(Morgan Nick. Photo: FBI)
The disappearance of 6-year-old Morgan Nick from a little league baseball game in Alma in 1995 has led to a major development nearly 30 years later.
Through advanced DNA testing, authorities have now officially identified a suspect, Billy Jack Lincks, a man who had been questioned shortly after Morgan went missing but who died in 2000.
This announcement represents a key moment for Morgan’s family and those who have been seeking answers since the summer evening of 1995.
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Disappearance of Morgan Nick
On June 9, 1995, Colleen Nick took her 6-year-old daughter, Morgan, to a little league baseball game at the Alma Baseball Complex.
The family had no reason to think it would be anything but a typical evening of fun and games.
During the game, Morgan asked her mother for permission to catch fireflies with two friends in the parking lot near the field, a simple childhood pastime.
Around 10:45 p.m., Morgan’s friends returned to their families, but Morgan did not follow.
A sense of dread set in as Colleen searched for her daughter.
In an interview with Unsolved Mysteries, Colleen described the frantic moments that followed, explaining that she searched everywhere, including inside and around nearby cars.
Her worst fears were confirmed when it became apparent that Morgan had vanished.
Witnesses at the time reported seeing a red truck with a white camper shell near where Morgan was last seen, driven by a man with a beard.
That sighting, however, would be one of the last known clues in Morgan’s disappearance.
(Photo: Screengrab of the page: Unsolved Mysteries)
The Initial Investigation and the Case Going Cold
The Alma Police Department and the FBI quickly joined forces to search for Morgan and her alleged abductor.
Over the years, thousands of tips poured in, keeping hope alive but also stretching resources and leaving investigators with no breakthrough.
The case remained open, but without any new leads, it eventually went cold.
According to reports, authorities suspected Morgan was abducted from the parking lot.
Witnesses described seeing a bearded man driving a red pickup truck with a white camper shell near the scene around the time she disappeared.
Initially, this truck description was one of the few solid leads in the case.
(The Alma Police Department released photos of a truck that was seen at the ballpark that day. The truck, pictured above, remains unidentified.)
A Potential Suspect: Billy Jack Lincks
Not long after Morgan’s disappearance, a local man named Billy Jack Lincks, a World War II veteran from Van Buren, Arkansas, was questioned by police in relation to an attempted abduction of an 11-year-old girl in the area just weeks after Morgan went missing.
Lincks reportedly used a similar red truck in the attempted kidnapping.
At the time, Lincks denied involvement in Morgan’s case and, with no substantial evidence linking him to her disappearance, authorities were unable to pursue him further.
In 1996, Lincks was convicted of sexual solicitation of a child and subsequently incarcerated.
He died in 2000, taking with him any knowledge he may have had about Morgan’s case.
Although he had been briefly considered as a person of interest, his connection to the crime was never thoroughly investigated due to the lack of physical evidence at the time.
(Billy Jack Lincks. Photo: FBI)
Advanced DNA Analysis and New Evidence
After nearly three decades without significant progress, Alma Police decided to reexamine the case in 2020, driven by advancements in DNA technology.
Investigators tracked down Lincks’ truck, which had passed through multiple owners since 1995.
The truck’s current owner allowed it to be searched, and authorities vacuumed the vehicle for forensic evidence.
Inside the truck, investigators discovered several strands of hair, which were then sent to a lab for DNA testing.
The testing process took time, as the recovered hairs lacked roots, typically necessary for standard DNA analysis.
However, in 2023, Alma Detective Shawn Taylor learned of a new DNA analysis technology developed by a Texas lab that could analyze rootless hair samples.
Detective Taylor worked with the FBI and the Arkansas State Police to send the hair samples for testing.
On September 27, 2024, the results arrived.
The DNA tests revealed that the hairs in Lincks’ truck likely belonged to a member of Morgan Nick’s family, possibly even Morgan herself.
No one else from Morgan’s family had any known reason to be in Lincks’ truck, leading Alma Police to believe that Morgan had indeed been inside.
This new evidence finally gave investigators enough to name Lincks as a prime suspect.
The Morgan Nick Foundation and Ongoing Efforts
Colleen Nick, Morgan’s mother, has been a driving force behind keeping her daughter’s case alive.
She founded the Morgan Nick Foundation in the year following her daughter’s disappearance, which supports families of missing children and raises awareness around child abductions.
At the October 1 press conference announcing Lincks as the primary suspect, Colleen spoke passionately about the support she has received from the community over the years, saying, “An army of supporters, advocates, and heroes have rallied to uncover the truth about her disappearance.”
She also poignantly remarked, “He [Lincks] stole Morgan from me, her dad, Logan, and Taryn. But our love for Morgan – her memory, her voice – outlasted his life. Morgan’s heart shines on.”
New Leads and Unanswered Questions
While this recent discovery represents a significant breakthrough, many questions remain unanswered.
Police have yet to determine exactly what happened after Morgan’s presumed abduction or if Lincks acted alone.
The case is still classified as open and active, with Alma Police Chief Jeff Pointer encouraging anyone with additional information to come forward.
Chief Pointer explained that, although Lincks is now the prime suspect, police are still piecing together the full circumstances of Morgan’s abduction.
The Alma Police Department has appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone who may have known or interacted with Lincks in the mid-90s to report any relevant information.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) continues to list Morgan as missing, and authorities remain hopeful that someone may have insights that could finally bring her home.
Statewide Support and the Legacy of Morgan Nick
Morgan’s case has profoundly affected the state of Arkansas and beyond, even inspiring the creation of “Morgan Nick Amber Alerts” to notify communities about missing children cases promptly.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders publicly acknowledged Colleen Nick’s strength and the enduring commitment of law enforcement to finding Morgan, expressing her gratitude to those who have tirelessly worked on the case.
The state’s dedication to bringing Morgan home remains steadfast, with both law enforcement and community members holding onto hope that Morgan, now an adult, may one day return to her family.
Hope for the Future
Colleen Nick’s message to Morgan, should she ever hear it, conveys the persistence that has driven her family through decades of uncertainty: “Morgan, it’s okay if you forgot about us, or if you’re not sure who you are, but we have never forgotten about you. We are still fighting for you. We have an army of people fighting for you, and we are coming to get you.”
The Alma Police Department continues to actively seek any information that may finally resolve the mystery of what happened to Morgan.
Those with any information are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
