GUILTY AL - Justin Barnett, 23, Birmingham, 3 June 1995 - *arrest* *still Missing*

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Avondale woman charged in brutal 1995 slaying; dismembered remains still not found

23 year-old Justin Barnett disappeared in June of 1995 from Birmingham, Alabama. He was reported missing by his girlfriend. The case had no leads until January of 2015, when a witness decided to come forward with information. After this, investigators conducted more interviews, gathered evidence and changed the status of the case to a homicide. Tricia Faye Abney was arrested on July 22nd for the slaying of Justin Barnett.

Investigators believe that Abney and her boyfriend at the time lured Barnett to an apartment where they planned to rob him. This is what they think happened that night:

The robbery went bad, however, and Barnett never made it out of that apartment alive. "They dismembered his body in the apartment and drove the remains to Centreville in Bibb County,'' Ross said. "They buried the remains, and then came back to the apartment and tried to clean it up."

The boyfriend is now deceased and Abney has confessed to her part in the murder.

Ross and his Cold Case partner Det. Talana Brown went to Mobile earlier this month to interview the boyfriend. He requested a lawyer and refused to cooperate in the investigation. Police were notified six days later – just last week - that the suspect had committed suicide. They are not releasing his name.

Ross said Abney has confessed to her role in Barnett's slaying. She has remained in jail without bond since her arrest, and is set to make her first court appearance on Tuesday.

Investigators are still looking for Justin's remains.

He said they have taken teams of cadaver dogs to possible burial sites in Bibb County multiple times, but have yet to find Barnett's remains. "Nobody knew the exact location except for the guy who killed himself,'' Ross said. "He was the one who dug the hole."

At this time, Justin isn't listed on NamUs, Charley Project or The Doe Network. In fact, I'm not sure he is even listed on any sites as missing.


Tricia Abney arrested on capital murder charge


11793229_10207482337566769_375753924_n.jpg
 
'They couldn't have taken a better person': Friends remember victim of brutal 1995 slaying

Jill Sheldon vividly remembers she and her friends driving around Birmingham's Lakeview area for days, desperately searching for Justin Barnett after he failed to meet them at a party as planned, and then never showed back up at the home he shared with his girlfriend.

In her wildest dreams, she couldn't have imagined that 20 years later she and their close-knit group of friends would learn that the 23-year-old Barnett, described as humble, loving and silly, had been fatally stabbed, beaten and then dismembered in the bathtub of an apartment off of Birmingham's Oporto-Madrid Boulevard. "Oh dear God, even when we knew it probably wasn't good, we never thought it could be this bad,'' Sheldon told AL.com. "All we can think about is what was done to him. When you dismember another human being, you cease to be human."

Friend of cold case victim speaks out after 20 years

“All of the emotions,” McGlynn said. “Just 20 years worth get thrown in your lap at once.”

McGlynn took to Facebook when he learned the news about Barnett.

“I felt a responsibility to all our old friends,” McGlynn said. “We finally found out what happened to him.”
 
Charley Project

barnett_justin.jpg

Barnett, circa 1995

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
• Missing Since: June 3, 1995 from Birmingham, Alabama
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Age: 23 years old
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Barnett was last seen in Birmingham, Alabama on June 3, 1995. He borrowed his girlfriend's car and went out drinking with his girlfriend and some friends. He told them he was giong to meet someone and would come back later. He was supposed to meet a female friend at a party, but never arrived, and he never returned to the apartment he shared with his girlfriend. His friends tried to call him all night on his cellular phone, but he never picked up. He has never been heard from again. Several days later, Barnett's friends found his girlfriend's car abandoned in the Lakeview area. They had previously searched that location and the car hadn't been there before.

In July 2015, Tricia Faye Abney was charged with capital murder in Barnett's case. A photo of Abney is posted below this case summary. She was an exotic dancer in 1995 and worked at an establishment called Sammy's. Authorities believe she lured Barnett to an apartment in the 7700 block of Sunrise Lane, off Oporto-Madrid Boulevard, so she and her then-boyfriend could rob him. The robbery supposedly went bad and the pair stabbed Barnett to death and dismembered his body in the bathtub and buried the remains in Bibb County.

Abney and her boyfriend separated after the murder and he eventually married. Abney was arrested multiple times after Barnett's disappearance and convicted of three felony drug charges. The police learned of the crime when a witness came to them in January 2015; he said he'd stumbled across the crime scene by accident shortly after the murder happened and he couldn't bear to keep the secret anymore. Abney's former boyfriend committed suicide in Mobile, Alabama on the same day Abney was arrested. His identity has not been released. After her arrest, Abney confessed to her role in the slaying.

Abney is awaiting trial. Authorities believe they know the general area where Barnett's remains are, but not the exact location. Foul play is suspected in his case due to the circumstances involved.

barnett_justin_suspect.jpg

Above: Tricia Abney
 
More information released. Tricia Abney's brother was the one who approached detectives earlier this year.

