Authorities have revealed a primary suspect in the nearly three-decade-old case of the abduction of 6-year-old Morgan Nick in northwestern Arkansas, a person they had previously interrogated regarding the incident.

Morgan was taken from the parking lot of the Alma Little League ballfield around 10:45 p.m. on June 9, 1995, the Alma Police Department announced on Tuesday during an update to the community.

Eyewitnesses provided descriptions of a red truck with a white camper shell, leading the police to dedicate extensive resources—thousands of hours—to investigate over 10,000 tips regarding the case.

Law enforcement has continuously sought the public’s help in uncovering clues about the missing girl. In 2015, then-governor Asa Hutchinson made a public appeal to keep the case in the public eye. The police department also requested information in a post made in June 2020.

Investigators have now identified Billy Jack Lincks as a suspect, linking him to Morgan’s abduction through DNA evidence collected from his vehicle.

Here’s a summary of the findings.

Connection to Morgan Nick through DNA and a Red Truck

Lincks was already under investigation shortly after Morgan’s disappearance. Within three months, he was arrested for attempting to abduct an 11-year-old girl, charged with sexual solicitation of a minor.

During that investigation, police noted Lincks’ red truck. They also discovered blood and blonde hair inside it, but there wasn’t sufficient DNA for a match, according to KHBS-TV.

When questioned by police, “he denied any involvement in Morgan’s kidnapping and appeared to be honest,” stated Alma police. “Investigators moved on from there.”

Lincks had a past conviction for sexually abusing a family member in 1992 and passed away in prison in 2000. The following year, he was identified as a person of interest, and on Tuesday it was confirmed that hair collected from his truck matched Morgan’s.

“Evidence taken from the vehicle Lincks owned during Morgan’s abduction strongly indicates that she was in his truck,” the department noted.

Although Morgan remains unaccounted for, police continue to pursue answers about her disappearance.

Background on Billy Jack Lincks

Lincks was raised in Crawford County, Arkansas, served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and worked for Braniff Airlines in Dallas from 1962 to 1974, as per the FBI’s Little Rock office.

In December 1992, Lincks was arrested for sexually assaulting a young family member who was under 14. His wife filed for divorce the same month, according to court documents.

Lincks accepted a plea deal for first-degree sexual abuse and avoided prison time by paying a fine of approximately $640, performing community service, and ensuring he had no contact with the victim, according to court records.

Morgan was abducted less than three years later while Lincks was still under supervised release. Three months post-abduction, he was arrested for an attempted kidnapping, resulting in a six-year prison sentence. He died in the fifth year of his sentence in 2000.

Court documents indicate Lincks attempted to lure an 11-year-old girl, who was accompanied by three brothers and a friend. He tried to entice her with money while attempting to distract the boys. He spoke to the girl using vulgar sexual language, inviting her to his home. “The girl ran away when she felt frightened,” the records state.

An adult bystander noted Lincks’ license plate number, which enabled the police to arrest him.

Investigators have been focused on learning more about Lincks over recent years.

“Whether through education, employment, places of worship, or social connections, we are still seeking details about him,” they concluded.

The FBI requested information about Lincks and his life details in a news statement from 2021. They emphasized that “every fragment of information regarding Lincks’ existence is crucial – no detail is trivial.”

Why did the investigation take so long?

Authorities did not clarify why it took an extended period to focus on Lincks, but they mentioned that “a review of the initial phases of the investigation” redirected their attention to him.

This prompted them to locate his previous truck, which had since been sold to someone else. In 2020, an FBI evidence team vacuumed the truck and gathered several canisters of materials, including hair samples. Last year, the police in Alma sent this evidence to Othram Laboratory in Texas for examination.

Last Friday, Othram Laboratory provided a report indicating a DNA match.

Colleen Nick, Morgan’s mother, stated in a news release that Lincks has devastated her family.

“He took Morgan away from me, her father, Logan, and Taryn,” she said, referencing Morgan’s siblings. “He failed to realize that he could never prevail. Our love for Morgan – her memory, her voice – surpasses his existence. That love continues to shine brightly. Morgan’s spirit endures.”

Authorities are urging anyone with information to reach out to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.