Thu May 21 22:19:28 PDT 1998

First things first. MzBhaver, I think you need to redo your calculations. LeeAnn was 2 at the time of her disappearance, which occurred 40 years ago, placing her at the age of 42 today, that is until June.
I also would like some more info on Jesse D anahy. I mean, with the brutality of the crime it sounds like the person who did this could have been jealous of the happiness of the couple. Why go thru all the trouble of tearing up the face, and disfiguring a body. And the way that this person was s o unorganized. It seems like he/she was watching the couple, and all of a sudden was just infuriated by something that he ran up and grabbed their garden tools and just started slashing away.
When can we see an interview with Dorris. If she is really LeeAnn, then maybe we could have some better evidence on who the murderer is.

Kaddi

Response: Totally true, the crime occurred 40 years ago, but Doris or LeAnne would have been nearing 3 years of age at the time, if we accept that Doris' birthday is near LeAnne Izard's, or that she is in fact LeAnne. Doris' interview is available here in both text and video format. The crime does appear to be one of extreme passions. Information on Danahy will be posted as we compile and transcribe it.

Alright here is a idea that is proably so out there but its a thought. Perish and Bowlan hire the ex-boyfriend to kill the Izerds. Motive has to have something to do with the factory going under and the lay offs. They leave town so that they have an reaso n of why they didn't do it. Just a guess
Slepiedidi

Response: Not so out there at all, we have to look at Perch and Bowlan both in Memphis on the night of the crime. Long shot, but even in 1958 the conspiracy angle was widely accepted as possible if not probable. The question was, who was involved? It is also widely agreed that the layoffs were involved, you have some good thought here. Let's hear more.

Perhaps the "daughter" killed the "parents' for revenge and/or money. DQ
Is her age a mistake?

Response: This one doesn't quite fit, the daughter would have been between the ages of 2 and 3 in 1958, she'd have little reason for revenge or money at that time, let alone the strength to weild the shovel to kill her parents. The remaining estate of the Izards totals a meager $275 so money seems slim as a motive at this time.

Dt McPhail, Why is there no interveiw with Jessie Danahy ?He seems to me to be a viable suspect. He should be on the top of the susect list,he has a violent temper and previous tries at hurting his ex girl friend.(twice). My thought is he came to the ho use to kill her and the husband came home early because of the layoff's so he killed him too.Also , what's up with woman claiming to be the daughter? Hope we can get some answers soon!
Thanks Bejo

Response: Danahy is indeed a viable suspect. This information on Danahy is being compiled and will be posted for consideration. He was not on the top of the 1958 list of suspects, however, he came in a good second or third. We welcome a review of the information and a reevaluation of suspects if that seems warranted. Your ideas could well be on target.

WHy hasn't Doris been questioned yet? Why does the mailman's hand wringing remind me of Lady Macbeth? Why is the clue to the whole mystery always in the beginning and I haven't figured it out yet? Why don't you just get back with us when EVERYTHING is ready in the weekly update? We'll wait instead of seeing the same names every day.

Response: First, Doris was officially interviewed on May 15, though she had brought her remnants of a story to the attention of the Sheriff's Department a few days prior. She was asked for something more than a "hunch" to merit some consideration, she produced the ring setting which got our attention. You can view her interview here in text or partial video format. You are on target in the description of Hinkley's actions, looking for obsessive behavior is key to a good investigation, what his means at this point is unknown. We don't know yet what Doris Hammack's story may mean to the 1958 Izard Murder Case, but we'll post the original files or summaries as we wade through them and transcribe. Stay tuned, this promises to be interesting.

It's too early for me to point fingers right just yet. I'm still waiting for the Taylor case. Anyway, does the mailman think that he's Lady Macbeth or something with all the hand wringing? ANd has anyone else other than me noticed that Doris is too dam ned old to be LeAnne? 1955 + 40 = 1995. The dumb lass is 42 or 43. Even if someone changed her identity and made her 2 years younger, a 2 year old can't pass for a newborn. I'm sorry to say that I noticed this on the first night and thought a mistake had been made, but apparently not. MzBhaver

Response: The Taylor case is pretty well wrapped up, anything you aren't clear on, ask us! The "hand wringing" and "Lady Macbeth" analogy is not so far off, we always look at obsessive behavior and references to blood. Nothing was found in the original investigation to explain this, we are digging there. Age issues and Doris, here's what we know for fact: Social Services "assigned" Doris a birthday of 7/1/55, LeAnne's birthday was 6/21/55. you're right in a sense, when the case was first posted, the 40 years since 1955 was mixed with Doris' age, but the time frame still fits if we can find other evidence to back it up. Good sleuthing.

