Chris Helmlinger Found Buried In Shallow Grave

**Coyote** · October 23rd, 2009, 11:28 AM

Chris Helmlinger

From what I’m reading the cops didn’t put much effort into this missing person case. It seems his friends were trying to do what they could. I found this post on Geekfest: http://www.geekfest.com/showthread.php?p=900364. Hopefully now that he’s been found the cops will work to find out what happened for the sake of his family and friends.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. -- Police are searching for answers as to who may have killed and buried a Berryville man -- missing for weeks.

The body of Chris Helmlinger, 24, was found buried in a wooded area near a Berryville trailer park over the weekend.

Neighbors told 40/29 News they think his death was a homicide.

Three weeks after he disappeared, police found the body of Helmlinger buried in the middle of the woods.

His body was found last Sunday right off a trail close to the Glen Echoes trailer park.

Neighbors said a resident came across a mound of dirt and a shovel that day.

“Might have thought maybe someone was planting some money or something like that, so they started digging. They said they saw blue jeans. They saw a split in him and some flesh,” said Glen Echoes resident Linda Cummings.

Police later identified the body as Chris Helmlinger -- a 24-year-old man for whom they had been looking.

Family members said they last saw him at his mother's house Sunday, Sept. 27.

He left to walk to his grandmother's house a few miles away, but he never showed up.

Right now, police are investigating the cause of death and neighbors are looking for answers.

“People go through here at all hours of the night,” said Glen Echoes resident Babet Wilcox.

They want to know why his body was buried near the trailer park -- on the other side of town.

“It's creepy. It's too close to home. So I don't know,” said Cummings.

40/29 News spoke with Helmlinger's grandmother and uncle Thursday.

They declined to go on camera, but they did say Helmlinger was a good Christian boy and don't know why anyone would want to hurt him.

Source

**ScribbleMuse** · October 23rd, 2009, 11:33 AM

That's sad. :( On one hand I understand the police when they hesitate to go all out for every single missing persons case--there are plenty that really are not a police matter, and more of a person WANTING to disappear, or even people playing jokes. However, I cannot imagine the frustration of family members when you know your loved one did not leave willingly, and cannot find anyone to help.

I hope that they find whoever did this soon--I think the burial is proof it's homicide. I know people sometimes panic with accidental deaths and such, but it seems in this situation, any accident in the time period of walking to his grandma's would have been not likely to cause concern to report. Unless maybe a hit-and-run?

Did I understand correctly that the body was found far away from where he started walking or his destination? And does he live in the trailer park, or otherwise associated with it?

and *lol* at the people who found the shovel and assumed someone was burying money...

**Coyote** · October 23rd, 2009, 11:48 AM

The people interviewed in the article don’t seem to be the brightest. You gotta remember it is Arkansas.

From what I read on this Chris had a history of going off by himself for a few days without telling anyone, but it was unusual for him to be gone for weeks. He was last seen on September 27th, and his mother reported him missing on October 4th. I’m not seeing any public information posted on his disappearance though until this week after the body was found. It makes me wonder, and I can only imagine what his family is feeling right now.

**ScribbleMuse** · October 23rd, 2009, 12:00 PM

Ah... Yeah, it must be a terrible time for his family. I hope that since they found his body so close to where he lived, his murderer will be found sooner. If the person left the shovel right there, it seems that they were probably pretty careless and sloppy--anyone with a degree of any kind of sense would know better than to leave the shovel if they're trying to hide the fact they're burying a body. Even though reality is nothing like the glossy TV shows (man, there would NEVER be any unsolved crimes if anyone had Angela's computer from the show Bones!), that is enough evidence that any real cop department would be able to trace.

**backlash** · October 23rd, 2009, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Coyote

They want to know why his body was buried near the trailer park -- on the other side of town.

Well what do you know? Another fucked up crime at a trailer park. Will wonders never cease?

**koochie** · October 23rd, 2009, 12:10 PM

and *lol* at the people who found the shovel and assumed someone was burying money...

was thinking the same thing!...

poor guy....

**Misskittychaos** · October 23rd, 2009, 12:27 PM

Neighbors told 40/29 News they think his death was a homicide.

