Unmasking a Shadow: Could a Drifter Be the Key to Pauline’s 54-Year-Old Murder?
For over five decades, the murder of Pauline has remained a chilling enigma, a cold case that has haunted the collective memory of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Countless theories have been whispered, leads followed, and hopes dashed. But what if the answer lies in the shadows of another crime, far from the Ozark foothills, and connected by a name barely remembered in relation to Pauline’s tragic end?
My investigation, delving into dusty archives and forgotten conversations, has led me down a path less traveled, one that points a stark, accusing finger at a man named Stephen Wayne Cooper. This isn’t a mere hunch; it’s a theory built on fragmented facts and the unsettling echoes of a secret, if a confession or long-lost DNA evidence were to surface from the Fayetteville Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, or even another agency unknowingly holding the key.
Betty Grace was a cousin to Pauline who had attended her funeral and the letter in short informed me that Pauline had turned to fight her attacker and at the funeral they had her hands in gloves to hide the knife marks.
The Whispers of Betty Baker: A Frightened Witness Emerges
Our journey into this fifty-four-year-old mystery begins with a cache of handwritten documents I recently acquired. Among them are notes from Myrtle Baker, Barbara (Baker) Hamilton, Paula Smith, Betty Grace, and most notably, Betty Baker. It is the intertwined narratives of Myrtle, Betty, and Barbara that truly captivate, painting a vivid picture of a woman gripped by fear.
This woman is Betty (Baker) Henson. In 1975, just four years after Pauline’s murder, Betty married Charles “Terry” Paul Henson in Humboldt County, California. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1980 while they resided in Pitkin County, Colorado—home to the glitzy town of Aspen. Why the unease? A letter from Barbara (Baker) Hamilton to a Detective Coffman—likely with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, given the detective’s presence at the time—implies Betty harbored a terrifying secret. She was reportedly worried that a man named Stephen Wayne Cooper might harm her or her daughter, Amy, because Betty “knew something” about Pauline’s murder.
Betty’s own letters offer a glimpse into her troubled life, hinting at a fear of her husband, Terry, which may have been the catalyst for their divorce. She recounts a chilling incident where Terry recoiled from a roadblock. While Betty never explicitly accused Terry of the murder, she steadfastly maintained that he, too, knew the identity of Pauline’s killer. This is corroborated by Myrtle Baker, who relayed to Barbara (Baker) Hamilton that Terry’s mother had confirmed Pauline was killed with a large butcher knife.
But the most damning statement comes directly from Betty Baker: “Stephen Wayne Cooper killed Pauline.”
The image below are the Barbara (Baker) Hamilton letters to a Detective Coffmen.
The images below are the Betty Baker to Barbara (Baker) Hamilton letters
The next are the Myrtle Baker letter to her daughter Barbara (Baker) Hamilton
Stephen Wayne Cooper: A Pattern of Violence?
Now, let’s turn our attention to Stephen Wayne Cooper himself. Born on February 28, 1952, in Wichita, Kansas, Cooper eventually settled in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He died on October 31, 1983, in Tucson, Arizona, and is interred in Zion Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas.
Here’s where the narrative takes a chilling turn, suggesting a pattern of violence that could extend back to Fayetteville. At the age of 21, Cooper found himself embroiled in serious legal trouble in Arizona. He was arrested and charged with homicide in the slaying of Ronald L. Johnson. Johnson’s body was discovered approximately 26 miles southwest of Prescott, Arizona, near U.S. 89. He had suffered a pipe blow to the head, and his throat had been cut. The crime was believed to have occurred on a Saturday afternoon. Cooper was apprehended by Yavapai County authorities after hitchhiking with the victim. Investigators found blood spatter in his van, and reports indicated he was driving while intoxicated and without a license. Disturbingly, news accounts also mentioned Cooper had disposed of clothing at a rest stop near Winslow, Arizona.
Could Cooper have been a killer before his arrival in Arizona? This question looms large when we consider the circumstances surrounding Pauline’s death.
Newspaper clippings from newspapers.com and articles originally published by the Northwest Arkansas Times and the Arizonian Republic.
The Night of the Murder: Cooper’s Presence in Fayetteville
Evidence places Stephen Wayne Cooper in Fayetteville on the very night Pauline was murdered. Michele Phelan’s statement to the Prosecuting Attorney, found within the case file, describes seeing Steve Cooper on Dickson Street near a place called the Jet Set around 9:20 PM. Phelan and her companions observed him in the middle of the street, asking for the time, and noted he was running from the corner of the Arkansas Bookstore. While Paula Smith’s letter slightly contradicts Phelan’s statement by ten minutes, both accounts undeniably place Cooper in the vicinity of the murder scene.
Earlier that evening, around 6:00 PM, Paula Smith describes walking and talking with Steve Cooper, who was dressed in blue jeans, a red and black (or dark brown) striped t-shirt, and carrying a black backpack, but no coat. Their paths crossed again at 9:10 PM, with Steve once again outside the Jet Set.
It’s a chilling thought, but the timeline, Cooper’s proximity to the scene, and his documented violent tendencies lead me to a disturbing hypothesis: Could Stephen Wayne Cooper have been one of the mysterious callers who visited Pauline’s apartment or telephoned her? On April 12th, Michele Phelan and her friends were at the Gray House, a known hub for boiling down diet pills (Preludin) into a form of speed, suggesting Cooper’s involvement in drug use. This makes it plausible that he knew Pauline and obtained her phone number from others who frequented the Gray House.
We know from Michele Phelan’s statement to the Prosecuting Attorney, located in the case file, we know Steve Cooper was seen the night of the murder on Dickson Street near a place called the Jet Set around 9:20 PM and they were in the middle of the street when they saw Steven when he asked what time it was and he was running from the corner of the Arkansas Bookstore. and in the Paula Smith letter, which contradicts Phelan’s statement by ten minutes. None the less, the places Steve Cooper outside a motel on Dickson around 6:00 PM dressed in blue jeans and a red and black (or dark brown) striped t-shirt with a black backpack and no coat. Paula and Steve walk and talk and the meet up at 9:10 PM and Steve was outside the Jet Set.
Consider this scenario: If Phelan’s statement is accurate, Cooper may have approached Pauline, perhaps attempting to engage her. If she rebuffed his advances, his temper—evidenced by his later crime—could have erupted, leading to the brutal attack. Eight stab wounds suggest a struggle, a desperate fight for survival against a rage-fueled assailant.
What do you, my fellow true-crime enthusiasts, think? Could Stephen Wayne Cooper have left a trail of unsolved mysteries in his wake, stretching all the way back to Fayetteville? And what about that knife found in his van in Arizona in 1973? Even two years after Pauline’s murder, could it hold the DNA evidence—if tested—to connect him to Pauline through family tree genetics? Or what about the trash he disposed of?
The spirit of Pauline deserves answers. Let’s get this conversation started.
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