DNA Evidence Links Billy Jack Lincks to Morgan Nick’s Disappearance

ALMA, Arkansas — On October 1, in a significant development in the long-unsolved disappearance of Morgan Nick, the Alma Police Department announced that Billy Jack Lincks has been officially named as a suspect. This announcement came during a press conference in the small town of Alma, where Morgan vanished nearly three decades ago.

Morgan Nick disappeared on June 9, 1995. She was last seen at a little league baseball game, accompanied by her mother, Colleen Nick. During the game, Morgan ventured off with friends to catch fireflies, a brief absence that turned into a prolonged tragedy as she was never seen again. Since that day, the FBI, local authorities, and her family have been committed to uncovering the truth behind her disappearance.

In 2021, investigative efforts pointed to Billy Jack Lincks, a World War II veteran and native of Crawford County. Lincks, who had lived in nearby Van Buren since the late 1970s, attempted to abduct an 11-year-old girl just a short distance from where Morgan was last seen, two months after her disappearance. Despite being questioned, Lincks denied any involvement. He was later convicted of sexual solicitation of a child in an unrelated case and died in prison in 2000 without having been named a suspect in Morgan’s case prior to his death.

Recent technological advances provided a breakthrough when police tracked down the current owner of Lincks’s old truck. Investigators were given access to search the vehicle, leading to the discovery and collection of DNA evidence. Utilizing an advanced system capable of analyzing hair without roots, Alma Detective Sean Taylor collaborated with the FBI to test the DNA sample found in the truck. According to a lab report dated September 27, 2024, the hair belonged to either Colleen Nick, Morgan’s mother, or a member of her family. Police officials confirmed that nobody from the Nick family had prior interaction with Lincks nor occupied his vehicle, leading Chief Jeff Horner to indicate that this find strongly suggests Morgan was present in Lincks’s truck.

Despite Lincks being named as the primary suspect, authorities still face numerous challenges in piecing together the full narrative of Morgan’s disappearance from the Alma ballpark. Chief Horner and the Alma Police Department urge the public to provide any additional information that could aid in resolving the case, asking for tips to be reported to 1-800-843-5678.