I have just a few thoughts..
I would like to know if the busdriver and the ex-boyfriend were interviewed.
The postman is nervous---maybe he suspects his brother of doing the crime. I think he knows something that he thinks might incriminate someo ne he knows. Maybe he recognized a tool or seen someone.
Any other interviews available from neighbors, laid off factory workers etc.
Perhaps an exhumation of the couple is necessary so that more trace evidence can be acquired,identified, and pos sibly linked to a suspect. If there was only one assailant, how did s(he) manage to keep the other victim at bay? perhaps new forensic evidence can be found to determine if one of the victims had defense wounds, skin under the fingernails etc.
Of cour se the "daughter interests me... First verify that she is via DNA testing.
Also--where was she all these years--who are her "parents" etc. How did these people come to "adopt" her. Are they alive or passed away.
Did her "adopted" parents inform h er of her background?
Did the daughter discover her true parentage through a letter left for her after the death of her adopted parents?
DQ

Response: The bus driver, Murphy, has been interviewed, see that interview here . Danahy was interviewed numerous times in the course of the investigation in 1958 and was never cleared. We will be posting all available information on Danahy as we transcribe the original files. The original investigators agree with you that Hinkley's actions were unusual, we are still looking for something to explain his behavior, though he was cleared in the 1958 investigation. His brother, Walter Hinkley, was not cleared. Many additional interviews were conducted in the original investigation, we will make those available as we compile and transcribe them. See the interview summaries with the residents of County Road 106 here. An exhumation is unlikely based on the currently available information, and therefore DNA evidence is not likely. We are awaiting information on the possibility of testing the original evidence for DNA. Check out Doris Hammack's family life here in her placement records from Social Services.

Tommy Joe was really upset after seeing two dead bodies, probably his friends as well, he would have known about the type of driveway due to be postman. Getting blood on ones hands would be creepy and he was still trying to get the feel of it off them...d on't look to TJ for much in the way of a killer.. Richard got a great write up from Boland, he was in tight with the workers so they probably did not kill him, Perch and Boland being in the same town at the same time seems odd..Check them out as well as t he wifes old boyfriend...check him out..Doris has nothing to gain by coming forward..and nothing to lose..probably not her..someone trying to come to fame with little to lose..hard to prove its not her if she plays her cards right....good case to solve..C hris

Response: Good points. Not sure if we can solve it, we hope to. Danahy definitely was not cleared. If there is an explanation for Tommy Joe's behavior with obsessive concern over blood we've not found it yet. The original investigation did clear Tommy Joe of the murders. Doris doesn't have money, unless there's something no one knows of, to motivate her coming forward at this time.

I find it a little bit funny that the school bus just happened to be driving away from the residence of the Izard's when the mailman arrived. A school bus is normally filled with children so therefore it would not be anything out of the ordinary. Hinkle y (mailman) stated that when "he realized that the kids should have been home for sometime he started to look for them". If the kids should have been home for "sometime" then why was the school bus just leaving? The driver would have had access to the b ackpack of the little boy. Also there is the fact that Hinkley walked up to the house because he didn't want to leave the packageat roadside. When he walked up the gravel driveway why didn't he notice the backpack? Could these two people be in on it tog ether? We will have to wait and see what happens next.


[email protected]

Response: The school bus was seen by the mail carrier at the intersection with County Road 129 according to his interview, north of the Izard property, which was at about .62 miles distance. Ricky Izard was the last child to be dropped off on the bus no. 48, and it was common for the driver to turn around and go back north on county road 106 heading for the bus depot. Hinkley did not walk from the roadway to the house, he drove his truck up the drive. Tire tread and the finding of his vehicle when investigators arrived confirm that. It is very possible that the murders and the disappearance of the children are unrelated, but there is no evidence so far to point there.

Hello,
There are several pieces of information that I find disturbing, and a few questions to go with them.

