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 |
