A SUSPECT has been named in the decades-long cold case of a missing 6-year-old girl who was kidnapped in 1995.
Morgan Nick was abducted from the parking lot of a little league ball field in Alma, Arkansasabout 18 miles east of the border with Oklahoma, on June 9, 1995.
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Morgan, who attended the game with her mother, Colleen Nick, was last seen playing with other children near the fields’ bleachers, chasing fireflies at around 10:30 pm.
The young girl was never seen again.
Now, Alma police have identified Billy Jack Lincks as a suspect in Morgan’s kidnapping.
Lincks, who died in 2000, was first named a person of interest in Morgan’s case after being arrested 12 weeks later in August 1995 for sexual solicitation of a child in Van Buren, Arkansas.
Police arrested Lincks for trying to abduct an 8-year-old girl about eight miles from the Wofford Baseball Field where Morgan was taken from.
However, investigators ruled out Lincks’ involvement in Morgan’s kidnapping after determining his denials appeared to be truthful.
“Police questioned Lincks on August 31, 1995. He denied any knowledge of Morgan’s abduction and, at that time, appeared to be truthful. Investigators at that time moved on,” Alma Police Chief Jeff Pointer said.
In July 2019, the Alma Police Department reopened Morgan’s case and circled back to a witness’ previous statement, where they told police about Lincks’ possible involvement.
Investigators were able to track down the red 1986 Chevrolet Scottsdale pick-up truck with a camper shell attached to it, which Lincks owned at the time but had since sold.
Pointer said the new owner did not know or have any connection to Lincks and allowed investigators to examine the truck.
In July 2020, investigators vacuumed various parts of the truck and uncovered hair from the vehicle.
On September 27, DNA evidence determined the hair recovered from the red truck was that of Colleen Nick, Morgan’s mother, or one of Colleen’s siblings or one of her children.”
Orr love for Morgan, her memory, and her voice outlasted his life.
Colleen Nick.
Investigators spoke to the Nick family, who denied knowing Lincks or if they were ever inside a red truck.
“The bottom line in this, the physical evidence that was collected from this truck that Lincks owned when Morgan was abducted strongly indicated that Morgan had been in this truck,” Pointer said.
Lincks died in 2000, and Morgan has never been found.
“The important thing here is Morgan is still missing,” the police chief added.
“We’ve reached a point where we can concentrate on one suspect to determine the circumstances of Morgan’s abduction.
“How was she taken from the ball field? What happened next? Did Lincks have help in abducting Morgan or concealing his crimes all these years? Where is Morgan now?”
Colleen Nicks ripped Lincks, saying the family’s love and memory of their child outlasted the suspect’s life.
“What I have to say about Billy Jack Lincks is that he stole Morgan from me,” Colleen said as her voice began to crack.
“He stole her from her dad. He stole from Logan and Terran. But didn’t see that he could never win because our love for Morgan, her memory, and her voice outlasted his life.
“And that love continues to shine. Her heart, Morgan’s heart shines on.”
Pointer said Morgan’s case is not over, and the investigation is ongoing.
The Alma police chief said investigators will examine Lincks’ final steps and any known associates.
Pointer said Lincks was from Crawford County, Arkansas, and moved back to the area after retiring from the Texas area.
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