In the initial interview by McPhail with Hinkley, McPhail noted "that although Hinkley had already washed his hands several ti mes, he wipes them again on his postal uniform shirt" Repeated hand washing and such suggest compulsive behavior, did Hinkley have any history of mental illness, or compulsive behavior? And why would Hinkly wipe his hands on bloody clothes? Since he st ated " still all bloddy from where i tried to revive them"
Q: What kind of attempts at revival were made, mouth to mouth, cpr ? and are the blood stains on his clothing compatible with his story?

In 3rd reply: Hinkley mentions " you know wh at a long ol' gravel driveway they got"
Q: was this a comfortable familiarity ( the gravel driveway that he should express its length? ) and the Rickys backpack was found near the gravel driveway.

4th reply: " Him all mashed up his guts an d blood and brains everywhere"
Q: the weapon being identified as a shovel, was it possible for the coroner to determine if the assailant (s) were left or right handed?
Hinkley also in his initial statement said " And those bloody tools all the hell around them" Q: What other tools? Were there prints in the garden soil, etc,?
Hinkley says first " And her." " Her head all mashed in too"
Q: What other tools were tested to see if they matched the inflicted wound on Mrs Izards head? & did Hinkley ever give name to these other tools?

5th reply: " Her neither, except for that big bash on her head she looked untouched"
Q: was her head mashed in or was it a big bash?

6th reply: Hinkley says " And, plus, I didn't wan t to mess up nothing, you know"
Q: If Hinkley was in such a state of shock, why would he suddenly be so concerned about messing something up in the house when the bodies were outside near the garden?

Judging from the information, it could be surmised that both victims were acquainted with their killer.

These were my observations, I hope you can clarify them for me.

Thank you
ShadowsMst

Response: Lots of good questions, let's see what we can answer at this time. First, investigators at that time and now agree that this hand washing behavior was unusual and compulsive. No good answer to that one yet. Attempts at revival did not include CPR, only, according to Hinkley, feeling the carotid artery for pulse and listening for respiration and heartbeat. He seems to have recognized the bodies as unrevivable and that opinion seems to have been born out by the professionals on the scene shortly after. On the driveway, yes this drive was unusual for the neighborhood, it curved like an "S" with the curve toward the south and totaled a length overall of 870 feet when the property setback line from the road was 570 feet. The coroner's opinion was the assailant was a right handed individual. There were other tools, but only the shovel appeared to have been involved in the attacks. There was a garden hoe and a few smaller tools. The head wounds to Mrs. Izard included a large comminuted skull fracture - "a big bash" -- as Hinkley described it, which did cause a scalp laceration . We will be posting the forensics findings in this case including the autopsy findings, however, the coroner at that time was not a forensic specialist and there was no pathologist available to the county at that time.

Hello there! I've been a member of this list for a long
time, but have never posted anything. However, this time,
I just have to ask whether Jessie Danahy was ever
questioned, where he is now; is he deceased, and if so did
he leave any surviving relatives? Thanks for your time --
Linda Hobbs

Response: Glad to have you posting. Please feel free to go right on ahead. Danahy was not only questioned on several occasions he was a suspect that was never cleared. We will post all available information on Danahy as we transcribe and compile the 1958 records. No surviving relatives identified so far.

Well, my first impression is that Tommy Joe may telling the truth, but not the whole truth. Maybe i think so because of his "twisting hands". Trying to wash of non existing blood, could implicate guilt and a will to rinse away "inner demons".
The lack of clear motive for the killings, is the largest problem, i suppose. The motive could be anger against the foreman, but it could be several other reasons as well...love, lack of love, even the missing children could be the key to the real motive, i think .
Hm, the killer seems to be quiet passionate and high-tempered. He really hated the couple, and i dont think he planned it for long.
Thats all i have to say for now. Looking forward to see more of the evidence.

Sincerely:
Patrik Stig zelius, Malmoe, Sweden

Response: We tend to agree that the nature of the crime does not lend itself to long term planning. However, Tommy Joe's role if any appears to be limited to that of accomplice as his timing does not allow for the murders and kidnap and disposal of the children in the timeframe known to investigators. Interesting concept that the children could be the key to the motive. We'll look into that.

If a gum-boil,
Could boil oil.
how much oil,
would a gum-boil boil?
if a gumboil could boil oil???

Response: How much?

