On June 9, 1995, six-year-old Morgan Nick disappeared right under her mother's nose in Alma, Arkansas during a Little League game. Three decades later, DNA evidence linked her disappearance to a man named Billy Jack Lincks.
Wikimedia CommonsMorgan Nick was six years old when she was abducted at a Little League game in Arkansas in 1995.
On June 9, 1995, a six-year-old girl named Morgan Nick was stolen from her family. During a Little League game in Alma, Arkansas, she asked her mother if she could go catch lightning bugs with her friends. Before she could return, Morgan disappeared.
During the investigation, witnesses at the ballpark, including other children playing with Morgan, reported seeing a creepy man with a red pickup truck watching children. The man was described as a six-foot white male in his 20s or 30s with facial hair, and his vehicle was identified as a red truck with a white camper shell.
After roughly 30 years following Morgan Nick’s disappearance, her case remained unsolved. Police interviewed a man named Billy Jack Lincks, who owned a vehicle matching the description. Lincks, who had been arrested for attempting to abduct another young girl shortly after Morgan’s disappearance, became the primary suspect, though he denied involvement before his death in 2000.
However, no significant evidence linked him to the crime until 2019, when the investigation was reopened. Authorities searched Lincks’ truck and discovered bloodstains, hair, and fibers that were consistent with Morgan’s clothing.
In 2024, advanced DNA testing on the hair found in Lincks’ truck confirmed that it belonged to someone in the Nick family, likely Morgan. Although it is impossible to prosecute Lincks, this recent discovery has given the Nick family closure and answered lingering questions about what really happened to Morgan Nick that night.
The Disappearance Of Morgan Nick During A Little League Game
NBC NewsThe ballpark where Morgan Nick went missing in 1995.
Before Morgan Nick’s disappearance from the Wofford baseball field, just a mile from the town police station, Morgan was last seen near her mother’s car in the parking lot. Colleen Nick was present at the park that day, mere yards away when her daughter was taken.
A man Morgan’s friends described as “creepy” reportedly approached the girl when she was adjusting her footwear. Witnesses claim they saw the unidentified man eying Morgan while she played with friends. Left alone for just a moment, Morgan Nick was stolen when no one was watching.
“The other two kids that were playing with Morgan separately told the police about seeing a creepy man with a red pick-up truck and a white camper shell on the back,” Colleen Nick told NBC News.
When Morgan Nick was abducted, authorities described her as having five silver molar caps, crowded teeth, and a green Girl Scout T-shirt. Her most unique physical characteristic was said to be a pronounced, purpled vein by the left side of her rib cage.
Meanwhile, the man suspected to have abducted her was described as a six-foot white male with an average to solid build. A mustache and inch-long beard covered his face. A composite sketch highlighted the man’s age and features at the time of Morgan’s abduction.
Morgan Nick FoundationThe composite sketch of the suspect in the Morgan Nick case.
Witnesses recalled a red pickup truck with a white camper shell that left around the time Morgan Nick disappeared, and it was also caught on home video. Thankfully, this lead would be a smoking gun.
Billy Jack Lincks Is Connected To The Morgan Nick Case
FBIBilly Jack Links, the man connected to Morgan Nick’s disappearance.
Over the years, many leads have turned up in Morgan Nick’s disappearance. In 2002, a piece of private property was searched when investigators were tipped that Morgan may have been kept there. A vacant home in Oklahoma was also searched in 2010 — but nothing came of either tip.
Then, in 2021, the FBI indicated that they may be closer to identifying Morgan Nick’s kidnapper. In their statement, the FBI requested information on a late criminal named Billy Jack Lincks.
Born and raised in Crawford County, Arkansas, Lincks became a World War II serviceman before returning to the state in the 1970s. From 1962 to 1974, Lincks worked for Braniff Airlines in Dallas, Texas.
Two months after Morgan Nick’s disappearance, Lincks attempted to abduct a young girl at a Sonic in Van Buren, Arkansas — and the restaurant was just eight miles from where Morgan was taken. Furthermore, Lincks was known to drive a red 1986 Chevrolet pickup with a white camper shell.
NBC NewsHome video footage of the red truck with a white camper shell, belonging to Billy Jack Lincks, seen at the ballpark.
In 1995, investigators examined Lincks’ red Chevy. Duct tape, a rope, a tarp, a machete, and blood were all found in Lincks’ truck. Hair fibers were also found on the seat and floorboard.
At the time, investigators did not have the recourses to test these items. However, in 2019, investigators were able to locate Lincks’ truck and search through it once again.
“In doing so, they produced several vacuum canisters containing various forms of matter, including hair, from the vehicle,” Chief Pointer told NBC News. During the search, police recovered blood spots on the seats, more hair samples, and textiles matching the color of Morgan Nick’s shirt.
In 2023, these items were sent to Othram Labs for testing, and a year later the hair sample and textiles were positively matched to Morgan Nick.
“They determined that the hair contained in the evidence that was submitted for analysis was that of Colleen Nick, one of her siblings or one of her children,” Chief Pointer stated.
Unfortunately, Lincks died in prison in 2000 at 72 years old. Although the Nick family will never be able to prosecute, they are relieved to see their daughter’s case progress.
The Ongoing Investigation Into Morgan Nick’s Disappearance
Nick FamilyMorgan Nick, as seen not long before her disappearance.
In the time since her disappearance, Morgan’s parents have created The Morgan Nick Foundation (MNF), an organization that offers immediate assistance to families of missing children.
And in Arkansas, the state’s AMBER Alert System is even informally called the “Morgan Nick Alert,” in honor of the disappeared girl.
In 2021, Morgan Nick’s vanishing gained fresh attention when a documentary titled Still Missing Morgan was released by local filmmaker Devon Park. The documentary was shown on Arkansas KFSM Channel 5 News.
Beyond the publicity that Morgan’s case has garnered, her family only hopes to find closure and one day know the truth behind their daughter’s disappearance.
“It was never a thought in my head that Morgan would still be missing,” Colleen Nick told 5News in 2020.
With DNA evidence connecting Billy Jack Lincks to the case, both the family and authorities are hoping more leads will reveal information about Lincks’ life. This critical information can help the family and authorities to better understand how and why he was involved in such a heinous crime.
“An army of supporters, advocates and heroes have rallied to uncover the truth about her disappearance,” Morgan Nick’s mother told KARK. “Morgan’s heart shines on.”
After reading the story of Morgan Nick, read more about some of the most mysterious unsolved disappearances. Then, dive into the puzzling story of the Jamison Family disappearance.
