The short answer is yes and no.
If you’re reading this blog, I’m going to presume you’re familiar with the background of the infamous “Boys in the Tracks” case. If not, you can catch up here on the latest developments.
Former WWE wrestler Billy Jack Haynes certainly knows the case inside and out. In some ways, maybe a little too well. On Friday, he went on the Doc Washburn Show on KARN Newsradio 102.9FM in Little Rock and started naming the names of those he claims were involved in the 1987 deaths of teenagers Don Henry and Kevin Ives. If you search hard enough on the internet, you’ll find the names. I’m not going to post them here because, at this point, they’re allegations without merit.
Here are the holes I see with Haynes’ story:
We’ve never heard his name brought up
For the last three decades, people have tossed around theories and rumors related to the case. Dozens of names have been thrown out there. However, the name Billy Jack Haynes has never been mentioned. This is a guy who competed at Wrestlemania III during one of the heights of popularity for professional wrestling. It’s hard to believe people would keep his involvement quiet.
Additionally, BJH has told some crazy stories about himself and others. He’s done countless interviews where he’s made wild claims (see below). It seems odd he never previously brought up the fact that he worked with this high-profile “criminal politician.”
He seems to remember everyone
I don’t know about you, but I regularly have trouble remembering who was involved in certain events in my life. This is a guy who admittedly participated in numerous drug deals and wrestled all over the country with hundreds of different people. It’s difficult for me to believe that he can clearly remember the names of everyone involved in the happenings that night. On the Doc Washburn Show, he provided some pretty definitive details and laid out person-by-person involvement of what he said happened. If I recall, BJH said he had only met some of the men one or two times previous to this night.
Additionally, BJH was part of a concussion lawsuit against WWE where he admitted to having memory problems.
He says he was wearing a wrestling mask
In the interview with Washburn, Haynes says he was wearing a black wrestling mask by the railroad tracks that night at the request of the “criminal politician.”
So let me get this straight: there’s a jacked up guy in a suit and black wrestling mask at the scene and no one ever brought it up?
Wait, he taped the train?
Also in the interview with Washburn, Haynes made the claim that he taped 8 seconds of footage of the train running over the boys. If this indeed happened, you think he would’ve brought this up earlier in one of two taped confessions (and perhaps he did, but it wasn’t made publicly available).
Nevertheless, this was an information bomb that was seemingly dropped at random. I also found it odd that Haynes referenced his own statement saying “if that was true.”
He has a history of saying crazy things
This might be an understatement. As we noted in the initial story on ArkansasMatters.com, a search of Billy Jack Haynes’ name on YouTube will produce a number of interviews riddled with far-fetched claims. Haynes has said he considered killing WWE promoter Vince McMahon, believed McMahon fathered the child of a now deceased wrestler, and claimed Steve Austin is ultimately responsible for the death of wrestling legend “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. And that’s just the beginning.
He does have something to gain
In the beginning, we heard Haynes and others say he has nothing to gain by this. However, I don’t think that’s the case. Over the last few years, Haynes’ history of wild statements has made him largely irrelevant. This gets his name back in the headlines with a different audience. It might provide him with the opportunity to participate in a book project, national interviews, or return to the pro wrestling autograph circuit. This makes him relevant.
A previously noted, Haynes’ timeline is feasible. Wrestling journalists traced back the WWE schedule and Haynes wasn’t working on those nights. That leaves a door open. However, unless that video he claims to have taken surfaces, I don’t see his allegations be taken seriously.
What do you think? Is there something I might have missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Austin Kellerman 
Just got to have proof. I do have an idea who this politician (s)could be
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I was asked today if it was possible for Billy Jack Haynes to use a cellphone in Saline County in 1987 as he indicated in his interview with Washburn. I’m told Alltel’s network was available in Central Arkansas in 1986 — so it’s possible. Cell phones were very expensive back then but money shouldn’t have been an issue.
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Good article, very interesting. One thing, why would BJH pick this particular case to make something up, its not well known outside of AR. But clearly his mind isn’t right
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There were 2 witnesses who saw the 2 suspects beating the kids at the grocery store parking lot. Also, one of the murdered witnesses told his family that the 2 suspects had been following him around. This witness was later found with 113 stab wounds. The 2 suspects sued a film producer several years ago for naming them as suspects and won the case, but it was later overturned when the film producer appealed because the 2 suspects did not have an alibi about where they were that night.
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Seriously? Why would Billy Jack Haynes want his name back in the spotlight as a confessed cocaine trafficker/hired hit man? And back in the pro wrestling autograph circuit when he sued the WWE? That was a garbage statement.
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Remember John Nichols? Now he did not use drugs, however, he admitted his involvement, in Barry Seals, being a hitman, new all the information in the money laundering and banks involved. There is some difference, his info was before and after all the scandals. He even, went to the state capitol, which was covered by the media, and had factual documentation. The Clintons smeared his name but there was an eye witness, on one incident, which caught Bill on his security video. He was later beat to the point where he barely survived. Then there id Terry Reed, who wrote the book “Compromised: Clinton, Bush, and the CIA.” Reed also participated but they made an attempt on his life and other incidents, Reed actually won a lawsuit against them. As, for the black mask, there are persons whi mention a black man being at the seen. It is plausible the individual was Haynes. As for the outrageous accusations, look into Christopher Lehane and Mark Fabiani. The Newsweek called them the “Master Minds” because they could control every media outlet. They wrote a book detailing what they call the “ten commandments” showing how to do this. Some of their clients, Bill Clinton and Hollywood studios. At the time of the murders, Fabiani had an article, in The New York Time Journal, called “Clinton Crazies.” Fabiani, did not tell Linda the name of the article but sent someone to interview her. Haynes, may not be telling the truth but always look into who are the players and trace every person who has a link to the Clintons or even a staff member. You never know the truth until you trace “Charlotte’s Webb,”
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why the boys on the tracks?
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Just a point; One might be a little more keen on remembering the participants and events if those events include a double murder.
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Why haven’t we heard anything on this lately?
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