Byron Barker, a preferred hairstylist, disappeared in 2005. His stays had been discovered greater than three years later, however his killer has by no means been discovered.
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Byron Barker was a preferred hair stylist in Knoxville. The truth is, in 2003, he appeared on a WBIR section displaying off a brand new haircut he stated he realized in Hollywood.
“Byron was an brisk man,” stated Frank Gambuzza, co-owner of The Visage Group, on the time. “He positively had a zest for the newest and biggest.”
However that zest for all times was snuffed out unexpectedly, sparking a years-long thriller.
Barker was reported lacking from Knoxville in Could 2005. His automobile was later present in a resort parking zone in Williamsburg, Kentucky. There was no signal of Barker, however there was maybe a extra ominous signal — blood in his trunk.
“It was sufficient, the totality of the circumstances, led us to imagine that the worst had already been finished,” stated Ryan Morrow, a Knoxville Police Captain who now leads the division investigating this case.
Barker’s disappearance remained a thriller for greater than three years till his stays had been found off Halfway Highway in November 2008.
Morrow will not reveal how Barker died, however the health worker did decide it was a murder.
“(The) majority of the homicides we work, we’ve a criminal offense scene,” Morrow stated. “Now we have witnesses, we’ve bodily proof. Now we have none of that on this case, aside from his stays. We do not know the place it occurred, when it occurred.”
Who did it additionally was a thriller, even when one suspect did rise to the highest of the checklist. Morrow stated that after Barker disappeared, however earlier than he was reported lacking, Barker’s roommate started to dump his belongings. He was later convicted of theft. However he was by no means charged with the homicide.
“We did have a look at the roommate,” Morrow stated. “And we’re gonna proceed to have a look at him till we discover proof on the contrary. However yeah, that was very suspicious that the person you are residing with has been gone for 3 weeks, and you have not reported him lacking.”
However the roommate was not the one suspect. Investigators have stated Barker spent lots of time in on-line chat rooms. He was messaging with males for meetups. They usually say he additionally had been concerned with medication, probably assembly up with sellers as nicely.
“We won’t rule anyone out,” Morrow stated.
So investigators haven’t any motive, no actual time of demise and no location for the killing. However they do have a dedication to search out the killer. And Morrow stated they may not be searching for only one suspect.
“I believe there’s multiple individual that is aware of what occurred on the market,” Morrow stated.
He added that the hope is that somebody will both have a responsible conscience or roll over on the opposite particular person, or individuals, concerned.
“If we’ve proof, or the flexibility to ship proof off or to get a conviction, or a minimum of get a closure, we’re gonna do all we will, all in our energy to get that finished,” Morrow stated.
Anybody with data on the case can attain out to the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers group at 865-215-7165, or online.
