1 00:00:08,285 --> 00:00:09,205 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:12,765 --> 00:00:16,965 Speaker 2: On September ninth, twenty twenty four, searchers on a property 3 00:00:17,005 --> 00:00:20,925 Speaker 2: in Madison County in the area of Kingston, Arkansas, found 4 00:00:20,965 --> 00:00:24,525 Speaker 2: female body parts. My source tells me that they found 5 00:00:24,525 --> 00:00:28,925 Speaker 2: remains belonging to the same woman, including her torso elsewhere 6 00:00:28,925 --> 00:00:29,565 Speaker 2: on the property. 7 00:00:30,445 --> 00:00:32,085 Speaker 1: Police have shared. 8 00:00:31,845 --> 00:00:36,525 Speaker 2: Almost no information about this investigation, and while Sheriff Ronnie 9 00:00:36,525 --> 00:00:40,445 Speaker 2: Boyd at the Madison County Sheriff's Department has publicly denied this, 10 00:00:41,285 --> 00:00:44,365 Speaker 2: some people in Madison County think that this body was 11 00:00:44,405 --> 00:00:48,965 Speaker 2: discovered while the police were searching for Jason Lyrel. We 12 00:00:49,005 --> 00:00:52,485 Speaker 2: did several episodes about that case. Forty one year old 13 00:00:52,525 --> 00:00:56,325 Speaker 2: Jason Lerell was going through a divorce. His fourteen year 14 00:00:56,365 --> 00:01:00,845 Speaker 2: relationship with his wife, Jamaica, had deteriorated. Jason had had 15 00:01:00,885 --> 00:01:04,765 Speaker 2: issues with drugs in the past, and then sometime around 16 00:01:04,845 --> 00:01:08,165 Speaker 2: the winner of teawenty twenty two, it seems he relapsed. 17 00:01:09,405 --> 00:01:13,805 Speaker 2: In January of twenty twenty two, Jason Lerel was visiting friends. 18 00:01:13,445 --> 00:01:14,365 Speaker 1: In Madison County. 19 00:01:15,005 --> 00:01:19,045 Speaker 2: He was last seen at various residences in Huntsville, and 20 00:01:19,085 --> 00:01:23,365 Speaker 2: then Jason disappeared. His abandoned car was found in the 21 00:01:23,405 --> 00:01:27,205 Speaker 2: parking lot of a mall in Fayette, Arkansas. His car, keys, 22 00:01:27,285 --> 00:01:30,285 Speaker 2: his motorcycle, and a lot of his other belongings were 23 00:01:30,325 --> 00:01:35,965 Speaker 2: found in different places in Arkansas and in Missouri. Jason 24 00:01:36,205 --> 00:01:40,965 Speaker 2: Lyrell was never seen alive again, which has had a 25 00:01:41,125 --> 00:01:45,085 Speaker 2: lot of people asking what's going on in Madison County 26 00:01:45,645 --> 00:01:48,885 Speaker 2: and if there could be a killer, maybe even a 27 00:01:48,925 --> 00:01:53,565 Speaker 2: serial killer on the loose. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the 28 00:01:53,605 --> 00:01:57,245 Speaker 2: past five years of making my true crime podcast, Helling Gone, 29 00:01:57,445 --> 00:01:59,805 Speaker 2: I've learned that there is no such thing as a 30 00:01:59,845 --> 00:02:04,205 Speaker 2: small town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds 31 00:02:04,245 --> 00:02:07,525 Speaker 2: of messages from people all around the country asking for 32 00:02:07,565 --> 00:02:10,685 Speaker 2: help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, 33 00:02:10,965 --> 00:02:11,885 Speaker 2: and their communities. 34 00:02:12,605 --> 00:02:14,445 Speaker 1: If you have a case you'd like me and my. 35 00:02:14,405 --> 00:02:16,765 Speaker 2: Team to look into, you can reach out to us 36 00:02:16,805 --> 00:02:19,325 Speaker 2: at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six seven eight 37 00:02:19,605 --> 00:02:23,205 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five. That's six seven 38 00:02:23,285 --> 00:02:27,725 Speaker 2: eight seven four four six one four five, or you 39 00:02:27,725 --> 00:02:31,405 Speaker 2: can send us a message on Instagram at Hell and gonepod. 40 00:02:32,365 --> 00:03:24,485 Speaker 2: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. When police found the 41 00:03:24,525 --> 00:03:27,765 Speaker 2: remains in a field by a rural residence in Kingston, 42 00:03:28,365 --> 00:03:31,885 Speaker 2: my sources said they were shocked to discover that those 43 00:03:31,925 --> 00:03:36,845 Speaker 2: remains were not Jason Lyrell's. Instead, they found the body 44 00:03:36,885 --> 00:03:40,245 Speaker 2: of a young woman. They figured out that that woman 45 00:03:40,365 --> 00:03:43,125 Speaker 2: was thirty year old Taylor Barksdale, who had been living 46 00:03:43,165 --> 00:03:47,205 Speaker 2: in Huntsville. A lot of Taylor's life is still a mystery. 47 00:03:47,645 --> 00:03:50,885 Speaker 2: We don't even officially know when she went missing. We 48 00:03:50,925 --> 00:03:53,645 Speaker 2: are trying to piece together what was going on in 49 00:03:53,725 --> 00:03:57,525 Speaker 2: Taylor's life by talking to her family and friends. Taylor 50 00:03:57,605 --> 00:03:59,845 Speaker 2: posted on social media that she worked at the Little 51 00:03:59,925 --> 00:04:02,645 Speaker 2: Rock Airport at one point, but that was about ten 52 00:04:02,765 --> 00:04:06,085 Speaker 2: years ago. In recent years, her family he tells me 53 00:04:06,285 --> 00:04:10,045 Speaker 2: Taylor had become involved with drugs, and also, according to 54 00:04:10,125 --> 00:04:13,445 Speaker 2: her family, the drug use had taken over her life. 55 00:04:13,925 --> 00:04:15,925 Speaker 1: I called Taylor's. 56 00:04:15,485 --> 00:04:20,285 Speaker 3: Aunt, Hello, oh had This is Catherine from Helen Gone. 57 00:04:21,165 --> 00:04:25,085 Speaker 3: Nice to talk to you, which under circumstances I was 58 00:04:25,165 --> 00:04:27,845 Speaker 3: gonna say, I'm so sorry it's under these circumstances, but 59 00:04:27,885 --> 00:04:31,165 Speaker 3: I really do appreciate you talking to me. I appreciate 60 00:04:31,205 --> 00:04:33,165 Speaker 3: you wanting to get involved in SODA's the rest of 61 00:04:33,205 --> 00:04:33,685 Speaker 3: the family. 