"Cold case detective testifies: Brother reported he found dismembered body in sister's bathtub"

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/09/cold_case_detective_testifies.html

At one point on the trip back to the apartment, Johnathan Abney reported, Martin said "we had to take care of him," Ross said. At the time Johnathan Abney said he didn't understand what Martin meant, the detective said.

Johnathan Abney reported to investigators that as soon as he walked into the apartment it looked like a "crime scene," with a lot of blood on the floor in different spots, Ross testified.

Then when he walked into the bathroom, Johnathan Abney reported, he saw a man's body in the bathtub, its torso inside the tub with its legs hanging over the side, Ross said. Johnathan Abney told police "it appeared the head and arms were off," the detective said.
 
How horrific. I only wish both were behind bars, I just can't believe how horrific this crime was. So glad her brother felt the need to confess, even though it took him long enough!
 
Trial begins for woman charged with 1995 killing, dismembering of 23-year-old in Birmingham

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/09/woman_charged_with_killing_dis.html

Deputy District Attorney Kylie Jernigan spoke first, detailing what Johnathan Abney said about the night of the crime. She said Barnett's head and arms were cut off and placed in black trash bags, while his torso was wrapped in a bloody carpet. Barentt's remains were buried in a Bibb County field, where Jernigan said police are still searching for any remains that might still be there after 20 years.

The night of June 3, 1995, he said his sister and Martin dropped him off at Superbowl in Tarrant at 8:30 p.m., because his sister said it was Martin's birthday and the couple wanted some alone time. Later, Johnathan Abney discovered that day was not Martin's birthday, and his birthday was not in the month of June at all.

Johnthan Abney called his sister several times when he was ready to go home, but she didn't answer. Sometime in the early-morning hours, Abney and Martin picked up Johnathan and headed back to the apartment. Johnathan said during the ride, Martin said, "We had to take care of Justin."

As soon as the three got home and walked into their apartment, Johnathan Abney saw bleach spots on the carpet. Johnathan Abney said his sister and Martin led him into the bedroom and the bathroom, where he saw a man's legs hanging over the side of the bathtub. Both the head and arms had been cut off, and were inside black trash bags on the floor. "I can't even recall any warning for what I was fixing to see," Johnathan Abney said Tuesday.
 
Cold case goes to jury, deliberations underway for woman charged in 'horrific' 1995 murder

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/09/cold_case_goes_to_jury_deliber.html

Deputy District Attorneys Kylie Jernigan and Neal Zarzour rested their case against Tricia Abney Thursday morning. Abney is charged with capital murder during the course of a robbery for the 1995 killing of 23-year-old Justin Barnett.

Abney's attorneys Emory Anthony and Wakisha Hazzard rested their case as well, without calling any witnesses or having Abney testify.

"They have nothing," Anthony said during closing statements. "I don't believe there ever was a plan."

During the prosecution's closing statements, both Jernigan and Zarzour focused on the brutality of the crime and the passage of time. "We've talked a lot in this case about time," Jernigan said. "But this is the time for accountability... time is up."

"It's a horrific, horrific story. It's the stuff of nightmares," Jernigan said.
 
[h=1]Woman found guilty in 1995 killing, dismembering; sentenced to life without parole[/h]
The woman charged with killing 23-year-old Justin Barnett in 1995 was found guilty of capital murder Friday morning was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Tricia Abney, 42, was charged in 2015 with capital murder during the course of a robbery for the stabbing death of Barnett. A Jefferson County jury deliberated for less than a full day before finding Abney guilty of that same charge.
 

Excellent verdict!

From the link:

"Kylie and I would like to express our thanks to the jury for their work in this case. Despite the unique challenges in prosecuting a twenty-year-old homicide, the jurors paid close attention to the evidence and determined the truth, which Tricia Abney concealed for so long. Twenty years is too long for a family to wonder, but thankfully, it was not too late for them to get justice for Justin," Zarzour said.
 
Woman sentenced In 1995 cold case

http://www.wbrc.com/story/36891087/woman-sentenced-in-1995-cold-case

Late Monday afternoon, Barnett’s sister released this statement to WBRC:

"The last 22.5 years have been a nightmare. I spent 20 years trying to make connections with people I had never met, looking for answers or any clues that would help us figure out where Justin was. I am grateful that this has all come to fruition. It brings some peace knowing that Tricia Abney will finally have to pay for her actions but it does not in anyway make the circumstances any easier. The last 2.5 years have been unbearable. Justin was a kind hearted kid and she knew that and took advantage of his big trusting heart. He will be forever loved and missed tremendously. We are so thankful for all the help from his friends and family, the jury, Judge Petri and of course Neal Zarzour and Kylie Jernagin for their hard work and dedication and also Detective Ross, and his partner, Detective Brown. Without them we may not have ever seen justice. There is still work to be done. We are hoping to find his remains and bring him home. Then we can rest.”
 

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