Delia D'Ambra

After the coroner's inquest concluded, the Mellinger family laid Jasper's remains to rest at their family burial plot and put up a tombstone there marking it as his official grave.

After the coroner's inquest concluded, the Mellinger family laid Jasper's remains to rest at their family burial plot and put up a tombstone there marking it as his official grave.

In the aftermath of losing her husband, Martha was unable to keep their farm afloat and wound up having to abandon the property and move to what is stated to be the Sevier County Poor Farm, basically a place where impoverished residents could live who had nowhere else to go. Sources state that she stayed there for about 20 years until her death in 1925.

In the aftermath of losing her husband, Martha was unable to keep their farm afloat and wound up having to abandon the property and move to what is stated to be the Sevier County Poor Farm, basically a place where impoverished residents could live who had nowhere else to go. Sources state that she stayed there for about 20 years until her death in 1925.

Before she passed away, though, there were a handful of significant developments in her husband's case that got the community fairly riled up.

Before she passed away, though, there were a handful of significant developments in her husband's case that got the community fairly riled up.

According to news coverage and a handful of historical documents from the National Park Service, about four years after Jasper's death, a young man from Wears Cove, Tennessee, which is about 20 miles west of Roaring Fork, came forward and confessed to having a hand in Jasper's death. This young man's first name is unknown, but his last name was Beasley. So that's what I'll refer to him by.

According to news coverage and a handful of historical documents from the National Park Service, about four years after Jasper's death, a young man from Wears Cove, Tennessee, which is about 20 miles west of Roaring Fork, came forward and confessed to having a hand in Jasper's death. This young man's first name is unknown, but his last name was Beasley. So that's what I'll refer to him by.

Anyway, turns out Beasley had become very ill and was literally on his deathbed. And before things got too bad, he announced that he wanted to make a confession to his family and minister. He said that several years earlier, he and his father, John Beasley, had been illegally hunting and trapping bears in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Anyway, turns out Beasley had become very ill and was literally on his deathbed. And before things got too bad, he announced that he wanted to make a confession to his family and minister. He said that several years earlier, he and his father, John Beasley, had been illegally hunting and trapping bears in the Great Smoky Mountains.

They'd set a number of traps on trails that weren't frequently traveled and would periodically go back and check them like every other day or so. During one of those trips, the younger Beasley said that he and his dad had returned to a device they'd set along a less-traveled trail, but discovered a barely conscious man caught in it and one of his legs had been crushed.

They'd set a number of traps on trails that weren't frequently traveled and would periodically go back and check them like every other day or so. During one of those trips, the younger Beasley said that he and his dad had returned to a device they'd set along a less-traveled trail, but discovered a barely conscious man caught in it and one of his legs had been crushed.

The younger Beasley said that his father instructed him to bludgeon the wounded man to death with a blunt object. Some sources differ on whether it was a club, a log, or a rock. And the younger Beasley was supposed to do this in order to get the man from reporting their illegal hunting activities to authorities and as an act of mercy to put him out of his misery.

The younger Beasley said that his father instructed him to bludgeon the wounded man to death with a blunt object. Some sources differ on whether it was a club, a log, or a rock. And the younger Beasley was supposed to do this in order to get the man from reporting their illegal hunting activities to authorities and as an act of mercy to put him out of his misery.

The son didn't want to at first, but eventually relented to his father's commands. Reports vary as to whether the Beasleys then threw their victim off a cliff or buried him in a shallow grave. But whatever the case was, it was clear to everyone listening to the younger Beasley's story that the situation he was talking about was related to Jasper Mellinger.

The son didn't want to at first, but eventually relented to his father's commands. Reports vary as to whether the Beasleys then threw their victim off a cliff or buried him in a shallow grave. But whatever the case was, it was clear to everyone listening to the younger Beasley's story that the situation he was talking about was related to Jasper Mellinger.

Eventually, after the younger Beasley recovered from his illness, his father was arrested for the crime but later acquitted of any wrongdoing due to lack of evidence. The source material doesn't specifically say if the son was prosecuted or not, or like what any outcome of potential proceedings were for him.

Eventually, after the younger Beasley recovered from his illness, his father was arrested for the crime but later acquitted of any wrongdoing due to lack of evidence. The source material doesn't specifically say if the son was prosecuted or not, or like what any outcome of potential proceedings were for him.

But during this time, there were people who said they doubted the legitimacy of the son's confession, stating that, in their opinion, it didn't totally align with the physical evidence. In addition to those folks' doubts, there were other people who alleged an entirely different theory, that a local resident and trapper named Art Husky was actually the responsible party.

But during this time, there were people who said they doubted the legitimacy of the son's confession, stating that, in their opinion, it didn't totally align with the physical evidence. In addition to those folks' doubts, there were other people who alleged an entirely different theory, that a local resident and trapper named Art Husky was actually the responsible party.