62 00:04:34,845 --> 00:04:37,205 Speaker 2: The area where Taylor was found was in a very 63 00:04:37,285 --> 00:04:41,045 Speaker 2: rural area of Kingston. Said that a woman she knows 64 00:04:41,085 --> 00:04:44,965 Speaker 2: there lives next door to a property where she alleges 65 00:04:45,045 --> 00:04:49,725 Speaker 2: that people manufacture, deal, and use drugs. Shortly after midnight 66 00:04:49,765 --> 00:04:53,045 Speaker 2: on August fifth, she heard a woman screaming next door, 67 00:04:53,765 --> 00:04:55,645 Speaker 2: so she called nine one one. 68 00:04:56,005 --> 00:05:00,565 Speaker 3: She did not know Taylor, but she had seen Taylor 69 00:05:00,885 --> 00:05:04,565 Speaker 3: the day before, so on August before, she saw Taylor 70 00:05:05,525 --> 00:05:09,805 Speaker 3: on a property next to hers, which is a known 71 00:05:10,885 --> 00:05:16,085 Speaker 3: drug area that drugs for being manufactured there. She has 72 00:05:16,125 --> 00:05:18,605 Speaker 3: tried for three years to get this place shut down 73 00:05:19,485 --> 00:05:23,725 Speaker 3: and no avail, many many calls and many emails and 74 00:05:23,805 --> 00:05:27,045 Speaker 3: texts to the sheriff himself. She had made a nine 75 00:05:27,045 --> 00:05:31,845 Speaker 3: one one call on August the fifth and told them 76 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:36,645 Speaker 3: that she could hear a woman screaming for help and 77 00:05:37,125 --> 00:05:41,245 Speaker 3: that it sounded like she was being raped and tortured 78 00:05:41,525 --> 00:05:45,245 Speaker 3: and or I'm not sure exactly which word, and or tortured. 79 00:05:47,405 --> 00:05:50,205 Speaker 2: Went on to explain that the caller waited all night, 80 00:05:50,885 --> 00:05:53,485 Speaker 2: but no one ever came to the residence. 81 00:05:53,765 --> 00:05:55,645 Speaker 3: And I like, you're going to miss a police car 82 00:05:55,925 --> 00:05:59,525 Speaker 3: coming exact fright road exactly. And if you have ANW 83 00:05:59,605 --> 00:06:03,125 Speaker 3: one one call for a woman screaming for help, you 84 00:06:03,205 --> 00:06:06,845 Speaker 3: should go with life blazing. Of course, it's an emergency, 85 00:06:07,165 --> 00:06:11,045 Speaker 3: I mean absolutely you took an oath to serve and protect. 86 00:06:11,725 --> 00:06:16,725 Speaker 3: So no, it was totally outragious. I mean, it's unbelievable. 87 00:06:16,925 --> 00:06:18,965 Speaker 3: It's so unbelievable. 88 00:06:19,405 --> 00:06:23,165 Speaker 2: As days and weeks passed with no communication from law enforcement, 89 00:06:23,565 --> 00:06:25,445 Speaker 2: the nine to one one caller got more and more 90 00:06:25,485 --> 00:06:29,205 Speaker 2: worried about the young woman, especially once she realized that 91 00:06:29,325 --> 00:06:31,085 Speaker 2: since the day before she made the nine to one 92 00:06:31,165 --> 00:06:34,765 Speaker 2: one call, since August fourth, she had not seen any 93 00:06:34,765 --> 00:06:38,805 Speaker 2: trace of her. So I'm not sure exactly what the 94 00:06:38,805 --> 00:06:42,125 Speaker 2: sequence of events is here. That's something I'm still trying 95 00:06:42,125 --> 00:06:44,605 Speaker 2: to figure out, but it seems like the nine to 96 00:06:44,605 --> 00:06:47,525 Speaker 2: one one caller went on social media and started googling 97 00:06:47,565 --> 00:06:51,525 Speaker 2: missing people in Madison County. Then she saw a photo 98 00:06:51,565 --> 00:06:55,085 Speaker 2: of Taylor Barksdale on an Arkansas missing person's page, and 99 00:06:55,165 --> 00:06:58,445 Speaker 2: the date that Taylor was reported missing there was July twentieth. 100 00:06:59,285 --> 00:07:02,605 Speaker 2: That's when she realized Taylor was the young woman that 101 00:07:02,685 --> 00:07:06,125 Speaker 2: she had seen, and not only that, because this is 102 00:07:06,165 --> 00:07:11,725 Speaker 2: a small town, she knew Taylor's aunt, so on September seventeenth, 103 00:07:12,165 --> 00:07:13,005 Speaker 2: she reached out to. 104 00:07:14,925 --> 00:07:16,645 Speaker 1: At the same time that this was all. 105 00:07:16,485 --> 00:07:19,485 Speaker 2: Going on, there were rumors flying around that a woman's 106 00:07:19,525 --> 00:07:23,205 Speaker 2: body had been found in Madison County, So the newspaper 107 00:07:23,285 --> 00:07:26,645 Speaker 2: was asking the police for comment and doing foy requests. 