ALMA, Ark. – In a major development in the decades-old case of missing Arkansas child Morgan Nick, the Alma Police Department announced new evidence pointing to a primary suspect. During a press conference Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m., Alma Police Chief Jeff Horner named Billy Jack Lincks as a suspect in Morgan’s 1995 abduction, marking a significant step forward in the investigation.
The case of Morgan Nick has haunted Arkansas for nearly 30 years. On June 9, 1995, 6-year-old Morgan disappeared from a ballpark in Alma, Arkansas, sparking a massive search effort that continues to this day. Despite years of investigation and numerous leads, Morgan remains missing. Tuesday’s press conference was attended by local and state officials, including members of the Arkansas State Police, as well as Colleen Nick, Morgan’s mother.
Chief Horner revealed that Billy Jack Lincks, who was arrested in 1995 for the sexual solicitation of a child in another case, had been under renewed scrutiny since the case was reviewed in July 2019. Lincks, who died in 2000, owned a red truck at the time of Morgan’s disappearance. The truck, which had passed to a new owner who was unaware of Lincks’ connection to the vehicle, was located and examined by the FBI in 2020.
Hair vacuumed from the truck was retained as evidence, and in 2023, it was sent to a specialized lab in Texas for analysis. In September 2024, the lab determined that the hair belonged to either Colleen Nick, one of her children, or one of her siblings. However, neither Colleen nor any of her relatives had any known connection to Lincks or his truck, leading investigators to conclude that the hair likely belonged to Morgan Nick, Colleen’s missing daughter.
“Today, for the first time in this case, I am calling Billy Jack Lincks a suspect in Morgan’s abduction,” Chief Horner said. Despite Lincks’ death, authorities remain hopeful that the investigation will yield more answers.
Colleen Nick, who has tirelessly advocated for her daughter’s return, also spoke at the press conference, addressing Lincks directly. “He stole Morgan from me. He stole her from her dad… But he didn’t see he could never win. Because our love for Morgan, her memory and her voice, outlasted his life. And that love continues to shine. Her heart, Morgan’s heart shines on.”
Morgan Nick is still missing, and the investigation is ongoing. Police urge anyone with information about the case to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
