Bill Jack Lincks was named a suspect in the disappearance of Morgan Nick
FBI (2)
Morgan Nick, left, and Billy Jack Lincks
A decades-old Arkansas missing persons case might have finally been solved. Police have announced that a now-deceased suspect has been identified in the 1995 disappearance of a 6-year-old girl.
Morgan Nick was last seen on June 9, 1995, when her mother took her to a little league game in Alma, Ark., 5 News reported. After reportedly leaving to go to catch fireflies, Morgan was never seen again.
The case had remained cold for years, until Tuesday, Oct. 1, when Alma police announced at a press conference, reported by 5 News, KATV and KARK, that Billy Jack Lincks, a man who died in 2000, had been identified as a suspect after recently tested DNA linked his truck to the crime.
Lincks was questioned in the two months after Morgan’s disappearance as he was being investigated in the attempted kidnapping of another girl weeks later, police said according to KARK.
Arkansas court records reviewed by PEOPLE indicate that Lincks was convicted of sexual solicitation of a child in 1996.
5 News reported that police decided to reopen the case in 2020 and searched a truck that had belonged to Lincks after tracking down its current owner. The truck was vacuumed for evidence, the outlet reported, citing police.
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Inside the truck were multiple hairs, KATV reported. After they were sent to the crime lab, investigators determined that one of the hairs could have belonged to a member of Morgan’s family, including the girl herself. Police, according to the outlet, said there was no evidence that any other member of her family had been in Lincks’ truck.
“An army of supporters, advocates and heroes have rallied to uncover the truth about her disappearance,” Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nick said, according to KARK. “Morgan’s heart shines on.”
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