In the sweltering summer of 1999, a small Alabama town was forever changed when two vibrant teenagers, J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett, vanished on a night meant to celebrate J.B.'s birthday. Hours later, their bodies were discovered in the trunk of their car, brutally murdered and abandoned on a quiet Ozark road. The crime scene revealed signs of a violent struggle, with scratches, mud, and evidence of being dragged through underbrush. The car's location hinted at a more sinister plot, suggesting the murders occurred elsewhere.

For nearly two decades, the case remained a haunting mystery, with rumors of cover-ups and fears that the killer was still at large. However, in 2019, a breakthrough came when detectives turned to familial DNA, using public genealogy databases to uncover a hidden name. This innovative approach led to the arrest of Coley McCraney, a seemingly ordinary man with no criminal record—a truck driver and preacher who had lived in the shadows of suspicion for years.

Join me as I delve into the twists and turns of this gripping true crime story, exploring how DNA technology finally brought justice to the families of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett. Discover the shocking details behind the murders and the long journey to uncovering the truth. Will this case serve as a beacon for other cold cases, or will it remain a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk in the most unexpected places?

Sources:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13404041/Wife-killer-preacher-Coley-McCraney-breaks-silence-arrest-2020.html

https://www.al.com/news/2024/07/story-of-brutal-murder-of-2-teens-that-haunted-alabama-for-20-years-retold-on-sins-of-the-south.html

https://www.happyscribe.com/public/20-20/forever-17

https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1Kx6HveAG-PIUcau7DZXcjseRXzToVDvu0lpETPeQ3IQ&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=700%27%20width=%27100%%27%20height=%27700%27%20webkitallowfullscreen%20mozallowfullscreen%20allowfullscreen%20frameborder=%270%27%3E

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dna-match-leads-arrest-minister-decades-after-murders/story?id=109987862#:~:text=The%20murders%20sparked%20a%20decades,a%20McCraney%20in%20high%20school.%E2%80%9D

https://www.oxygen.com/sins-of-the-south/crime-news/where-jb-beasley-tracie-hawletts-killer-coley-mccraney-now

https://alabamavictimsmemorial.com/hawlett-tracie-jean/ 

https://www.wtvy.com/2024/12/14/coley-mccraneys-new-trial-hopes-teen-murders-dealt-devastating-blow/

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