Special to Today in Fort Smith by R.L. Harvey
In the early morning hours of August 23, 1987, two teenagers, Don Henry and Kevin Ives, left their homes in Alexander, Arkansas, to go hunting. Around 4:00 a.m., a Union Pacific freight train crew spotted their bodies lying across the tracks. Despite activating emergency brakes and blasting the horn, the boys didn’t move, and the train tragically ran over them.
Dr. Fahmy Malak, Arkansas’ state medical examiner, initially ruled the deaths accidental, attributing them to marijuana intoxication and suggesting the boys had smoked enough to fall asleep on the tracks. The boys’ families, however, were not convinced and pushed for further investigation. A second autopsy contradicted the original findings, revealing a stab wound on Don’s back and a crushed skull on Kevin, suggesting the deaths were homicides rather than accidents.
This prompted further examination by other medical professionals, including Georgia-based medical examiner Dr. Joseph Burton, who found evidence of only one or two marijuana cigarettes, refuting the initial claim that they had smoked the equivalent of twenty. By early 1988, a grand jury ruled the case a “probable homicide,” and later, when additional evidence surfaced, reclassified the deaths as a “definite homicide.”
Numerous details surrounding the incident raised more questions than answers. The train crew reported seeing a green tarp partially covering the boys’ bodies, though no tarp was found at the scene, and law enforcement denied its existence. Near the bodies, police discovered a shattered .22 caliber rifle and a flashlight, hinting the boys may have been using a hunting technique called “spotlighting,” in which a bright light illuminates an animal’s reflective eyes.
The investigation faced several additional irregularities. Notably, the hospital where the boys’ bodies were taken initially kept no records of their presence, raising concerns about the thoroughness of early investigative efforts. Linda Ives, Kevin’s mother, became a vocal advocate for a more comprehensive investigation, seeking access to records and information that might clarify what happened that night.
The deaths of Don Henry and Kevin Ives occurred near Mena, Arkansas, a town associated with drug trafficking during the 1980s. Barry Seal, a notorious drug smuggler, allegedly used a nearby airstrip for cocaine trafficking, which led to widespread speculation that the boys may have accidentally witnessed a drug drop. Some believe they were subsequently killed to protect the operation and those connected to it.
This theory is further fueled by speculation about political corruption. At the time, Bill Clinton was the Governor of Arkansas, and some proponents of conspiracy theories suggest a possible cover-up to protect high-profile individuals connected to the drug trade. These claims have largely been discredited, but they continue to resonate in some circles and are part of a broader narrative known as the “Clinton Body Count.”
In recent years, a man named William Albert Haynes claimed to have witnessed the murders, though law enforcement has yet to substantiate his account. Despite numerous investigations, public interest in the case persists, and leads occasionally emerge, though the case remains officially unsolved.
The families of Don Henry and Kevin Ives have never stopped seeking justice. Linda Ives has spent decades pressing for answers, believing the boys may have been silenced after witnessing a drug operation. “We’ve been fighting for answers for over 30 years,” she said in a recent interview. “We just want the truth to come out.”
The case gained further attention in 1999 with the publication of The Boys on the Tracks by investigative journalist Mara Leveritt. Leveritt’s book delves deeply into the lives and tragic deaths of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, tracing the investigations and theories surrounding the case and highlighting the perseverance of the boys’ families. Among the theories she explores is the potential connection to Barry Seal’s drug smuggling and the possibility that Don and Kevin may have been killed to protect a larger criminal operation.
The mystery of Don Henry and Kevin Ives remains unsolved, and the families continue to seek justice and closure. The complexities of the case, compounded by suspected mishandling and political rumors, have kept it an enduring topic of public fascination.
While theories about drugs, corruption, and cover-ups have emerged, none have been conclusively proven, leaving the haunting question of what really happened that night still unanswered.