108 00:07:27,125 --> 00:07:30,165 Speaker 2: This was all happening at the same time. But when 109 00:07:30,245 --> 00:07:33,005 Speaker 2: she talked to police, she said that they did not 110 00:07:33,165 --> 00:07:37,245 Speaker 2: seem overly concerned about Taylor. Believes that they wrote Taylor 111 00:07:37,285 --> 00:07:40,485 Speaker 2: off because she used drugs. Now, as I'm going to 112 00:07:40,525 --> 00:07:43,285 Speaker 2: get into, as we get further into this case, when 113 00:07:43,365 --> 00:07:46,725 Speaker 2: exactly Taylor went missing, who put her on that missing 114 00:07:46,805 --> 00:07:50,165 Speaker 2: person's page, and why she was removed from the missing 115 00:07:50,165 --> 00:07:52,605 Speaker 2: person's page at some point, or just some of the 116 00:07:52,605 --> 00:07:57,165 Speaker 2: many mysteries around this case. Because police are not revealing anything, 117 00:07:58,085 --> 00:08:00,205 Speaker 2: I talked to a source of mine who has spent 118 00:08:00,325 --> 00:08:03,845 Speaker 2: countless hours trying to help Jason Lerell's family with their case. 119 00:08:04,565 --> 00:08:07,125 Speaker 2: He's a former law enforcement officer who has worked in 120 00:08:07,165 --> 00:08:10,405 Speaker 2: Madison County in the past. He knew Jason from high school, 121 00:08:11,005 --> 00:08:13,645 Speaker 2: and he said that he started working on this case 122 00:08:13,725 --> 00:08:17,605 Speaker 2: because he became very disillusioned with how things in Madison 123 00:08:17,645 --> 00:08:21,725 Speaker 2: County were operating. He goes under the pseudonym Jay Brown. 124 00:08:22,525 --> 00:08:24,845 Speaker 2: I reached out to him after I saw his posts 125 00:08:24,885 --> 00:08:28,565 Speaker 2: on the website Jason Lerell Missing Persons that was set 126 00:08:28,645 --> 00:08:30,125 Speaker 2: up by Jason's. 127 00:08:29,685 --> 00:08:31,005 Speaker 1: Sister, Sarah Wood. 128 00:08:32,365 --> 00:08:36,005 Speaker 2: He believes that Jason and Taylor's cases are connected. 129 00:08:36,965 --> 00:08:37,965 Speaker 1: Could he be right? 130 00:08:38,685 --> 00:08:42,205 Speaker 2: And could he also be right about Jason and Taylor's 131 00:08:42,245 --> 00:08:45,645 Speaker 2: deaths being connected to as many as nine other deaths 132 00:08:45,685 --> 00:08:49,445 Speaker 2: in Madison County, all of which he claimed were labeled 133 00:08:49,485 --> 00:08:54,125 Speaker 2: accidental overdoses and never investigated by police. We're going to 134 00:08:54,205 --> 00:08:58,165 Speaker 2: get more into these potential other cases in later episodes, 135 00:08:58,645 --> 00:09:01,685 Speaker 2: but for now, I'll just say that they were all 136 00:09:01,845 --> 00:09:04,605 Speaker 2: people who had a history with drug use. They were 137 00:09:04,645 --> 00:09:08,765 Speaker 2: all found in the same area, and my source claims 138 00:09:08,805 --> 00:09:11,445 Speaker 2: that many of the same people were involved in these cases. 139 00:09:11,445 --> 00:09:15,405 Speaker 2: And he's asking why police don't seem to be prosecuting any. 140 00:09:15,205 --> 00:09:15,805 Speaker 1: Of these people. 141 00:09:16,205 --> 00:09:19,565 Speaker 2: If this is true, if these cases are connected, we 142 00:09:19,685 --> 00:09:22,845 Speaker 2: need to go back to the beginning. We need to 143 00:09:22,885 --> 00:09:30,965 Speaker 2: go back to Jason Lyrell's case. Some people in Madison 144 00:09:30,965 --> 00:09:35,085 Speaker 2: County believe that Taylor Barksdale and Jason Lyrell's deaths are connected. 145 00:09:35,645 --> 00:09:40,245 Speaker 2: So let's reinvestigate what happened to Jason. Remember, we talked 146 00:09:40,245 --> 00:09:43,725 Speaker 2: to Sarah Wood, Jason's sister. She told us that in 147 00:09:43,765 --> 00:09:47,365 Speaker 2: the fall of twenty twenty one, Jason had moved in 148 00:09:47,405 --> 00:09:51,325 Speaker 2: with her into an apartment they shared and fayeateful. Jason 149 00:09:51,365 --> 00:09:54,485 Speaker 2: started spending more and more time with old friends. Sarah 150 00:09:54,525 --> 00:09:56,925 Speaker 2: believed that his friends were a bad influence, so she 151 00:09:57,005 --> 00:09:58,725 Speaker 2: was worried about him, but there wasn't a lot she 152 00:09:58,765 --> 00:10:01,805 Speaker 2: could do. He was with some of these friends on 153 00:10:01,885 --> 00:10:06,165 Speaker 2: January twenty fourth, twenty twenty two, Sarah was leaving town 154 00:10:06,285 --> 00:10:09,845 Speaker 2: for work. She expected Jason back at their apartment because 155 00:10:09,845 --> 00:10:12,325 Speaker 2: he was supposed to dog sit for her, so they 156 00:10:12,325 --> 00:10:15,325 Speaker 2: were texting back and forth. Jason said he was planning 157 00:10:15,325 --> 00:10:17,765 Speaker 2: to be back at the apartment on January twenty fifth, 158 00:10:18,165 --> 00:10:21,605 Speaker 2: but January twenty fifth came and Jason never showed up. 159 00:10:22,885 --> 00:10:25,965 Speaker 2: Sarah did receive some text messages from Jason on the 160 00:10:25,965 --> 00:10:29,845 Speaker 2: twenty fifth, but she told us that for various reasons, 161 00:10:30,325 --> 00:10:33,405 Speaker 2: she does not believe that those texts were sent by Jason. 