Lucy Devine
A man allegedly killed his wife and left her body in the woods before joining in a search party to look for her.
Jessica Barnes, 20, from South Carolina, was last seen at the start of August at the home she shared with her husband, Brandon Barnes and their housemates, Kendall Mims and Victoria Tippett.
However, she was reported missing by her mother, Cecilia Varvara, on September 10, after she claimed text messages she had received from her daughter were not actually from her.
During an investigation into Jessica's whereabouts, authorities identified a site in Pickens County, six miles away from her home.
It was in this region, within a wooded area, that police found Jessica's body on September 20.
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At the time of the discovery, Barnes was not deemed as a suspect, but he was questioned by authorities, along with his two housemates, Mims and Tippett.
“There was some issues with her and her husband. They were having the typical marital disputes, argumentative, and then, she just left,” Pendleton Police Chief Robert Crosby said.
According to Blunt Force Media, Barnes and Tippett had been putting up missing person posters in the area, six days after human remains were found.
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When asked if he could share a message to Jessica, Barnes said: “I would tell her how much I love her and I wish I never went to work everyday and ignored her. I ignored her voice, told her she was fine when I knew she wasn’t.
“I was young and stupid. I was always focused on getting more money and more work.”
He also read out loud a letter from Jessica, intended to be read by Barnes on their 10th wedding anniversary.
“We have been through so much in the first year of our life together, and I am so grateful that I met you. I love you so much, baby," it read.
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"Thank you for sticking by my side and letting me in. It’s hard to love me, but we had a son and got married—best choice I ever made, by the way.
"We even went through a stillbirth and came out the other side stronger and more motivated, knowing we can stick together through anything. God put you in my life for a reason, and I will never let you go.
"I plan on writing these letters—ten of them—for the first ten years of our beautiful life together. I could never picture starting a life with anyone else. You are my rock, and I love you so much."
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According to Anderson County Coroner, Greg Shore, an autopsy found Jessica had died of asphyxiation by strangulation.
Barnes, Mims and Tippett were arrested and charged, with Barnes charged with murder. He later admitted to the crime.
Mims and Tippett have been charged with accessory to the fact, obstruction of justice and knowing of a crime but not reporting it.
UNILAD has reached out to Anderson County Sheriff's Office for comment.