By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-01 16:41:50 | Updated at 2024-10-02 14:25:29
21 hours ago
Police in Arkansas have made a major DNA breakthrough in the 29-year old cold case kidnapping of Morgan Nick.
Investigators have formally named Billy Jack Lincks as a suspect in her disappearance after they were able to find one of her hairs in his truck.
Morgan, six, was abducted from a Little League game on June, 9, 1995 while she was chasing fireflies with friends.
Witnesses said a man had been staring at her during the game and described a distinctive red truck with a white camper parked near the scene in Alma.
'He stole Morgan from us,' Morgan's mom Colleen Link said as she held back tears at a press conference.
Police in Arkansas have made a major DNA breakthrough in the 29-year old cold case kidnapping of Morgan Nick
'But he didn't win. Our love for Morgan her memory, her voice outlasted his life. That love continues to shine, Morgan's heart shines on.'
Lincks, who has since died, was convicted of sexual indecency after trying to snatch a child just three months after Morgan vanished.
He attempted to abduct an 11-year-old girl in Van Buren at a location eight miles from the Wofford baseball field where Morgan was last seen.
The victim's description of his car matched that to the one linked to Morgan's disappearance.
At the time, law enforcement released images of a red truck with a white camper. Lincks died in prison in 2000 at the age of 72.
In 2019, officers managed to locate the owner of Lincks' truck, who had no knowledge of its history.
The owner allowed the FBI to conduct DNA testing on the vehicle. Several hairs were recovered, with at least one coming back as a match for a child or sibling of Morgan's mother, Colleen Nicks, police said.
A composite showing what Morgan Nick might look like today, aged 31
Billy Jack Lincks, who died in prison in 2000, was identified as a formal suspect on Tuesday after investigators found one of Morgan's hairs in his truck
Alma police described how they tracked Lincks' truck down to a new owner who had no idea of its history and consented to a search
A different girl who Lincks' attempted to abduct gave police a description of his car which matched the one spotted in Alma
The officers added that the investigation remains ongoing and it was unclear whether Lincks worked alone.
At the time of her disappearance, Morgan was approximately 4 feet tall, about 55 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes.
She was last seen wearing a green Girl Scout t-shirt, blue denim shorts and white tennis shoes.
A massive investigation has turned up thousands of leads, but still no solid clues.
A police composite was released at the time with witnesses' recollections of a man seen talking to Morgan.
He was described as between of 23 and 38-years-old, six feet tall with a mustache and beard.
In 2017, police searched an eastern Oklahoma property which had previously been searched in connection to the abduction, located 25 miles southwest from Alma.
However, no evidence was found in either search.
Morgan, six, was abducted from a Little League game in Alma on June, 9, 1995 while she was chasing fireflies with friends
Morgan's mom Colleen Nick said Lincks had stolen her daughter but that her love for Morgan outlived him
Composite sketch portrays someone who may have come in contact with Morgan at the ballpark where she was abducted
The youngster's tragic disappearance is still keenly felt by her family. who set up the Morgan Nick Foundation to help find other missing children and adults.
Last year, a documentary called Still Missing Morgan was released on Hulu which highlighted the abduction.
In the series, Morgan's father described how the family had gone to watch a friend's child play baseball.
Morgan went off to play with some other children and stopped to get sand out of her shoe. It's thought that it was at that moment the kidnapper struck.
'That was the last time I ever saw her,' Morgan's mom sobbed in one clip.
She also revealed her hopes that her daughter, who would now be aged 31, was still alive.
'Not everyone who is kidnapped dies,' she added. 'People don't understand how you can keep relentlessly fighting but Morgan is worth fighting for.'
