Arkansas police have made a major DNA breakthrough in the unsolved 29-year-old Morgan Nick kidnapping case.
Investigators formally named Billy Jack Lincks as a suspect in her disappearance after they were able to find one of his hairs in his truck.
Six-year-old Morgan was kidnapped at a little league game on June 9, 1995 while chasing fireflies with friends.
Witnesses said a man had been watching her during the game and described a distinctive red pickup truck with a white camper parked near the scene in Alma.
“He stole Morgan from us,” Morgan’s mother, Colleen Link, said while fighting back tears at a news conference.
Arkansas police have made a major DNA breakthrough in the unsolved 29-year-old Morgan Nick kidnapping case.
But he didn’t win. Our love for Morgan, his memory and his voice, outlived his life. That love still shines, Morgan’s heart still shines.’
Lincks, who has since died, was found guilty of sexual indecency after attempting to kidnap a child just three months after Morgan disappeared.
He attempted to kidnap an 11-year-old girl in Van Buren, at a location eight miles from the Wofford baseball field where Morgan was last seen.
The victim’s description of her car matched that related to Morgan’s disappearance.
At the time, law enforcement released images of a red pickup truck with a white camper. Lincks died in prison in 2000 at the age of 72.
In 2019, agents were able to locate the owner of Lincks’ truck, who was unaware of its history.
The owner allowed the FBI to conduct DNA testing on the vehicle. Several hairs were recovered, and at least one matched a child or brother of Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nicks, police said.
A composition that shows what Morgan Nick would look like today, at 31 years old.
Billy Jack Lincks, who died in prison in 2000, was formally identified as a suspect Tuesday after investigators found one of Morgan’s hairs in his truck.
Alma police described how they tracked Lincks’ truck to a new owner who had no idea of its history and consented to a search.
A different girl Lincks tried to kidnap gave police a description of her car that matched the one seen in Alma.
Agents added that the investigation is ongoing and it was unclear if Lincks was working alone.
At the time of his disappearance, Morgan was approximately 4 feet tall, weighed about 55 pounds, and had blonde hair and blue eyes.
She was last seen wearing a green Girl Scout t-shirt, blue jean shorts and white sneakers.
A massive investigation has turned up thousands of clues, but there are still no solid leads.
At the time a police image was released of witness recollections of a man seen speaking to Morgan.
He was described as between 23 and 38 years old, six feet tall and with a mustache and beard.
In 2017, police searched a property in eastern Oklahoma that had previously been searched in connection with the kidnapping, located 25 miles southwest of Alma.
However, no evidence was found in any of the searches.
Six-year-old Morgan was kidnapped at a little league game in Alma on June 9, 1995 while chasing fireflies with friends.
Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nick, said Lincks had stolen her daughter from her but that her love for Morgan survived him.
The composite sketch shows someone who may have come into contact with Morgan at the stadium where she was kidnapped.
Her family is still deeply saddened by the young woman’s tragic disappearance. who created the Morgan Nick Foundation to help find other missing children and adults.
Last year, a documentary called Still Missing Morgan was released on Hulu that highlighted the kidnapping.
In the series, Morgan’s father described how the family had gone to watch a friend’s son play baseball.
Morgan went to play with other children and stopped to brush sand out of her shoe. It is believed that it was at that moment that the kidnapper attacked.
“That was the last time I saw her,” Morgan’s mother sobbed in one clip.
He also revealed his hopes that his daughter, who would now be 31, would still be alive.
“Not all kidnapped people die,” he added. “People don’t understand how you can keep fighting tirelessly, but Morgan is worth fighting for.”