I wonder if Mr. Bowlan egged some of the factory workers on
and got people mad enough to kill the Izards.Did Lisa's
ex-boyfriend ever get interviewed? Did The police ever follow up on the hostess at the Kit Kat lounge in Memphis ?
Actually, e ven though we haven't alot of evidence I kinda have an idea of who did this gristly murder.
Where any finger prints found in the house? fibers on the blanket? The person who did this had to clean-up before they left because of the blood spatter.

goldfeather

Response: We can't eliminate those motives for Bowlan at this time, though the original investigators seemed to feel they could. Danahy was interviewed and remained an uncleared suspect. We are still working on the files and will post all the relevant transcripts, we have to assume that the Kit Kat Klub was checked out. No fingerprints found, but there is forensic information which we will post. The main blood spatter seems to have occurred at the scene of the crime outside, related to the back swing of the shovel.

Why would someone for the factory what to kill Izard. From Bowlans evidence he made an effort to get on with the employees. If I were out for revenge then I would get Bowlan

Why doesn't Bowlan ask for protection? He seems a little to unconcerned for me, as if he knows he has nothing to fear.

Response: Good question. We are looking for the answer. Apparently Bowlan felt he was removed enough from the layoffs and "untouchable" though he did take the effort to go to Memphis. We'll look deeper.

Kinda weird that Persh and Bowlan were in Memphis at the same time, could there be a connection?

[email protected]

Response: Good point. Perch stated he was at the Kit Kat Klub, a less than respectable establishment shall we say. We are still working on the files to collate all the alibi information. We will post what we find.

What about Lisa's old boyfriend? Did they check to see if he worked at the Glove factory? He had a temper and was jealous.

Response: Danahy did work at Bowlan Glove and he was one of the laid off workers. He also had a grudge against Richard Izard and he remained one of the investigation's prime suspects.

I think Doris has onyl come forward now because she recently heard about the case and realised she had the same birthday or something.
At two years old, she wouldn't remember, she'd think it was something locked in her mind - has she been to hypnothe rapy at all?

Wgirl - London

Response: Doris has explored the possibility of forensic hypnosis and may schedule a session if the investigation warrants it. Good thoughts.

I was just wondering, who that Elroy Murphy is.... In your description, he was a school bus driver right? So he may have been involved in the the disappearance of one of the kids because the boy went out on a school bus then his things were found lying ab out.... My suspects for now is that Danahy and Perch. That really bothers me like all the others....And that Danahy should be questioned.....he is a possible link to the murders.....and also the people who raised Doris should be questioned...How and why D oris was with them. Thats all for now and hope for any significant developments.

[email protected]
Michael Enciso

Response: You make a good point that Murphy might be involved in the child's disapperance, but we have nothing to support that at this time. Information on Danahy will be posted, he remained a suspect. Doris' interview can be viewed here in text and video clip formats.

Right now we don't have enough to make any sense of this case but I would like to say that Perch has been in trouble with the law plenty of times. If he were murder someone he would know that he would need an iron-clad aliabi.


Sean.

Response: Perch was never cleared as a suspect in this case, however, as far as we can determine at this time, Perch was considered more an instigator and conspirator than a director perpetrator. He has no ironclad alibi.

I too would like to know wat happened to Jessie Danahy. And also the interview with Doris. Can she state wat happened after her parents were murdered, where did they go, and where is her brother now?
And also why did she come forward after so long? Thanks!

Response: Danahy died in a car accident in 1964 along with Pete Corey, his friend and another suspect in the case. We will provide as much information as we can on Danahy. Doris cannot recall any specifics about her early childhood or anything she can tell that leads directly to the Izard murders.

This is all too soon to tell......next week , things should get interesting. The seeds have been planted......let's see how much they grow by next weekend :) :) :)

Response: Excellent point. Gardens play a role in this case and we are certainly "harvesting" information!

Where is Jessie Danahy now? What has he being doing all these years? Did he ever marry or have children?

Response: Danahy was killed in an auto accident in 1964 along with life long friend and another suspect in the case, Pete Corey. Danahy never married and there are no known children. A complete history of Danahy is being developed.

it would seem comparisons would need to be done of dna material. will richard and lisa be exhumed to gain this material, it would be warranted, if not only for doris showing up but for any others claiming to be the lost children. background checks of dori s and those who raised her would be in order. is the property of the izard's being held in probate (?) all these years or what. were school districts alerted to the possibility of two new children in the area, pictures of the boy would have aided since he was school age. were there any new people in the outlying area with two children, were these things checked. the death of the parents seems to presume there was a motive for the killings, but what would be the motive in taking the children. i hardly thin k the boyfriend would take the children though i could see him having a motive for wanting richard dead. he would act in rage but probably not in any planned way, how could he have gotten the children away without a trace. was he smart or sharp enough to have been planning something like this all along.

