I also loved to see him put the tops back on after arriving home and he would lean over and look into the side mirror and comb his hair which had been blown from the T tops being down.\"Link to the full Q and A - https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/6fx50w/murder_on_the_tracks_kevin_ives_don_henry_linda/?sort=new***UPDATE/CORRECTION*** on the information in the movie, about Linda Ives not knowing about the existence of Sharline Wilson's confession letter until 2015. June 13, 2020 - Latest Upload: Murder On The Tracks The Billy Jack Haynes Storyhttps://youtu.be/utCKt6GYmBkDec 20 2019 Upload: American Re-Made - The Real Story of Barry Sealhttps://youtu.be/TFzPAbDp1lMAmerican Re-Made is technically a Prequel to the Murder On The Tracks series.Murder on the Tracks Part 2 - The Story of Kevin Ives and Don Henry Continueshttps://youtu.be/L4E3fjzHoM0Murder on the Tracks UPDATE 2018 - The Story of Kevin Ives and Don Henry Continueshttps://youtu.be/UR_QZ694R18Murder on the Tracks Part 3 - The Sheriffshttps://youtu.be/8UobdAwGYrsMurder On The Tracks: Shorts - Hillary Clinton On Redacted Documentshttps://youtu.be/7xDI4FcLWWgMurder On The Tracks: Shorts - Triangle Of Deathhttps://youtu.be/rflUqTAOB1gMurder On The Tracks - Billy-Jack Haynes Vs. Sharline Wilsonhttps://youtu.be/CpWUifYQv5QClinton Cache - Decades Of Documenteeringhttps://youtu.be/7djSXV1BTUoOn August 23, 1987 teenagers Kevin Ives and Don Henry were brutally murdered and their bodies placed on railroad tracks in an effort to conceal their murders.This is the story of what happened that night, the immediate cover-up which reached the highest levels of government, and the admirable, and still on-going, crusade waged by Kevin's mother, Linda Ives, to get Justice for the murders of Kevin and Don.Part 1 of the \"All For Justice And Justice For All\" series.As Linda is now retired, it is difficult and costly to keep up her fight. Several of these theories date to Clinton's tenure as the governor of Arkansas. Reprinted by permission. Leveritts prose is less than taut, and she too often indulges in repetitive emotional rhetoric regarding the Iveses loss. The deaths were initially ruled an accident as a result of the boys sleeping on the tracks due to marijuana intoxication. The case to this very day is still unsolved and no arrest. Murder On The Tracks The Story of Kevin Ives and Don Henry (1hr:20mins) As years passed, and more unsolved killings occurred, Ives assembled evidence that the boys had stumbled upon a diffuse conspiracy involving CIA-backed air suppliers to the Contras, who ran an enormous cocaine-trafficking operation from a remote airport. At the time, President Ronald Reagan was paranoid about another communist government rising in the western hemisphere, so Seals information was music to Reagans ears. By then, it was almost 1AM. He does not believe that anyone could sleep through that kind of noise. [1], The movie helped perpetuate the Clinton body count conspiracy theory about a list of associates Clinton was purported to have had killed. Greg Collins was supposed to testify in front of a grand jury for Ives and Henry, but was shot in the head before he had the chance. The apparent murder in Saline County in 1987 of seventeen-year-old Kevin Ives and sixteen-year-old Don Henry has spurred ongoing controversy, including conspiracy theories tying their deaths to a drug-smuggling scandal. I read this book years ago when it first came out. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Clinton also denied ever speaking with Black when confronted about it. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges. (Nov.), This book documents a long and tangled criminal investigation that began in 1987, when Linda Ives's teenage son and his friend were killed by a train near Little Rock, AR. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The story of betrayal begins locally but quickly expands. When recalling the accident to local authorities, all the members of the train crew observed a tarp covering the bodies before they were run over. In the documentary, two veteran sheriff's deputies, Jay Campbell and Kirk Lane, were alleged to be the killers. Hollenbeck and Thompson were willing participants in Harmons smear campaign against me and my task force, and neither reporter bothered to verify anything Harmon said; they just printed it lie after lie, article after article even when they knew Harmon was lying.. According to IMDB, Cruise plays Barry Seal, a notorious drug runner of the eighties. Kevins father, Larry, could not believe that his son was knocked out on marijuana or into any kind of heavy drugs. Real Names: Larry Kevin Ives and Donald George Henry Nicknames: Kevin (Larry); Don (Donald) Location: Alexander, Arkansas Date: August 23, 1987 Details: In the pre-dawn hours of August 23, 1987, a seventy-five car, 6,000 ton Union Pacific cargo train made its regular night run to the UP freight yard in North Little Rock, Arkansas. They were lying motionless on the tracks, in a position nearly identical to Kevin and Dons. The Fat Man was arrested in Florida in 1984 for money laundering and smuggling quaaludes. Ives said that there was a possibility that Harmon was dealing drugs, but she was sure he had intentions of helping her find out what happened to her son. Special Bulletin: Wanted: Jose Blandon. There are many people that know, in my opinion, especially within the FBI.\"Q - \"Can you share your favorite memory you have of Kevin?\"Linda - \"Kevin was so in love with his car which was a 1983 blue camaro with T tops. Man Claims to Have Seen "Boys on the Tracks" Murders", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Clinton_Chronicles&oldid=1140842400, Having affairs with or harassing numerous women, Murdering witnesses to the Mena drug smuggling operation. These relationships began to tie the murders to something larger than just a homicide. I lived in Little Rock when the events described in Mara Leveritt's "The Boys on the Track" were unfolding. She merely fleshes out the context and explores all the leads in all their various directions. However, he repeatedly received resistance from authorities, who seemed unwilling to cooperate or change their opinions about the case. He stated he had flown that \"route\" a number of times and we were able to corroborate geographical information he provided.\"Q - \"Do you think any other state officials or officials in the federal government know the truth about your son's death and are staying silent about it for some reason? Don was a natural comedian and Kevin was his best audience. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. If you want a window into the corruption of our government at the state and federal levels, read this book. Matrisciana was a video journalist who also filmed The Clinton Chronicles in the early 90s. Six weeks after the investigation was reopened, Garrett came up with a strangely similar case. The train's crew reported the incident to railroad and law enforcement authorities. Unfortunately no justice was done for the boys as there was corruption in high places. However, no suspects were identified. Date: August 23, 1987. The cartel gave a cut of their drug profits to the Sandinistas, members of the socialist Nicaraguan political organization and militarily opposed by the US, so they could access a Managuan airstrip to run drugs. A must read if you care about justice for the innocent. 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In Hogden, Oklahoma, just 200 miles west of Little Rock, two young men, Billy Hainline and Dennis Decker, lying together on the railroad tracks had been run over by a locomotive in 1984. I respect the mother's quest for justice and her investigation. Malak, in fact, had direct ties to Jocelyn Elders, who was the head of the state health department, and Bill Clinton, who was governor at the time.
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