This site is dedicated to my mom, Linda Edwards. Her nickname is Catfish.
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
She was murdered in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where several public servants plead the fifth and retained their jobs. The accused allegedly said, “If I go down, you all go down!” In a police interview Thurman said “They (Arkansas State Police) could find out the hard way what happened to Linda Edwards.” No one was ever convicted for this murder. This case is still open. This is actually a double homicide although the laws at that point in time did not reflect a double homicide—only a single victim. She was five months pregnant with Thurman Abernathy’s child.
That is not hearsay. I was in the car with my Mother in front of Piggly Wiggly’s (facing south) when she and Thurman (in his patrol car facing north) were arguing about it. In fact, I’m the one who interrupted the argument between them that day. I heard Mom scream at Thurman that this baby has as much right to live as any other child. I asked my Mom if she was going to have a baby. Thurman then shined the police car’s spotlight in my face trying to distract me from what was happening. Maybe I should have just let them finish the argument then. Maybe she would still be alive.
Within the past six months a letter from my Mother to Kathy Owens (Lefevere) was sent to me. You may read the hand written letter or the typed version here.
This letter seems to substantiate a lot of the “hearsay” and lies that the accused told. However, the Supreme Court decision never makes mention of this letter. Interesting.
FOI Denial
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
I am being denied access to my Mother’s case file. We have been wanting to review the file with our investigator and have been denied access due to the fact that the case is “open and being actively worked”. Of course this 31-year old murder case is their top priority. Bull Dingle Berries (just an expression of my First Right’s amendment here). I mean, after all, they get to plead the fifth and even retain their jobs. So why can’t I express my rights? Read the newspaper clippings if you don’t believe me. Don’t blame me for saying it. I’m just repeating known information.
In addition, I do not understand why they will not do DNA testing on the blood samples from the crime scene or any other evidence that they already have in their possession. Per their report, they have retained some samples. Oh, yeah, it’s because they are on top of it after 31 years. It’s hard to imagine that they wouldn’t allow TV channel A&E’s Cold Case Files to step in and pay the exhumation/DNA expenses in exchange for reviewing the case file and producing a segment on this crime. ASP/Hot Spring County Prosecutor’s only excuse is that this case is “actively being worked”. In fact, they have stated they have developed new leads. It is hard to imagine that after almost 31 years that this is an active case and that the police are spending time working it. To my knowledge, the new leads they have were generated by articles and letters from me and other people who knew my mother.
Extremely Grateful
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
Thank you Uncle Tony, former Garland County Sheriff Leon Barlow, ASP’s Captain Mike Fletcher and many others for all of your hard work and the sacrifices that you have made.
Mara Leveritt Weighs In
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
Thank you to Mara Leveritt. The article is now in the Arkansas Times. Mara has written a couple of books on some other Arkansas murder cases that are noted on her site. In fact, a couple of the characters in the book “The Boys on the Track” is/was involved in my mom’s murder case. (Richard Garrett and Dan Harmon respectively). Read Here
Desk Prompts Memories
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
This desk was between Hot Springs Police Officer Charlie Evans and me the day he came over to our house on Clairmont. The same day my mother told him she was pregnant with Thurman’s baby. This is important to me because, he has made two different statements and then plead the fifth. One statement was he was only at our house a couple of times for supper and the other statement he made was he had NEVER been to our house.
Free Speech, Free Press?
Note: Original Post Date 07-2007
If any of you are wondering why I am not hitting up the Democrat-Gazette, please read here. I tried. The letter they denied was essentially the same one that ran in The Sentinel-Record. Only two words in the original letter were changed. Thank you Ms. Melinda Gassaway.
New Proposed Legislation?
I received an interesting email on 8-4-2009
To Whom This May Concern:
Please contact Ron Bartels, Ph.D. with http://Justicetimes.com who is working Arkansas Cold Case files with me. His number is 501-205-2686 and his email is ron@justicetimes.com and he is an investigative reporter who likes to take on crooked cops.
We are joining together to go to the Arkansas Legislature to change the way cold cases are handled here. For example, in Faulkner County, the sheriff, Karl Byrd is refusing to send evidence, recovered by the FBI ERT to the Arkansas Crime Lab for DNA analysis in the Pamela Faye Felkins Case. The prosecutor is refusing to issue a warrant ordering the sheriff to send the evidence to the crime lab. Sheriff Byrd has ordered the FBI and the ASP to stay out of the case as he currently has the right to do under Arkansas law.
That is why, even though I am retired from the Arkansas State Police, I have decided to run Byrd out of office and order the evidence sent to the Arkansas Crime Lab for DNA analysis. The reason certain case are not solved here in Arkansas is plain to see. Cases are too easy to cover up. The former 20th Judicial District Prosecutor is also from Faulkner County and is now at the state level where he can continue the cover ups. This is a war between good cops and bad cops and innocent people are being caught in the middle.
The Arkansas Attorney General is friends with both prosecutors and while we are not certain he would continue the cover-up to protect his friends, we are not certain he is all that interested in seeing justice done in these cases. There are many cases like these here in Arkansas so we would welcome working with you on your case as well.
Justice Jerry L. Roberts, Sgt. ASP Retired
Website: http://Justicetimes.com
Office: 501-205-2686