I lol'd...I know I am going to hell but what did they think? He couldn't have buried himself!

As for the case, it's a shame.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · October 23rd, 2009, 12:42 PM

I see a mound of dirt and a shovel, I do not think "Hey! Buried treasure!". Everyone knows that if it was truly buried treasure, it would be camouflaged and there would be a map somewhere with an X on it.

I would be thinking:
Dead Dog or
Dead Body or
Husband's Ex-Wife

**ScribbleMuse** · October 23rd, 2009, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota Valkyrie

I see a mound of dirt and a shovel, I do not think "Hey! Buried treasure!". Everyone knows that if it was truly buried treasure, it would be camouflaged and there would be a map somewhere with an X on it.

I would be thinking:
Dead Dog or
Dead Body or
Husband's Ex-Wife

lol... I know... I think that any of us regulars on this site or other true crime sites would probably first think "dead body." We took a walk through our protected little forest/park a couple months ago, and there are dozens of well kept trails--it's pretty popular for bicyclists, joggers, college students, etc. We found about 3 different items of clothing, and I had to search the area to make sure they were not part of some horrible crime scene... lol

Hubby thinks I'm morbid, daughter thinks I'm over-protective and I think I'm just now getting smart and realistic--no one buries money anymore, but they bury the people they steal the money from. :D

**MadeaBecBec** · October 23rd, 2009, 04:18 PM

This was an article about his disappearance;

Hoos said it was also revealed that Helmlinger had a vehicle, he was current on payments, but had recently turned it back in to the car lot where it was purchased.

The investigation, headed up by CCSO Investigator David Deatherage, included interviews with family and friends, Hoos said.

The only lead so far, he noted, is a tip Helmlinger's mother received from someone saying her son had been seen in the Berryville area with a blonde woman.

http://www.carrollconews.com/story/1580369.html

Rest in Peace, Chris Helmlinger!

**MadeaBecBec** · November 3rd, 2009, 03:54 PM

Melissa Irene Davis and Evin Davis,Jr

BERRYVILLE — Evin Davis of Berryville has been arrested for capital murder in the recent death of Christopher Helmlinger, whose body was found in a shallow grave here, authorities said.

A press release from the Berryville Police Department said an arrest warrant for Davis had been granted Friday, and he turned himself in to the McAllen, Texas, police department Sunday.

Melissa Davis of Berryville was arrested Friday for “capital murder by accessory” and hindering apprehension, the press release said.

It said the investigation is continuing and the police thank “the community for their assistance in this matter.”

http://harrisondailytimes.com/articl...f930653131.txt
Trailer Parker where Chris was found:

Over the weekend Berryville Police arrested Melissa Davis.

Her husband Evin Davis turned himself in at a police department in Southern Texas.

Melissa Davis is charged with hindering apprehension and capital murder by accessory.

Evin Davis is charged with capital murder.

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/68760757.html
The Grandmother has told people that Chris had just received $5,000.00 from a woman at his Church, to aid Chris in persuing his Ministry degree and she believes he was killed for the money. The money remains in his bank account!

Sad, Rest in Peace Chris, Justice is on it's way!

**Coyote** · November 3rd, 2009, 04:13 PM

Hopefully this will bring some sort of closure to his family now.

**RaVen Blackehart** · November 3rd, 2009, 09:04 PM

Neighbors told 40/29 News they think his death was a homicide.

That there's some damn fine country sleuthin'.

**Coyote** · November 12th, 2009, 11:14 PM

Seems that Evin Davis killed Christopher to steal his identity.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. -- The city police department believes Christopher Helmlinger was murdered in September because Evin Davis Jr. wanted to assume Helmlinger’s identity. Davis and his wife, Melissa, are charged with capital murder.

Investigators say Helmlinger, 24, was shot to death and buried in a shallow grave in a trailer park. Relatives reported him missing on Oct. 4, a week after he stopped going to work at Tyson Foods in Green Forest. Police found his body on Oct. 18 when someone reported a mysterious mound of dirt and a shovel nearby.

