The Boys On the Track---any takers?

[MegtheEgg86]

Hi y'all. I've been off the radar for the past month due to some training (I'm in the Army Reserve) in Washington state (which was quite a journey for me, as I'm on the other side of the country). I'm back and currently reading through all the threads from the past month, which is a pretty good way to spend a relaxing day off. :-)

While I was in Washington, I finished Mara Leveritt's The Boys on the Tracks, about the 1987 Arkansas case surrounding Kevin Ives and Don Henry. Of course, the Mena conspiracy theory is explained and explored, and the author makes no secret that she supports it, but I found the book to be an extremely interesting account nonetheless and a very concise explanation of the "Mena theory" (which is why I bought the book in the first place). I'm unsure if one of our members has a copy and it's already been passed around, but I've searched through old threads and have thus far found nothing. So, if anyone is interested in borrowing the book, please do message me and let me know. I'd be happy to send it to you.

In any event, it's good to be back and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the threads!

[mastamatt]

what was the mena theory again?

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by mastamatt

what was the mena theory again?

The short version is that Kevin Ives and Don Henry, along with others, have been victims of a government coverup involving cocaine trafficking. This was the "drug smuggling" briefly (and vaguely) mentioned in the update on the case with RS and Detective Garrett.

Apparently an area near the tracks where the boys were found was reported to have been a cocaine drop, as multiple low-flying aircraft had been seen there coming in from the direction of the Mena, Arkansas airport (which already had a reputation in the mid-1980s for being an alleged trafficking hub). Proponents of the Mena theory hold that Kevin and Don walked upon one of these supposed cocaine drops (whether intentionally or not) and were subsequently murdered. Allegedly the authorities of Saline County were aware of what exactly had happened to the boys, but continued to investigate and present it as a suicide rather than a homicide in order not to "cause trouble."

[CanadianUMFan]

I was watching this case again last night and there was a mention of an almost identical case in Oklahoma in 1984. Two teenage boys were found on railroad tracks in almost the identical position as the boys in this case. Does anyone know anything about that Oklahoma case and whether that also has to do with the "Mena connection"?

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by CanadianUMFan

I was watching this case again last night and there was a mention of an almost identical case in Oklahoma in 1984. Two teenage boys were found on railroad tracks in almost the identical position as the boys in this case. Does anyone know anything about that Oklahoma case and whether that also has to do with the "Mena connection"?

The book actually does make mention of the Oklahoma case, and the author seems convinced that it's connected to Mena. The interstate running through Oklahoma into Arkansas (I-30? Forgive me) was known to be an avenue for trafficking. I'm not so sure that they're necessarily connected, however. I'd need far more information than the blurb in the book about it gave me (although it was better than that quick mention of it on the segment).

[lilmissd]

Yes to me this case has always been a strange one! Why would this person(s) go through all that trouble to murder 2 teenage boys and in such a cruel manner? Just because they saw some drug dealing, it doesn't make sense! And if they did see that and tell someone, who would believe them? The killer(s) must have realized this if they were smart, that it would be their word against 2 kids, like I stated, who would believe them? It has to be something else. Maybe they came upon a murder or robbery of some kind and the bad guys realized they were there. The boys were young and strong and would have ran, that's why I think it's a group of guys who somehow incompacitated the boys and tied them to the tracks to get squashed like grapes!

[MegtheEgg86]

Today marks the 21st anniversary of Kevin Ives and Don Henry's murders. May their families find some sense of comfort, solace, and hope in some way, the individuals still investigating it never rest, and the case soon be solved.

[ZanzibarBlue]

The Mena connection was discussed at length in a 1997 book entitled "The Secret Life of Bill Clinton" by London correspondent Ambrose Evans Pritchard. It was an open secret that Mena Airport in Arkansas was being used by the CIA to supply the Contras in Nicaragua. The rumors were that the airport was also used as a drop point to bring drugs into N. America. The Southwest and Florida were scrutinized so closely that the powers that be in the cartels were looking for a "back door" corridor. They supposedly found it in the form of Mena Airport, which was located in a state with local and state officials who didn't mind dipping their beaks into the wine in return for looking the other way.

Dan R. Lasater, a FOB and (I believe) a convicted drug supplier, and owner of a Ski Resort named Angel Fire (also the alleged site of much skulldugery) in New Mexico features pominently in Pritchard's account. I believe he even alludes to the Boys on the Tracks case. Given that there were 2 teenage boys with guns who knew the area were found lying on the tracks, it's difficult to see how 1 drifter or maniac could get the drop on them. I've always felt that it was at least 2 people, perhaps more. And remember, a maniac or drifter wouldn't likely take the time to fake a suicide. All of these factors give credence to the Mena connection theory.

The 2 boys are routinely linked to the supposed "mysterious body count" associated with the Clintons. I was reminded of that recently when the private jet carrying Barack Obama experienced mechanical difficulties (1 of the emergency chutes accidently inflated cutting off the power lines controlling the steering [a bizarre and infrequent occurence to say the least) and declared an emergency. Turns out the jet was last used by the Clinton campaign. Obama nearly became the next Ron Brown, et al. No question in my mind why he didn't select her as VP. He knew he would qualify for life insurance after that.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by ZanzibarBlue

Given that there were 2 teenage boys with guns who knew the area were found lying on the tracks, it's difficult to see how 1 drifter or maniac could get the drop on them. I've always felt that it was at least 2 people, perhaps more. And remember, a maniac or drifter wouldn't likely take the time to fake a suicide. All of these factors give credence to the Mena connection theory.

