Rumours regarding the nature of the murders spread like wildfire through the town.
It was soon well known that the boys had been cut with a knife, raped and at least one of the boy s genitals had been cut, many of these rumours were based on inaccurate police assumptions. By 12.00 p.m. the next day, police were questioning their first suspect, Damien Echols. Several weeks later Jessie Misskelley, an associate of Echols, confessed to the murders, implicating Damien Echols and another friend, Jason Baldwin. Soon after, following a confession by Misskelley, the three teenagers were arrested and charged with the murders of James M. Moore, Steven E. Branch and Christopher M. Byers. The citizens of West Memphis were relieved that the monsters that had committed these heinous crimes had been apprehended and justice would be served.