162 00:10:34,005 --> 00:10:37,405 Speaker 2: She said they were misspelled, they were not written in 163 00:10:37,445 --> 00:10:40,485 Speaker 2: a way that Jason had written his text messages, and 164 00:10:41,325 --> 00:10:45,005 Speaker 2: she believed someone else had access to his phone. The 165 00:10:45,125 --> 00:10:48,765 Speaker 2: last text she got from Jason's phone indicated that he 166 00:10:48,845 --> 00:10:53,485 Speaker 2: was in Hinesville, Arkansas. Then, as we covered in previous episodes, 167 00:10:53,965 --> 00:10:57,445 Speaker 2: Jason's car was found abandoned parked at the Fayetteville Mall. 168 00:10:58,165 --> 00:11:02,405 Speaker 2: The car was out of gas, so the Fayetteville Police 169 00:11:02,445 --> 00:11:04,445 Speaker 2: were in charge of the case for the first few 170 00:11:04,485 --> 00:11:07,565 Speaker 2: days of the investigation. We filed a Foyer request and 171 00:11:07,605 --> 00:11:11,005 Speaker 2: we got access to that police file. In my opinion, 172 00:11:11,045 --> 00:11:15,245 Speaker 2: as I said before, it was very comprehensive. So from 173 00:11:15,245 --> 00:11:19,165 Speaker 2: that police report, we learned that Sarah had started calling 174 00:11:19,205 --> 00:11:22,765 Speaker 2: some of Jason's friends trying to find him. She found 175 00:11:22,765 --> 00:11:25,325 Speaker 2: out that he had been spending time with some friends 176 00:11:25,445 --> 00:11:28,685 Speaker 2: named Randall and Rachel. Apparently he stayed with him for 177 00:11:28,725 --> 00:11:32,005 Speaker 2: a couple days. His Harley Davidson motorcycle was parked there, 178 00:11:32,525 --> 00:11:36,725 Speaker 2: but then he left there on January twenty first, about 179 00:11:36,765 --> 00:11:41,405 Speaker 2: three days before he disappeared. On the twenty first, he 180 00:11:41,485 --> 00:11:45,245 Speaker 2: went over to another friend's house, a woman named Miriam Zulman. 181 00:11:46,445 --> 00:11:50,245 Speaker 2: Miriam lived on a huge property that was owned by 182 00:11:50,245 --> 00:11:54,405 Speaker 2: her family. It spanned over two hundred acres, and Miriam 183 00:11:54,685 --> 00:11:58,925 Speaker 2: actually started speaking out about Jason. She talked to a 184 00:11:58,965 --> 00:12:02,645 Speaker 2: podcast called Helen the Highlands. She posted a very detailed 185 00:12:02,685 --> 00:12:05,685 Speaker 2: timeline of everyone who was at the house and and 186 00:12:06,085 --> 00:12:08,885 Speaker 2: what Jason was doing during those days from her point 187 00:12:08,925 --> 00:12:12,045 Speaker 2: of view. On social media, she said there were several 188 00:12:12,085 --> 00:12:15,085 Speaker 2: people around on that property. There was a guy named 189 00:12:15,125 --> 00:12:18,245 Speaker 2: Aaron and a guy named Don. There were also two 190 00:12:18,285 --> 00:12:21,885 Speaker 2: other people, a couple named Troy and Charity. These were 191 00:12:22,125 --> 00:12:24,485 Speaker 2: Miriam's friends and they had been staying on the property 192 00:12:24,525 --> 00:12:27,685 Speaker 2: for a while. So for the first few days Jason 193 00:12:27,765 --> 00:12:31,725 Speaker 2: was there, Miriam and Jason had a flirtation and they 194 00:12:31,725 --> 00:12:34,045 Speaker 2: were all hanging out together. She admits that they were 195 00:12:34,165 --> 00:12:39,005 Speaker 2: doing drugs and that those drugs included methamphetamine. At one point, though, 196 00:12:39,085 --> 00:12:43,245 Speaker 2: things started to deteriorate. This happened, according to Miriam, after 197 00:12:43,405 --> 00:12:46,325 Speaker 2: Jason and Don left her house together. She said when 198 00:12:46,365 --> 00:12:50,005 Speaker 2: they came back, Jason was acting very strangely, almost like 199 00:12:50,045 --> 00:12:53,845 Speaker 2: something traumatic had happened. She wrote on Facebook that Jason, 200 00:12:53,885 --> 00:12:56,525 Speaker 2: in her opinion, was acting schizophrenic or like he was 201 00:12:56,605 --> 00:13:00,205 Speaker 2: having some sort of mental breakdown. On her timeline, Miriam 202 00:13:00,285 --> 00:13:03,325 Speaker 2: said Jason left her house but then came back on 203 00:13:03,405 --> 00:13:05,445 Speaker 2: January twenty fourth, and that he was there that night. 204 00:13:06,045 --> 00:13:10,325 Speaker 2: She said the next morning, on January twenty fifth, Miriam. 205 00:13:10,005 --> 00:13:11,405 Speaker 1: And Charity went to Missouri. 206 00:13:12,125 --> 00:13:15,045 Speaker 2: Now we went into this a lot in previous episodes 207 00:13:15,085 --> 00:13:17,485 Speaker 2: in much more detail, but just to keep a long 208 00:13:17,525 --> 00:13:21,165 Speaker 2: story short, they met another guy named Moses. They bought 209 00:13:21,165 --> 00:13:24,445 Speaker 2: some meth from him. They got home at dark. Miriam 210 00:13:24,525 --> 00:13:27,125 Speaker 2: was saying the last time she really saw Jason was 211 00:13:27,125 --> 00:13:29,765 Speaker 2: on the night of the twenty fourth. She said that 212 00:13:29,885 --> 00:13:32,725 Speaker 2: Jason spent the night with her on the twenty fourth, 213 00:13:33,405 --> 00:13:35,765 Speaker 2: but then later she seemed to kind of equivocate. She 214 00:13:35,845 --> 00:13:39,045 Speaker 2: said something along the lines of she had an impression 215 00:13:39,125 --> 00:13:41,845 Speaker 2: that Jason was with her. She had felt him next 216 00:13:41,845 --> 00:13:43,605 Speaker 2: to her in the bed, wrapped up in a blanket. 