Response: DNA testing is not the most likely as there is not strong enough evidence to warrant an exhumation. There is some potential that blood evidence from the crime scene might yield DNA results, but that appears a long shot from what we've been told so far by the lab. We'll keep you posted. The Izard property was probated by the State and there remains to date in the account a grand total of $275 dollars, not much for a fortune hunter and something that anyone could access through state records prior to making such a claim. As to your questions on the children, all good ones, the missing persons investigation took advantage of current pictures of the children, there was wide publicity at the time and some false leads. The children appeared to disappear without a trace.

Couldnt you get reconstruction artists to 'make up' a face of what LeAnn would possibly look like now... what about getting photos from Doris to compare the picture you have on file to ones of her as a child (assuming that if she is LeAnn the kidnappers w ould have taken piccys of her.

Response: Facial reconstruction is a valuable tool, but not one for concrete identification. We are looking into several options for more conclusive ID. We will post our plans and results. Photos can provide some more conclusive methods and we are looking for same.

Were there any fingerprints on the shovel? Any footprints in the garden or around the creek to indicate how many people were there or not there? Obviously Danahy is a likely suspect. How about more info on him?

Response: No. Unfortunately there were no fingerprints on the shovel, however, there are patches on the shovel that indicate where it was held. The shovel has been held in evidence and has been resubmitted for further and more technological laboratory tests. We do not know at that time if this will produce any new information. Stay tuned. Footprints were found in the garden appearing to belong to the victim, Richard Izard, see one print photo here. Nothing around the creek location and info on Danahy will come.

Re: Doris Hammak

Who raised Doris? Re the person(s) who raised her still alive? Has there been any way to confirm her relationship? How did she come to know about the deaths? If she is really related, then where is the brother? Has she been inter viewed?

Response: Doris was raised in the foster care system of Detroit, Michigan. See her Social Services placement files and the interview with one of her foster parents, Mr. Huey James for some insight. She came to know about the Izard case through researching cases with missing children in northern Mississippi and found that the ring in the case seems to match the ring setting in her possession which she believes belonged to her biological mother. There is no proof to date to show that Ms. Hammack is or is not LeAnne Izard, however, the ring setting raises questions that are being pursued. Her interview is now posted here, you can read the text or view an excerpt video from her interview.

Where has the daughter been all this time? Who raised her?
What makes her believe she is one of the children?

Response: Doris Hammack has spent most of her life in the Detroit, Michigan area. See her social services placement history on the background we are aware of. Her reason for thinking that she may be LeAnne Izard revolves around the memories she believes she has, vague ones, on blood and murder, and the fact that she has in her possession a ring setting matching the description of the ring missing from the Izard crime scene.

There is no sufficient information about this case to think
about anything!
This is an old case! All the informations should be available at once and at first!
New informations like the daughter's DNA test results can wait!

Don Juan

Response: The case files are packed with lots of extraneous information. Doris Hammack coming forward brought the case to light. It will take some time for current investigators to review the old material and determine what to post. It's an intriguing case at the least. DNA results are a last resort. We'd need substantial information beyond the present to even apply for an exhumation order. Other avenues are available that may preclude the need.

I too noticed the inconsistencies in the mailman's interviews with the police and with the paper. Not only did he not know for sure what was in the package when he talked to the police, but he was quite adament about the local "white trash" stealing pack ages on his route. Later when talking to the paper he said Richard had been asking about the boots, and commented that no one around here would do anything like that (steal). I think he know's something. Seems awfully concerned about insulting anyone i n the town.
The boyfriend appears to be a suspect, however, it is common for a killer to brutaly disfigure those he knows, and or loves, Lisa's body was barely touched...Richard's was a mess. Look's like Richard was the real target. On the other han d he could have killed Richard and tried to get Lisa to run away with him, when she said no he might have then killed her and snatched up what was left of the family that should have been his. Interested in reading his interview (there has to be one)!
JAtki71017

Response: It appears from the case files and background checks that Ms. Hawkins loss of her linen package lead to the allegations of theft. It appears that the mailman, Hinkley, was both appeasing Ms. Hawkins and taking no chances on his route. Ms. Hawkins package was indeed missing, but it's whereabouts and why it was missing was never traced. Excellent point about the state of the bodies. Danahy gave a number of interviews. We are sifting the original case information and providing summaries as they are transcribed.