I don't see how anyone could think that there wasn't more than one assailant, especially since

A) Kevin and Don were armed with a hunting rifle and could've easily incapacitated a single attacker,

B) The boys were not exactly small or unconditioned at the time of their deaths, and could've easily overpowered one person,

C) The blow to Kevin's head suggested that he had been struck with the butt of Don Henry's rifle. Considering the boys' sizes and the fact that they were armed, it only makes sense that in order for someone to have taken the weapon there would've had to have been another person disabling one of the boys,

D) There have been at least two testimonies placing multiple individuals near the scene of the crime on the night of 23 August 1987,

E) Exactly as you said, no maniac or drifter would've taken the time to make a murder look like a suicide.



In any event, someone wanted the murders covered up, whether it be the FBI, the state of Arkansas, or an influential local who had something to hide. Given this, it doesn't make the Mena connection exactly unbelievable in the least.

[Mr.Clairvoyant]

Indeed this is a rather bizare case and on which always sticks out to me as well.. I just dont't have a theory on this one I am back and forth with this one.. however I am convinced that there were more than one person to execute this crime

[Or So It Seems]

Originally Posted by ZanzibarBlue

TGiven that there were 2 teenage boys with guns who knew the area were found lying on the tracks, it's difficult to see how 1 drifter or maniac could get the drop on them. I've always felt that it was at least 2 people, perhaps more. And remember, a maniac or drifter wouldn't likely take the time to fake a suicide. All of these factors give credence to the Mena connection theory.

I’m not convinced at all. Let’s be realistic: anyone can get the drop on anyone or figure out a way to kill multiple people. I could easily envision a scenario where a stranger would make contact with Kevin and Don, gain their confidence relatively quickly (maybe offer them a joint) and then kill them by surprise. How many cases have we seen on UM where one attacker has killed multiple people, including men?

Does this case make sense? No, but murdering two boys doesn’t make any sense. I think it’s very likely that the killer acted in a bizarre and irrational way in committing these crimes. In his mind it made sense in the moment. Staging the murder to look like a suicide is likely to be a thought held by someone crazy enough to pull off this crime. If they would kill two teenagers for no apparent reason (an irrational act), why wouldn’t they do something else irrational to try to cover it up? In our minds, it makes no sense, but that doesn’t preclude it from happening.

I think the drifter/serial killer theory makes a lot more sense than a conspiracy theory.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by Or So It Seems

I’m not convinced at all. Let’s be realistic: anyone can get the drop on anyone or figure out a way to kill multiple people. I could easily envision a scenario where a stranger would make contact with Kevin and Don, gain their confidence relatively quickly (maybe offer them a joint) and then kill them by surprise. How many cases have we seen on UM where one attacker has killed multiple people, including men?

I could understand one person killing multiple people if they had a firearm. But Kevin and Don weren't shot, and I'm not so sure just anyone is really capable of incompacitating than one person at once---that's the stuff of action movies and Level IV combatives courses. If we're to assume that the "man in military fatigues" is A) the same person who fired at the Bryant police officer a week before, and B) a murderous drifter, why did he not just shoot Kevin and Don the way he had at the officer?

As well, those tracks run right alongside residential areas, and it was/is relatively common for individuals to be in those woods the tracks run through, mainly for hunting and the like. If it's a maniac, why would that individual not just lie in wait in those woods for more victims? There's far too much evidence that substantiates the "conspiracy" theory for me to believe that the boys' deaths were the work of a random killer. That, and I've actually never seen an abundance of UM cases where a single attacker has murdered multiple fully conscious people.

[CowboyStudTied]

I fear this case will never be revealed.

[Mastermind]

Originally Posted by Or So It Seems
I’m not convinced at all. Let’s be realistic: anyone can get the drop on anyone or figure out a way to kill multiple people. I could easily envision a scenario where a stranger would make contact with Kevin and Don, gain their confidence relatively quickly (maybe offer them a joint) and then kill them by surprise. How many cases have we seen on UM where one attacker has killed multiple people, including men?


I don;t know that there have been that many cases where a single man took down two other men, like that. Could you name one?

[yuppielawyer]

The Mena connection was discussed at length in a 1997 book entitled "The Secret Life of Bill Clinton" by London correspondent Ambrose Evans Pritchard. It was an open secret that Mena Airport in Arkansas was being used by the CIA to supply the Contras in Nicaragua. The rumors were that the airport was also used as a drop point to bring drugs into N. America. The Southwest and Florida were scrutinized so closely that the powers that be in the cartels were looking for a "back door" corridor. They supposedly found it in the form of Mena Airport, which was located in a state with local and state officials who didn't mind dipping their beaks into the wine in return for looking the other way.

Dan R. Lasater, a FOB and (I believe) a convicted drug supplier, and owner of a Ski Resort named Angel Fire (also the alleged site of much skulldugery) in New Mexico features pominently in Pritchard's account. I believe he even alludes to the Boys on the Tracks case. Given that there were 2 teenage boys with guns who knew the area were found lying on the tracks, it's difficult to see how 1 drifter or maniac could get the drop on them. I've always felt that it was at least 2 people, perhaps more. And remember, a maniac or drifter wouldn't likely take the time to fake a suicide. All of these factors give credence to the Mena connection theory.

The 2 boys are routinely linked to the supposed "mysterious body count" associated with the Clintons. I was reminded of that recently when the private jet carrying Barack Obama experienced mechanical difficulties (1 of the emergency chutes accidently inflated cutting off the power lines controlling the steering [a bizarre and infrequent occurence to say the least) and declared an emergency. Turns out the jet was last used by the Clinton campaign. Obama nearly became the next Ron Brown, et al. No question in my mind why he didn't select her as VP. He knew he would qualify for life insurance after that.

You know that the "mysterious body count" associated with the Clintons has been thoroughly debunked, right? This type of ridiculous conspiracy-mongering has done no help for the investigation into these murders.