Jessica Barnes beloved youngsters and was learning to turn into a instructor at a technical faculty close to her house in Pendleton, South Carolina.
However when the 20-year-old began relationship Brandon Barnes, 21, her life turned upside-down.
After she married him and moved in with him and two roommates, she misplaced her job at a diner, left faculty and have become distant from her giant, close-knit Romanian household. Then ― shortly after her household says she found her husband having intercourse with one roommate ― she disappeared.
On Oct. 2, Brendan Barnes was charged with Jessica’s homicide, whereas roommates Kendall Mims and Victoria Tippett, each 20, are accused of aiding him. In accordance with police, after Brendan strangled his spouse on Aug. 2, Mims and Tippett helped him conceal her demise and transfer her physique to a wooded space miles away, the place it was discovered on Sept. 20.
In an interview with HuffPost, Troy Kinds of Blunt Power Media, who’s appearing as a spokesperson for Jessica’s household, revealed new particulars about her relationship with Brandon and the warning indicators her mom noticed as a fellow home violence survivor.
“There’s really a factor that Jessica wrote in her Bible, and it listed off, like, I don’t know, 20 issues that she was keen to provide to Brandon, and on the finish, it listed one factor that she wished again, and it was simply to be beloved,” Kinds stated. Her household described her as a “bubbly,” artistic younger particular person.
Jessica and Brandon met after they matched on Tinder, Kinds stated, and although he introduced himself in a wide range of methods on relationship apps, he had a sample of selecting Christian ladies. Kinds stated Brandon would speak about God, giving them an expectation of security.
However Jessica’s members of the family stated he was abusive and would go away Jessica bruised, Kinds stated. Her mom objected to the connection, however finally, she moved in with him.
On the time, Jessica believed Mims was Brandon’s sister, however in actuality, she was somebody Brandon had beforehand had a sexual relationship with, Kinds stated.
Data in Anderson County Probate courtroom revealed Brandon married Mims in July 2023, simply months earlier than he married Jessica in January of the next 12 months. Crosby advised impartial news outlet FITS News that Brandon and Mims have been by no means divorced, however the company doesn’t plan to pursue bigamy costs as a result of weight of the opposite, extra severe costs.
Barnes additionally had a baby with Mims, Pendleton Police Chief Robert Crosby confirmed.
Jessica Barnes discovered the reality of her husband’s relationship with Mims when Mims gave start to his baby, in line with Kinds. Together with Tippett, the three lived collectively in an 1,100-square-foot pool home on Brandon Barnes’ grandfather’s property.
Kinds stated Jessica’s household was determined to maintain their relationship along with her, however they principally communicated by textual content. Jessica would ask her mom for encouragement and prayer as a result of she wished to be a faithful spouse to Brandon.
In March 2024, Jessica had a stillbirth. However she remained within the relationship as a result of she nonetheless hoped to construct a household round Brandon and, as a Christian, to avoid wasting him and their roommates, Kinds stated. She would keep house to deal with Mims’ baby whereas her husband and her roommates labored.
However on July 31, she caught her husband having intercourse with Tippett, Kinds stated, and he or she determined to depart the connection.
Brandon Barnes dropped her off at her mom’s house, however was “vile” in the direction of his spouse’s household and so they known as police for help, Kinds stated. When officers arrived, they discovered Jessica having a “panic episode,” Kinds stated, and first responders took her to a hospital.
The following day, Barnes “caught up along with her” and, after choosing up some gadgets at her mom’s home, took her again to the pool home, Kinds stated.
Police stated Brendan Barnes strangled Jessica Barnes to demise on Aug. 2, in line with arrest warrants obtained by HuffPost. Each Mims and Tippett allegedly helped cowl up the killing, and Kinds stated her household acquired textual content messages from her telephone that they didn’t consider have been written by her. On Sept. 10, her mom reported her lacking after her telephone was disconnected.
As her members of the family posted lacking flyers and arranged a prayer vigil, Kinds interviewed Brandon, who at that time had not been named a suspect. Within the video, Brandon says he believes Jessica will would nonetheless return house.
“I’d inform her how a lot I really like her and I want I by no means went to work on a regular basis and ignored her,” Brandon Barnes advised Kinds when requested what message he wish to give her.
In arrest warrants, police stated Brandon Barnes, Mims and Tippett confessed after being learn their Miranda rights.
A spokesperson for the South Carolina Fee of Indigent Protection advised HuffPost their workplace has opened circumstances for Brendan Barnes and Tippett, however the two haven’t but been assigned attorneys. It’s unclear if Mims has an lawyer representing her.
They have been ordered held with out bond as they await their subsequent courtroom dates. In the meantime, Jessica’s mom has launched a fundraiser to permit her to take day off from her job as an Uber driver to be within the courtroom and search justice for her daughter.
“Jessica was a shiny, compassionate younger girl with a ravishing spirit and infinite potential,” the GoFundMe reads. “She had desires, aspirations, and a profound love for her household and mates.”
Need assistance? Within the U.S., name 1-866-331-9474 or textual content “loveis” to 22522 for the National Dating Abuse Helpline.
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