217 00:13:44,645 --> 00:13:47,765 Speaker 2: On the twenty fifth, Miriam said that she left in 218 00:13:47,765 --> 00:13:49,845 Speaker 2: the morning and by the time she got back from 219 00:13:49,845 --> 00:13:54,085 Speaker 2: that outing to Missouri, Don and Jason were gone. Miriam 220 00:13:54,125 --> 00:13:56,845 Speaker 2: said Don texted her at around four pm and said 221 00:13:56,845 --> 00:13:59,485 Speaker 2: that he and Jason had left the house. So by 222 00:13:59,525 --> 00:14:01,965 Speaker 2: the time she got back home from that outing to Missouri, 223 00:14:02,245 --> 00:14:05,845 Speaker 2: Don and Jason were gone. Miriam got another man message 224 00:14:05,885 --> 00:14:08,805 Speaker 2: from Jason's phone. It was a picture of a tree 225 00:14:09,205 --> 00:14:12,405 Speaker 2: and some boots. Now we talked to Sarah who looked 226 00:14:12,405 --> 00:14:15,165 Speaker 2: at that image. She said she did not recognize those 227 00:14:15,205 --> 00:14:19,525 Speaker 2: boots as Jason. She believed someone else took that picture, 228 00:14:20,005 --> 00:14:23,885 Speaker 2: and as we discussed in a previous episode, I believe 229 00:14:24,165 --> 00:14:28,765 Speaker 2: that it looks like someone else who was holding Jason's 230 00:14:28,765 --> 00:14:32,765 Speaker 2: phone took an accidental picture of their own feet, someone 231 00:14:33,205 --> 00:14:35,685 Speaker 2: who potentially was trying to make it seem as though 232 00:14:35,765 --> 00:14:40,645 Speaker 2: Jason was alive when he wasn't. Miriam and Don had 233 00:14:40,685 --> 00:14:44,885 Speaker 2: conflicting stories because, according to the police report, Don told 234 00:14:44,925 --> 00:14:49,685 Speaker 2: the police quote he meaning Don said Miriam told him 235 00:14:49,925 --> 00:14:52,445 Speaker 2: Jason walked away from her residence and was not heard 236 00:14:52,485 --> 00:14:56,285 Speaker 2: from again. So Don told the police Miriam was the 237 00:14:56,365 --> 00:15:00,685 Speaker 2: last person to see Jason. Miriam said that Don left 238 00:15:00,685 --> 00:15:04,485 Speaker 2: with Jason. These are two different stories, and Miriam said 239 00:15:04,525 --> 00:15:07,765 Speaker 2: something else that was potentially very interesting. She said Don 240 00:15:07,885 --> 00:15:12,285 Speaker 2: was bisexual and that she believed Don was sexually interested 241 00:15:12,285 --> 00:15:16,565 Speaker 2: in Jason. She said Don was sexually aggressive with men, 242 00:15:16,765 --> 00:15:21,325 Speaker 2: which Don completely denied. The police talked to Don, and 243 00:15:21,405 --> 00:15:23,645 Speaker 2: Don claimed that he picked Jason up and that they 244 00:15:23,645 --> 00:15:26,525 Speaker 2: went to his house, meaning that they went to Don's 245 00:15:26,525 --> 00:15:30,845 Speaker 2: residence in Huntsville on January twenty fifth. Don said that 246 00:15:30,925 --> 00:15:33,045 Speaker 2: he took a shower and while he was in the bathroom, 247 00:15:33,445 --> 00:15:36,045 Speaker 2: Jason walked out of his house, and Don said he 248 00:15:36,085 --> 00:15:39,565 Speaker 2: had not seen him. Since police issued a search warrant, 249 00:15:39,965 --> 00:15:43,405 Speaker 2: they found some of Jason's clothing at Don's house. Don 250 00:15:43,525 --> 00:15:46,325 Speaker 2: claimed that Jason left his stuff behind, But as I 251 00:15:46,365 --> 00:15:50,565 Speaker 2: said before, I find Don's story totally unbelievable. Why would 252 00:15:50,645 --> 00:15:53,645 Speaker 2: Jason leave any of his clothing behind? And more importantly, 253 00:15:54,325 --> 00:15:57,445 Speaker 2: I question why he would leave his really nice, expensive 254 00:15:57,685 --> 00:16:02,405 Speaker 2: leather bike stuff. His bike was precious to him. I 255 00:16:02,445 --> 00:16:04,565 Speaker 2: don't think that's something he'd leave behind, no matter what 256 00:16:04,605 --> 00:16:11,245 Speaker 2: the circumstance is. So the police did subpoena Jason's phone records. 257 00:16:12,365 --> 00:16:17,045 Speaker 2: Verizon records showed Jason's phone last pinged on January twenty seventh, 258 00:16:17,125 --> 00:16:20,325 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two. This ping was from a cell phone 259 00:16:20,365 --> 00:16:24,605 Speaker 2: tower located on Highway twenty three in Carroll County. So 260 00:16:25,045 --> 00:16:29,125 Speaker 2: this was an area where three counties, Benton County, Carroll County, 261 00:16:29,125 --> 00:16:32,525 Speaker 2: and Madison County all converge, which of course adds another 262 00:16:32,605 --> 00:16:36,285 Speaker 2: layer of complication to this investigation. But the area of 263 00:16:36,325 --> 00:16:39,405 Speaker 2: the ping was close to Don's house and also to 264 00:16:39,485 --> 00:16:42,125 Speaker 2: Miriam's house. These two residences were. 265 00:16:42,005 --> 00:16:43,685 Speaker 1: Not far apart. 266 00:16:44,005 --> 00:16:48,125 Speaker 2: So if Jason walked away from Don's home on January 267 00:16:48,165 --> 00:16:51,125 Speaker 2: twenty fifth and was never seen again, what was going 268 00:16:51,165 --> 00:16:54,125 Speaker 2: on between the twenty fifth and the twenty seventh. If 269 00:16:54,165 --> 00:16:56,525 Speaker 2: something did happen to Jason on the twenty fifth, if 270 00:16:56,525 --> 00:16:59,965 Speaker 2: someone's not telling the truth, who sent those text messages 271 00:17:00,005 --> 00:17:04,725 Speaker 2: from Jason's phone? And if Jason was killed, where is 272 00:17:04,765 --> 00:17:11,685 Speaker 2: his body? According to the police report, police had talked 273 00:17:11,685 --> 00:17:13,565 Speaker 2: to a lot of people and heard a lot of 274 00:17:13,645 --> 00:17:15,845 Speaker 2: theories about what could have happened to Jason Lyrel, and 275 00:17:15,925 --> 00:17:18,605 Speaker 2: those theories include that he was murdered in dumped in 276 00:17:18,645 --> 00:17:22,205 Speaker 2: beaver Lake, that he was burned and buried somewhere on 277 00:17:22,285 --> 00:17:27,445 Speaker 2: Miriam's property or possibly Dons, or that he gave himself 278 00:17:27,485 --> 00:17:31,445 Speaker 2: an accidental lethal hotshot of meth, walked away and froze 279 00:17:31,445 --> 00:17:35,965 Speaker 2: in the woods. As we covered previously, I believe that 280 00:17:36,005 --> 00:17:38,765 Speaker 2: it's very likely that something happened to Jason Lerell. In 281 00:17:38,805 --> 00:17:42,125 Speaker 2: the early morning hours of January twenty fifth. There was 282 00:17:42,165 --> 00:17:45,725 Speaker 2: another guy with Don and Jason and Troy and Charity 283 00:17:45,725 --> 00:17:46,205 Speaker 2: of Miriam. 