The 20-Year Cold Case of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett

On a hot summer night in July 1999, 17-year-old best friends J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were headed to a party to celebrate J.B.'s birthday. A wrong turn led them to the small town of Ozark, Alabama, where they stopped at a convenience store to ask for directions. After a quick call to Tracie's mom to let her know they were lost but on their way home, the two teenagers vanished without a trace.

The next morning, their black Mazda was found abandoned on a quiet road. The discovery inside the trunk would haunt the community for decades: both girls had been shot and killed. With few leads and no suspects, the case went cold, leaving their families and investigators searching for answers for nearly 20 years.

This episode we revisit the tragic 1999 murders of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett. We explore the initial investigation, the chilling details of the crime scene, and the two-decade-long wait for justice. Discover how a breakthrough in forensic science and the use of genetic genealogy finally led police to an unexpected suspect—a man who had been hiding in plain sight all along. Join us as we unpack the complex investigation and the dramatic trial that finally held a killer accountable.

Sources:

1. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/dna-links-suspect-1999-cold-case-murders-alabama-61743627

2. https://www.alabamaag.gov/NewsPrintViewer/cc3db172-2c75-445f-be55-7679c67d4ed4

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31. https://www.newspapers.com/image/262396195/