Sir Mikeal and the King
One of the odd aspects of this crime is the sheer number of offbeat characters in the wings - and sometimes near center stage. Sir Mikeal Williams and King David Beasley moved into 1401 Goodwin at the beginning of the week of the murders.
Their residence at 1401 Goodwin was across the street from Debra O'Tinger (at 1309 Goodwin) and where she said she saw the victims passing. It is also across the street from the dead end which leads into Robin Hood Hills, where Bryan Woody testified he saw the victims.
There is an entry in the police logs at 7:19 pm, several hours after the victims were found. Parts are difficult to read, but the relevant section includes: "Call from 226 [Lt. Hester]. Changing Location 1309 Goodwin Change 7:36 1?01 Goodwin ??"
Lt. Hester would visit these addresses the next day. The note for the door to door search was circled: "1401 Goodwin David Beasley - check out w/m late teens early 20's shoulder length redish hair (a drawing of a pentacle). "
King David Beasley, door to door note, Lt. Hester
This was expanded in a report laced with sinister suggestion:
5-7-93 afternoon – upon conducting house to house interviews I knocked on the door of 1401 Goodwin. The door was opened by a W/M – late teens to early or mid twentys – approx. 5’6" – 5’7" – slim build – shoulder length reddish brown hair wearing jeans and no shirt. I told him who I was and that we were just checking with the neighborhood to see if anyone saw anyone or anything unusual before or since the homicide. As soon as he opened the door and saw that I was a police officer – he immediately put his right arm behind the door as if to purposely keep me from seeing it. I asked him his name for my records and he seemed very nervous and wanted to know why I wanted his name. I explain again it was for my records only + asked again. – again he asked why + would not tell me. I asked about 3 or 4 times before a B/M with long cornrolled haired appeared from behind the W/M and said – David Beasley – his name is David Beasley in a very aggitated voice. The W/M stated that he had just moved here a few days prior and was from Los Angeles, CA. I also observed what appeared to be about a 4" ^fresh^ scratch on the W/Ms chest.
I then spoke with a neighbor of theirs Debra O’Tinger and asked if she knew anything about these guys. She stated that they had just moved in on Sunday 5-2-93 and seemed to be very strange. Stated that they always seemed to leave together with the W/M always opening the door for the B/M. Further states that the B/M is almost always dressed in black and wore a black robe with some sort of white cross or other sign on it. [May 7, 1993 Report, Lt. Diane Hester]
Concluding observation of above cited report.
They were brought in for questioning. The black male was 37 years old and referred to himself as "Sir" Mikeal Williams. The white male was 20 year old David Samuel Beasley. He gave his address in Panorama City, California, San Fernando valley. They said they had met in Hollywood three years prior. He referred to himself as King David, and would later have his name legally changed to include King. They had been in Memphis for a couple of months and were now in West Memphis attending and filming nightly revival meetings at the Jesus Center, a storefront pentecostal church. The meetings started at 8:30 pm. Sir Mikeal said he believed that night they had gone to the Waffle House on the Service Road after the meeting ended. The note says they were with a Freddie Coulter, although this is probably correctly, Freddie Tolbert, a member of the congregation.
Several observations were made regarding their physical appearance. In contrast to Hester's note, it was said Beasley had no scratches. He was sunburned on his left arm from driving. The "pentacle" he was wearing was a Star of David with a cross inside.
Several other things seemed odd. The Arkansas license plate on their car was temporary and dated 5/7, one day after the children were found. Sir Mikeal said he had no living relatives but also described described a nephew who was a marine in San Diego. Mikeal had roots and a short criminal record in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
In providing names of his family, King David mentioned his mother and grandmother in California, but did not mention his father and siblings in Indiana.
The pair seemed eccentric, but other than their appearance in the immediate area just before the murders, nothing connected them to the crimes. There is a note that the police followed up on their alibi, but not until weeks after the arrests. On June 23, the Reverend Joe Willie Holder of the Jesus Center gave them an alibi.
[Holder] Stated that on May 2nd that Sir Mikeal Wiliams and King David Samuel Beasley were at his church from May 2nd thru an eight day Period with a revival, the revival started every night at eight thirty ^p.m. and ended at 10:30 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. both Williams & Beasley were there every night for services. they were Giving revival on the evening of May 5th 1993. [Det. Mike Allen notes, June 23, 1993]
The Reverend Joe Willie Holder had pled guilty to the sexual assault of a child under the age of eleven the previous year (1992). He died in 2003.
King David Beasley and Sir Mikeal Williams |