284 00:17:46,285 --> 00:17:50,685 Speaker 1: His name was Erin. We talked about him before now. 285 00:17:51,085 --> 00:17:54,485 Speaker 2: Miriam said Aaron and Jason were smoking meth together, also 286 00:17:54,525 --> 00:17:58,125 Speaker 2: with Don and her on that first night. Later, Aaron's 287 00:17:58,205 --> 00:18:00,965 Speaker 2: van was stolen. He claims the van was returned to 288 00:18:01,045 --> 00:18:04,565 Speaker 2: him on January twenty fifth. Police went to Aaron's house 289 00:18:05,165 --> 00:18:07,325 Speaker 2: and they found a pile of clothes on the porch. 290 00:18:08,005 --> 00:18:11,245 Speaker 2: Jason's relatives said later that some of those clothes belonged 291 00:18:11,245 --> 00:18:14,805 Speaker 2: to Jason. There was also a blanket for Miriam's house 292 00:18:14,845 --> 00:18:17,005 Speaker 2: that had been on the bed when Jason stayed with her. 293 00:18:17,405 --> 00:18:20,325 Speaker 2: There was reportedly blood on some of these clothes. When 294 00:18:20,365 --> 00:18:23,525 Speaker 2: police asked Aaron where the clothes came from, he told 295 00:18:23,605 --> 00:18:26,365 Speaker 2: police that the clothes had come from the van, the 296 00:18:26,365 --> 00:18:28,285 Speaker 2: one that had been stolen, and he'd gotten back on 297 00:18:28,365 --> 00:18:33,685 Speaker 2: January twenty fifth. So if that's true, that points to 298 00:18:33,725 --> 00:18:36,205 Speaker 2: the crucial point in time, the crucial day in question 299 00:18:36,325 --> 00:18:40,925 Speaker 2: being January twenty fifth, and then for months we have 300 00:18:41,005 --> 00:18:45,765 Speaker 2: had radio silence on Jason Lyrel's case until there were 301 00:18:45,805 --> 00:18:49,885 Speaker 2: reports of a body being found in Madison County. A 302 00:18:49,925 --> 00:18:54,085 Speaker 2: lot of people believed this could be Jason Lerel. After 303 00:18:54,125 --> 00:18:57,685 Speaker 2: the fact, though, the Madison County Sheriff's Department posted an 304 00:18:57,765 --> 00:19:01,885 Speaker 2: update stating that the remains that were found had no 305 00:19:01,925 --> 00:19:05,085 Speaker 2: connection to the Jason Lyrel case. As I said before, 306 00:19:05,125 --> 00:19:08,165 Speaker 2: though a lot of people don't believe that police are 307 00:19:08,205 --> 00:19:11,325 Speaker 2: claiming Taylor Barksdale's death had nothing to do with Jason's. 308 00:19:11,805 --> 00:19:14,085 Speaker 2: My source is telling me that's just not true that 309 00:19:14,205 --> 00:19:19,965 Speaker 2: police absolutely were looking for Jason's remains when they found Taylor's, which, 310 00:19:20,165 --> 00:19:22,725 Speaker 2: if true, would seem to point to the theory that 311 00:19:22,765 --> 00:19:28,125 Speaker 2: the cases are connected somehow. After Taylor Barksdale's body was found, 312 00:19:28,565 --> 00:19:31,245 Speaker 2: the Madison County Sheriff's Department started to put two and 313 00:19:31,245 --> 00:19:34,125 Speaker 2: two together. They figured out that the remains that they 314 00:19:34,165 --> 00:19:36,125 Speaker 2: found may have been linked to that nine to one 315 00:19:36,165 --> 00:19:39,245 Speaker 2: one call on August fifth, the one that reported a 316 00:19:39,325 --> 00:19:41,365 Speaker 2: woman screaming and being tortured. 317 00:19:42,805 --> 00:19:45,965 Speaker 1: So the sheriff asked the deputy Blake Castle. 318 00:19:46,325 --> 00:19:49,005 Speaker 2: The only one who was on duty that night, if 319 00:19:49,005 --> 00:19:50,765 Speaker 2: he had responded to that nine to one one call. 320 00:19:51,325 --> 00:19:55,445 Speaker 2: Deputy Hassle said that he had, but later the sheriff 321 00:19:55,485 --> 00:20:06,165 Speaker 2: admitted that this was a lie. So let's go back 322 00:20:06,205 --> 00:20:09,085 Speaker 2: and take a detailed look at the timeline. On August 323 00:20:09,085 --> 00:20:11,085 Speaker 2: fifth and the early morning hours, a nine to one 324 00:20:11,125 --> 00:20:14,485 Speaker 2: to one caller contacted the Madison County Sheriff's Department and 325 00:20:14,565 --> 00:20:18,965 Speaker 2: reported that they heard a woman screaming. This person contacted 326 00:20:18,965 --> 00:20:23,845 Speaker 2: Taylor's aunt. Taylor was reported missing then on September ninth. 