I'm with the others, I want to know where ole Jesse was at that time . Mean and a drunk is not a good combination. And how come no one has given doris a dna test or even lie detector test?

Cindi40

Response: Doris has agreed to a lie detector test which only shows that she does believe what she says is likely, not surprising and doesn't "prove" anything much except she's sincere. Jesse's alibi has never been found, he remains a good candidate for the murders with some exceptions, seems the original investigation put him in second or third slot or as a conspirator due to the fact that his interest in Lisa Izard had either disappeared or gone underground for a number of years prior to the murders. Yet to be seen if we can do better on that aspect of the case, though from what we can see at this point, we'd have to agree he remains a suspect. DNA is not an option without Izard DNA. DNA testing was not an option at the time of the murders and we are waiting on result from the lab as to the quality of evidence retained from that time. There are other options being considered if the case proves to merit it. Stay tuned.

Without any proof, anyone can claim to be the missing
girl, Izards' daughter. My question is, does she (Doris Hammack) have any proof? And why did she suddenly come
back to make this claim after such a long time?

I would like to see an interview with Doris Hammack
answering these questions.

Response: The primary proof is the ring setting she has in her possession that matches that of the missing ring from Lisa Izard in 1958. We have forensics working on a final decision on the likelihood that they are or are not the same. Doris' interview is now posted here, a text and video tape of a portion of her interview is also available.

I really do not like Elliot Perch at all. Too many pauses shooting and swearing. He has absolutely no alibi. "at home" then "at the Kit-cat club, Memphis" No one saw him any of those two places. Yes the mail man does contradict himself quite a few times but the poor guy was completely nervous and shaken up. His reaction to the lay-off of his brother was upsetting though--as if he knew his brother was capable of murder after losing his job...

[email protected]
Mitch Tremblay

Response: You are not alone in your thoughts on Perch, seems local residents and investigators alike agreed, however, even though he was not cleared, his involvement if any in the 1958 Izard murders was considered to be on of instigator/conspirator, rather than first hand murderer. We are working on the original case files, tracking those who are still alive for further interviews, and looking into the alibis and contradictions in the original case materials. Watch for more details as we work our way through this information.

Why has this women come forward now? What does she have to gain? was there unclaimed insurance or estate? What makes her think she is the missing child? If she is, where is the other child?

KimLinci

Response: Good questions. There does not seem to be much to gain at all in this case. The remainder of the estate after 40 years is mostly interest and amounts to about $275. She thinks she is the missing child because her memories and the story seem to make sense to her and she has in her possession a ring setting that does match the ring missing from the Izard home in 1958.

I would like to know why no one questioned Danahey. He seems like a very likely suspect. I would also like to know what reasons Doris has for coming forward? Why does she think that she is LeAnn Izard? Does she have some kind of physical proof that sa ys she is LeAnn? Has she taken a DNA test to see if she is LeAnn? i i i i i i i

Response: Danahy was questioned on numerous occasions in the original investigation, and he remained a key suspect, though the prime suspect appears to have been Elbert Warren. We will provide detailed information on all suspects as we review the case files and summarize same for posting. Doris' reason for coming forward at this time is that the Izard case "resonates" for her as matching many of her memories, and she does possess a ring setting matching that of the original ring belonging to Lisa Izard missing at the time of the murders. DNA is iffy in this case, we have two options, the first is that the original blood evidence in the case is sufficiently preserved to allow for testing, the second would be an exhumation order on the Izard corpses. We don't have answers yet on the original evidence state, and the possibility of an exhumation based on the slim information we have now is near impossible. DNA testing in 1958 was not available so there are no records for comparison.

Hi I was just wondering if you talked to Jessie Danahy as to where he was on that day or not.
Mallord's Lady

Response: At this stage of our reviewing the 1958 case files, it appears that Danahy had no alibi for the time of the murders. He was a key suspect in the case at that time. We will provide detailed information on all the key suspects as we review and summarize the 1958 case file material.

