The suspects in the case were three teenagers between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. Jesse Misskelly Jr., Jason Baldwin, and Damien Echols all had a history of vandalism and shoplifting as well as Misskelly was known to get into fights at school. Echols was the suspected ringleader and had previously spent time in a mental institution prior to the crime. Other suspects in the crime included two teenagers named Chris Morgan and Brian Holland who were questioned and took a polygraph, which showed deception when asked if they murdered the boys. Morgan admitted that with his history of drug abuse and blackouts it was possible he could be connected in same way. He recanted this statement later on and it was barred from being brought into evidence