327 00:20:24,165 --> 00:20:28,805 Speaker 2: Police found Taylor's remains on September eleventh, two days after 328 00:20:28,965 --> 00:20:33,605 Speaker 2: the remains were found, the deputy Blake Castle resigned, and 329 00:20:33,685 --> 00:20:37,845 Speaker 2: still nothing had been made public at all. Nothing was 330 00:20:37,885 --> 00:20:40,565 Speaker 2: released to the media or the public, saying that there 331 00:20:40,645 --> 00:20:45,045 Speaker 2: could be a serial killer out there. On September twelfth 332 00:20:45,125 --> 00:20:48,605 Speaker 2: or the thirteenth, depending on who you ask, Taylor's remains 333 00:20:48,605 --> 00:20:51,405 Speaker 2: were sent to the Arkansas Crime Lab for analysis. The 334 00:20:51,485 --> 00:20:54,805 Speaker 2: local newspaper, the Madison County Record, has been covering this 335 00:20:54,885 --> 00:20:58,365 Speaker 2: case since the beginning. They asked the Madison County Sheriff's 336 00:20:58,365 --> 00:21:03,285 Speaker 2: office for comment. They filed a foyer request on September seventeenth, 337 00:21:03,685 --> 00:21:07,565 Speaker 2: so then on September eighteenth, Sheriff Boyd released a statement 338 00:21:07,605 --> 00:21:11,205 Speaker 2: to them. So it certainly seemed as though they were 339 00:21:11,205 --> 00:21:14,085 Speaker 2: just reacting to getting called out by the newspaper rather 340 00:21:14,125 --> 00:21:18,045 Speaker 2: than proactively releasing information to the public. In the statement, 341 00:21:18,765 --> 00:21:22,445 Speaker 2: Sheriff Boyd explained that the delay in public communication was 342 00:21:22,485 --> 00:21:26,765 Speaker 2: intended to protect the integrity of investigation. In that statement, 343 00:21:27,285 --> 00:21:31,125 Speaker 2: Sheriff Boyd said there are rumors around Madison County that 344 00:21:31,165 --> 00:21:36,045 Speaker 2: are impeding the ongoing homicide investigation. He also said that 345 00:21:36,205 --> 00:21:40,285 Speaker 2: Taylor was rumored to be missing at the end of July. However, 346 00:21:40,365 --> 00:21:43,805 Speaker 2: according to police, she was last seen alive on July 347 00:21:43,925 --> 00:21:47,445 Speaker 2: twentieth by the Huntsville Police Department. But we know that's 348 00:21:47,485 --> 00:21:50,485 Speaker 2: not true because we know we have someone who saw 349 00:21:50,565 --> 00:21:54,725 Speaker 2: Taylor alive on August fourth. That release was posted on 350 00:21:54,765 --> 00:21:58,005 Speaker 2: the Madison County Sheriff's office Facebook page on September twentieth. 351 00:21:59,125 --> 00:22:01,645 Speaker 2: It seems like the police have been trying to shut 352 00:22:01,685 --> 00:22:04,525 Speaker 2: down people in Madison County, people who were asking some 353 00:22:04,645 --> 00:22:07,965 Speaker 2: very legitimate question questions, and they haven't been forthcoming with 354 00:22:08,005 --> 00:22:12,725 Speaker 2: Taylor's family either. Sheriff Boyd did not even tell Taylor's 355 00:22:12,725 --> 00:22:16,005 Speaker 2: family anything about the condition of her body. 356 00:22:17,165 --> 00:22:19,725 Speaker 1: There were local rumors. 357 00:22:18,925 --> 00:22:22,325 Speaker 2: Being posted on social media that Taylor's head had been 358 00:22:22,365 --> 00:22:26,525 Speaker 2: found in a coyote den and her torso was separate 359 00:22:26,645 --> 00:22:30,005 Speaker 2: from her body. The police did not tell Taylor's family 360 00:22:30,045 --> 00:22:31,725 Speaker 2: anything about the condition of her body. 361 00:22:32,885 --> 00:22:34,805 Speaker 1: That job was left. 362 00:22:35,565 --> 00:22:37,405 Speaker 3: I think it was his place to have to tell 363 00:22:37,445 --> 00:22:40,525 Speaker 3: the family, not mine, not mine, to have to make 364 00:22:40,565 --> 00:22:42,765 Speaker 3: them face the reality that their loved one is coming 365 00:22:42,805 --> 00:22:47,245 Speaker 3: back in pieces. So, yeah, oh, it's just horrible. It is, 366 00:22:47,445 --> 00:22:51,405 Speaker 3: it is. It's ridiculous as what it is. So this 367 00:22:51,605 --> 00:22:54,045 Speaker 3: friend of mine is the nine one one caller. She 368 00:22:54,125 --> 00:22:57,845 Speaker 3: told me. She said they told me that they would 369 00:22:57,845 --> 00:23:02,005 Speaker 3: file charges against me for hindering an open investigation if 370 00:23:02,045 --> 00:23:04,725 Speaker 3: I talked. She said, I'm sorry, I'm not going to 371 00:23:04,805 --> 00:23:08,485 Speaker 3: stop talking because she deserves justice. It's time for her 372 00:23:08,525 --> 00:23:13,885 Speaker 3: family to know. And so I got the other sister 373 00:23:14,005 --> 00:23:17,605 Speaker 3: and got with the dad and we talked, and of 374 00:23:17,605 --> 00:23:20,405 Speaker 3: course the dad is not getting up bas like I 375 00:23:20,445 --> 00:23:23,325 Speaker 3: feel like you should. I think it's your obligation to 376 00:23:23,365 --> 00:23:26,005 Speaker 3: call him every day. I really do. 377 00:23:27,725 --> 00:23:30,965 Speaker 2: At some point, admitt she and her husband and the 378 00:23:30,965 --> 00:23:33,765 Speaker 2: rest of their family started feeling like the police just 379 00:23:33,765 --> 00:23:37,445 Speaker 2: weren't interested in investigating this case, so they started asking 380 00:23:37,525 --> 00:23:41,965 Speaker 2: questions themselves. They asked the nine to one one caller 381 00:23:42,205 --> 00:23:45,965 Speaker 2: to keep an eye on that property, and they learned 382 00:23:46,125 --> 00:23:48,965 Speaker 2: that there was a camper on that property, a camper 383 00:23:49,525 --> 00:23:53,325 Speaker 2: that a few days after Taylor's murder was very abruptly 384 00:23:53,445 --> 00:23:56,285 Speaker 2: moved in the middle of the night. They were worried 385 00:23:56,285 --> 00:23:59,325 Speaker 2: that crucial evidence could get lost, so they decided to 386 00:23:59,365 --> 00:24:01,125 Speaker 2: find that trailer themselves. 387 00:24:01,725 --> 00:24:06,285 Speaker 3: It was moved on August the sixteenth, Yes, at like 388 00:24:06,325 --> 00:24:08,925 Speaker 3: one point thirty in the morning. Yeah, that's very sustained. 