{"podcast":{"title":"Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast","slug":"crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947","podcast_index_feed_id":7844947,"rss_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting/IrKJTEIs.rss","website_url":"https://x.com/CrookedTreePod?s=20","image_url":"https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/36cd24e0-6713-4048-af5f-e27cdd9cc588/logos/34a09a4c-2739-4603-9cf5-336ff84d4f8d.jpeg","author":"Paul Day and Kristin Rich","episode_count":20,"summary":"Welcome to this long-form podcast series on one of the most controversial and heavily debated true crime cases in American history: the West Memphis Three. In this series, Paul Day — victim advocate, evidence researcher, and longtime friend of the Byers family — teams up with Kristin Rich, a criminologist and victim advocate who has immersed herself in the case for years. Together, they embark on an in-depth journey that tells the story from the victims’ perspective. Focusing on the three eight-year-old boys — Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch — whose lives were tragically cut short on May 5, 1993, in West Memphis, Arkansas, Paul and Kristin draw on their extensive research, personal connections to the families, and deep knowledge of the victims’ personalities, family dynamics, and the West Memphis community. This series delivers fresh perspectives, previously undiscussed details, and thoughtful analysis that challenges surface-level narratives. Expect detailed timelines, evidence discussions, family insights, and open conversation as the hosts carefully unpack what happened that spring afternoon in 1993 — and why things were not as they first appeared. Whether y…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-09T02:17:33.235330+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947"},"episode":{"title":"Episode 8: Canvassing the Neighborhood","slug":"episode-8-canvassing-the-neighborhood","published_at":"2026-06-30T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-8-canvassing-the-neighborhood","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947","url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/73242941da28b2bba23e93cc89edd399a236d3c02e9d7600e3af6aca4bfa67e5/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJjNGJjMDNlNS03NDcxLTRkYjMtYjkxNC01YzVjM2IwMzMxMjUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzNmNkMjRlMC02NzEzLTQwNDgtYWY1Zi1lMjdjZGQ5Y2M1ODgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTJjZjcyNGNkZmZkMjBmNjI3OGUyYzQiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE0MzNjYjRmYmYxZDI1ZjlmNjdkMTg1L3BhdWxzLXN0dWRpby1XcXFWcS1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTYtMzBfXzUtNDktOC5tcDMifQ==.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/73242941da28b2bba23e93cc89edd399a236d3c02e9d7600e3af6aca4bfa67e5/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJjNGJjMDNlNS03NDcxLTRkYjMtYjkxNC01YzVjM2IwMzMxMjUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzNmNkMjRlMC02NzEzLTQwNDgtYWY1Zi1lMjdjZGQ5Y2M1ODgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTJjZjcyNGNkZmZkMjBmNjI3OGUyYzQiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE0MzNjYjRmYmYxZDI1ZjlmNjdkMTg1L3BhdWxzLXN0dWRpby1XcXFWcS1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTYtMzBfXzUtNDktOC5tcDMifQ==.mp3","summary":"In this deep-dive episode, Kristin Rich and Paul Day—victim advocates for two of the families—break down the critical hours between the boys leaving school and their disappearance on May 5, 1993. Using original West Memphis Police Department door-to-door canvassing notes, neighborhood interviews, tips, newspaper articles, and compiled timelines, they reconstruct where Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch were playing that afternoon. The hosts walk listeners through a detailed, chronological timeline of verified and probable sightings, complete with a custom map (posted in their Facebook group and on X) showing key locations in the Holiday Gardens neighborhood, cut-throughs, and the path toward Robin Hood Hills. They analyze who saw the boys (and when), when the three were together versus separated, Michael’s solo playtime, Stevie’s mysterious window around 4–5 PM, and the final confirmed movements near Devil’s Den just before 6:30 PM. Paul and Kristin discuss authentic sightings from neighbors who knew the boys by name, evaluate doubtful or conflicting reports, and highlight lingering questions—like how and why the boys regrouped at 5:50 PM. They also share tips on how to follow along with the actual police notes (PDF available in their groups) and the officers’ handwritten observations. Whether you’re new to the case or a longtime researcher, this episode is essential armchair criminology—packed with primary source details that help map the final afternoon of the victims’ lives. Perfect for true crime fans who love timelines, maps, and granular neighborhood canvass analysis.","meta_description":"In this deep-dive episode, Kristin Rich and Paul Day—victim advocates for two of the families—break down the critical hours between the boys leaving schoo…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2868,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episodes/episode-8-canvassing-the-neighborhood/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-8-canvassing-the-neighborhood.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}