On February 1, 1945, E.C. Adams, a resident of Fordyce, Arkansas, was reported missing after leaving for his job at a Little Rock war plant. His vehicle was discovered abandoned near Fordyce, and his body was found nearby, a single bullet wound to the head. This incident was part of a series of similar crimes in the region.
Authorities soon connected Adams' murder to a string of killings attributed to James Waybern 'Red' Hall, a 24-year-old from Little Rock. Hall had been involved in a series of robberies and murders across Arkansas, including the deaths of his wife, Fayrene Clemmons, and others such as Carl Hamilton and Doyle Mulherin. His modus operandi involved hitchhiking, robbing, and murdering his victims.
Hall was arrested on March 15, 1945, following a bar altercation in Little Rock. During his arrest, authorities discovered a loaded pistol in his possession, which was later linked to the murder of Carl Hamilton through ballistics tests. Hall confessed to the series of crimes, including the murder of E.C. Adams.
In May 1945, Hall was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He was executed by electrocution on January 4, 1946, at the age of 24. His execution marked the end of a series of violent crimes that had terrorized the Arkansas region.