Has anyone picked up on the two different comments that
Tommy Jo Hinkley made... When he was talking to Detective
Jack McPhail-he made the statement that he took the Sears
package to the house because he (TJH) didn't want it to get
stolen ..ya know because of all that white trash living down
the road-they might be the ones stealing off my route.
(I kinda did some paraphrasing) Then in another statement
he made to reporter Grayson Maxwell, Tommy Jo said just the
opposite- that nobody around that area would steal...so
which statement is really true??? Another question, why
is Doris Hammond coming forward now??!! What information
does she have that would lead her to believe that she is
LeAnne? With all the new technology, if she is so sure,
would she agree to a DNA test?! That would confirm/deny
her allegation. (Another thought-is there any type of
inheritance that could be claimed) And where is Ricky?
Does Doris have a brother/cousin that could be him??
Just a bunch of thoughts/possibilites..
Thanks for the site--
Robin Black

Response: Some excellent observations and questions. On the question of an outstanding unclaimed estate, we looked at that immediately. There remains in the state coffers a figure of only $275 which comprised the remainder of the Izard estate after 40 years of interest. As you can figure from this, the majority of the Izard estate went to paying debt at the time of murders. This in many ways supports the idea that the Izards were living beyond their means, however, there was a small amount left after probate. Not enough to provide a strong motive for a claim at this time though. As previously stated, the ring setting is very strong proof that there is some connection, what that is at this time is open to investigation. Ms. Hammack has no knowledge of other relatives or of a male sibling. Tommy Joe's statements on the Sears package and the theft of parcels on that route are under investigation. It seems at this time that there were no real thefts other than the loss of one package to Ms. Hawkins, however, we are looking into it further. The "trash" comments appear to apply to those living south of the Hurricane Creek bridge on County 106, an unpaved and unimproved area of the road in 1958. Detective McPhail is retired and living in Oxford and will be contacted on the case.

I, too think Jessie Danahy is possibly involved with this. Did anybody interview him in the past? I'd like to get more information about him.
MF

Response: Jessie Danahy was considered a potential suspect in the 1958 investigation into the Izard murders. The case files are voluminous, we are working our way through them transcribing information that is pertinent to the case. There is information on Danahy that we are collecting and we will post.

Judging from Mrs. Izard's biographical brief, it looks as
if her ex-boyfriend sure was unhappy with that family!
It would be great to know more about him -- interviews,
biographical briefs, etc. -- talk about motive!

Also, what (if an y) proof has this woman got that she
is indeed the Izard daughter? She was too young to really
remember much -- has she got any items that link her to
the family? Does she know where her brother is? (Looking
forward to more info on her too!)

Response: Agreed, Danahy is a potential suspect, further he was considered a potential suspect in 1958 as well. There will be more information on Danahy as the 1958 case files are reviewed and summarized for posting. Doris Hammack's "proof" lies in the fact that she has in her possession a ring setting that appears to match that of a missing ring belonging to Lisa Izard from the time of the murder. Also, Ms. Hammack believes that her childhood recollections come close to fitting in with the details of the Izard murder. There is no concrete proof at this time that Ms. Hammack is the missing child LeAnne Izard. Ms. Hammack has no information on her brother, if indeed she is LeAnne Izard, further, yes we need more background investigation into who this woman is or may be.

Why did Doris Hammack come forward now? Why is her name changed? Why didn't she come forward sooner? Where was she for the past forty years? Does she know what happened to her parents? Where is her brother? Why didn't he come forward also?

Response: Excellent questions all open to scrutiny at this point. Doris seems to be well aware that her motives and findings are open to question. Doris Hammack has been systematically researching the north Mississippi area for some 5 years or more according to her information. She claims that this is the first time in her life that she has had the time and the money to pursue a search for her origins on close to a full time basis. Doris has told us that she has always had the desire to a) find her past, and b) to put some form of closure on the nightmares of death and blood she has experienced since early childhood. She does not know why, nor do we, her name was changed, if in fact it was. Her thinking, which makes some sense, is that if she were "stolen" in a murder that her identity would of necessity have been obscured. She has lived most of her life in the Detroit, Michigan area. She does not know for fact who her parents are, or if, as she thinks, she is a member of the Izard family, what might have happened to her brother, she has no clear memories on having a brother.