389 00:24:09,845 --> 00:24:12,645 Speaker 3: They exactly who moves to camper in the middle. 390 00:24:12,405 --> 00:24:16,325 Speaker 2: Of the night when and her family asked the police 391 00:24:16,445 --> 00:24:19,805 Speaker 2: about that trailer, they say they were dismissed by the 392 00:24:19,805 --> 00:24:22,845 Speaker 2: sheriff's department. They were told that the sheriff's department had 393 00:24:22,845 --> 00:24:27,325 Speaker 2: been out there and investigated. They don't believe this because's 394 00:24:27,405 --> 00:24:28,885 Speaker 2: husband is adamant. 395 00:24:28,645 --> 00:24:30,645 Speaker 1: That he never saw crime scene tape. 396 00:24:30,685 --> 00:24:33,205 Speaker 2: He never saw the scene being secured, and if there 397 00:24:33,245 --> 00:24:37,285 Speaker 2: is investigating going on, it's being done in secret. Not 398 00:24:37,365 --> 00:24:41,205 Speaker 2: only are the police not being forthcoming with information, but 399 00:24:41,245 --> 00:24:44,245 Speaker 2: the family says they have reason to question whether what 400 00:24:44,325 --> 00:24:47,445 Speaker 2: police are saying is true at all, because again, the 401 00:24:47,485 --> 00:24:51,925 Speaker 2: police keep saying Jason's and Taylor's deaths aren't related. The 402 00:24:51,965 --> 00:24:55,125 Speaker 2: Madison County Sheriff's office wrote on a post on September twentieth, 403 00:24:55,165 --> 00:24:58,085 Speaker 2: quote there is no connection to the Jason Lierl case 404 00:24:58,325 --> 00:25:03,045 Speaker 2: end quote. Madison County Sheriff Ronnie Boyd said that on 405 00:25:03,085 --> 00:25:06,605 Speaker 2: the evening of September fifth, the in County Sheriff's Office 406 00:25:06,605 --> 00:25:10,765 Speaker 2: was notified that some people were concerned about Taylor Barksdale. 407 00:25:10,965 --> 00:25:15,005 Speaker 2: And there's something else. There's another date that keeps coming up, 408 00:25:15,125 --> 00:25:19,725 Speaker 2: July twentieth. Something happened with Taylor that day because the 409 00:25:19,765 --> 00:25:23,445 Speaker 2: Madison County Sheriff's office is saying that on or around 410 00:25:23,445 --> 00:25:25,565 Speaker 2: that day, she was involved in an argument in the 411 00:25:25,565 --> 00:25:28,325 Speaker 2: Big Clifty area, which is a few miles away, and 412 00:25:28,325 --> 00:25:32,405 Speaker 2: that her clothes were found scattered in a field. We 413 00:25:32,525 --> 00:25:35,725 Speaker 2: need to find out what happened to Taylor around July twentieth, 414 00:25:36,125 --> 00:25:38,725 Speaker 2: why that led to reports of her being reported missing 415 00:25:38,765 --> 00:25:41,565 Speaker 2: then when we know she was seen much later. And 416 00:25:41,645 --> 00:25:44,445 Speaker 2: we need to find out what happened to Taylor between 417 00:25:44,525 --> 00:25:48,965 Speaker 2: July twentieth and August fifth, the last few weeks of 418 00:25:48,965 --> 00:25:53,925 Speaker 2: her life before she was heard screaming and no one 419 00:25:54,005 --> 00:25:57,325 Speaker 2: came to help. And I know that there's someone out 420 00:25:57,365 --> 00:26:03,325 Speaker 2: there who knows something, but some people are scared and 421 00:26:03,365 --> 00:26:05,365 Speaker 2: they have said that they will not talk to me 422 00:26:05,845 --> 00:26:07,925 Speaker 2: unless I go down there and meet them in person. 423 00:26:08,765 --> 00:26:11,565 Speaker 2: I'm told there's certain questions that can only be answered 424 00:26:11,645 --> 00:26:15,445 Speaker 2: by going to Madison County, So that's where I'm headed next. 425 00:26:16,045 --> 00:26:21,605 Speaker 2: I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen 426 00:26:21,645 --> 00:26:23,885 Speaker 2: Gone Murder Line is a production of School of Humans 427 00:26:23,885 --> 00:26:27,005 Speaker 2: and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated by me Catherine 428 00:26:27,005 --> 00:26:31,085 Speaker 2: Townsend and produced by Gabby Watts and Miranda Hawkins. Special 429 00:26:31,085 --> 00:26:34,325 Speaker 2: thanks to Amy Tubbs for her research assistance. Noah camer 430 00:26:34,405 --> 00:26:37,085 Speaker 2: mixed and scored this episode. Our theme song is by 431 00:26:37,085 --> 00:26:41,485 Speaker 2: Ben Sale, Executive producers of Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and ELC. 432 00:26:41,685 --> 00:26:42,045 Speaker 1: Crowley. 433 00:26:42,645 --> 00:26:45,525 Speaker 2: Listen to Helen Gone idfree by subscribing to the iHeart 434 00:26:45,525 --> 00:26:48,645 Speaker 2: True Crime Plus channel on Apple Podcasts. If you were 435 00:26:48,685 --> 00:26:51,645 Speaker 2: interested in seeing documents and materials from the case, you 436 00:26:51,685 --> 00:26:55,805 Speaker 2: can follow the show on Instagram at Helen gonpot. If 437 00:26:55,845 --> 00:26:57,485 Speaker 2: you have a case you'd like me and my team 438 00:26:57,525 --> 00:26:59,925 Speaker 2: to look into, you can reach out to us at 439 00:26:59,925 --> 00:27:02,925 Speaker 2: our Helen Gone Murder line at six seven eight seven 440 00:27:02,965 --> 00:27:06,445 Speaker 2: four four six one four five That six seven eight 441 00:27:06,805 --> 00:27:09,285 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five 442 00:27:13,365 --> 00:27:14,325 Speaker 1: School of Humans