# Episode 10: Champagne, Cotten, and the Man on the Train

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-10-champagne-cotten-and-the-man-on-the-train
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-10-champagne-cotten-and-the-man-on-the-train.md
Podcast: [Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947)
Published: 2026-07-22T02:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/d4ad4063e32d4574121d53fa970c98c73405291d7c4a0dacecef6bfab0f93ef0/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI4NWIwZjEzZC0xZDZlLTQ1M2ItODAyYS04OTc4ODVlZDliMWUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzNmNkMjRlMC02NzEzLTQwNDgtYWY1Zi1lMjdjZGQ5Y2M1ODgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTJjZjcyNGNkZmZkMjBmNjI3OGUyYzQiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE1ZmJkNjRiODRmZGUwNTI3MmVmODNkL3BhdWxzLXN0dWRpby1XcXFWcS1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTctMjFfXzIwLTQxLTQwLm1wMyJ9.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3564

## Resource

In this episode of Crooked Tree, Kristin and Paul dive deep into the chaotic first days of the West Memphis Police Department’s investigation following the discovery of the three murdered boys. They examine the flurry of tips pouring in and the frantic pursuit of transients, truckers, bicyclists, and odd characters near the crime scene. From the detailed logs at the Blue Beacon truck wash and the overlooked Union 76 truck stop right by the trails, to the rapid follow-ups on individuals like Carroll Coleman, Gary Chadwick, Paul Champagne, John Connolly/James Barry, Tim Cotten, and several others, this episode lays bare how the early investigation unfolded—full of promising leads, quick clearances, lingering questions, and the heavy reliance on polygraphs and thin alibis in those critical first days. Kristin and Paul analyze timelines, physical evidence possibilities, investigative gaps, and how the focus began shifting. If you’ve ever wondered what the police were actually doing before names like Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley dominated the case, this detailed walkthrough of the raw early files is essential listening.

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## Transcript

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