Berryville police say Davis, 34, worked with Helmlinger at Tyson Foods and the pair spent a lot of time together. Police say Davis went by the name of Charles Hedstrom.

The night that Helmlinger’s body was found, Hedstrom and his family packed up and left town, police say. Witnesses told police that they’d seen Hedstrom near the shallow grave. That report led police to discover that Hedstrom was really Davis and was wanted in Savannah, Mo., on a charge of stealing a car last year.

Police arrested Melissa Davis when she went to Tyson Foods to get her last paycheck. Police say she wouldn’t tell them where her husband went. She was charged at first with hindering apprehension and then later with capital murder.

Police say Evin Davis surrendered to McAllen, Texas, police after he found out his wife was in jail. Police don’t know why he wanted to assume Helmlinger’s identity, or whether Helmlinger knew of the plot and threatened to go to police with the information.

Evin Davis is in the Carroll County jail with no bond set. Melissa Davis is in jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

Source

**Little Pea** · November 12th, 2009, 11:31 PM

That is sad. I'm glad they found his killers. What a couple of scumbags!

**Silvahalo** · November 13th, 2009, 01:56 AM

Rest in peace Christopher Helmlinger. I hope death finds your murders.

**Lizard** · November 13th, 2009, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by silvahalo68

I hope death finds your murders.

All right, Halo. Put down the bottle and back AWAY from the keyboard...

**Silvahalo** · November 14th, 2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Lizard

All right, Halo. Put down the bottle and back AWAY from the keyboard...

LOL, wasn't a bottle but sleeping pills! yikes!

**MadeaBecBec** · November 14th, 2009, 05:23 PM

From Coyotes article:

Berryville police say Davis, 34, worked with Helmlinger at Tyson Foods and the pair spent a lot of time together. Police say Davis went by the name of Charles Hedstrom.

Seems to me, the PoPo may want to check on a Charles Hedstrom and see if he met an early death or what???

**Coyote** · May 14th, 2010, 09:57 AM

I had to post this pic. Evin Davis is in the front, but doesn't the guy behind him seem a little too happy to be there?

Evin Lee Davis was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for the October 2009 murder of 24-year-old Berryville native Christopher Helmlinger.

He was also sentenced to six years in prison for non-financial identity fraud because he reportedly killed the young man to obtain his identity.

Prior to the murder, Davis, 35, had been working alongside Helmlinger at the Tyson Foods plant in Green Forest under the name of Charles Hedstrom because he was wanted by Missouri authorities.

Helmlinger, described by his mother as "a wonderful Christian who made friends with anybody and everybody," was reported missing Oct. 4 and his body was discovered Oct. 18 in a shallow grave behind the Glen Echo Trailer Park where Davis and his wife Melissa Davis lived.

An investigation was launched that quickly led to the apprehension of Evin Davis, who had fled to Texas.

Melissa Davis, 37, was also arrested at that time, initially charged with capital murder by accessory. She had been working as a custodian at Berryville Schools. Both she and her husband were booked into the Carroll County Detention Center where they remained until Wednesday's court appearance. The couple reportedly have three children, two under the age of 18.

Melissa Davis was sentenced to 10 years' probation for hindering the investigation. She knew her husband was working and living under the name of her brother, Charles Hedstrom. She also failed to be truthful to investigators.

Her sentence was part of the plea agreement her husband agreed to accept.

Evin Davis admitted in court that he did kill Helmlinger with a single gunshot to the back of the head.

At one time, there was speculation the murder centered around money Helmlinger reportedly had in his possession, some $5,000.

Authorities say the money was found safe and secure in the young man's bank account except for funds spent on his car and auto insurance payments.

The life in prison sentence was a "satisfactory" resolution to a tragic murder that devastated the Helmlinger family, said Det. Robert Bartos with the Berryville Police Department. Bartos was the lead investigator on the case.

He said the plea agreement spared the family further anguish had the case proceeded to trial. He also noted that a death sentence would have dragged the case on indefinitely through the appeals process.

"It could drag out forever," he said. "This way, the family doesn't have to go through a drawn-out process. It's over and done. People have closure and they can move on."

Source

I am disappointed that Melissa Davis didn’t receive any jail time for her part in this.