A stunning double homicide on a liveaboard trawler rocked these residing across the wetlands of St. Mary’s River in Georgia. A fast-moving investigation by native and state authorities wouldn’t solely result in a suspect with a documented historical past of violence however a lethal face-off between them and an “evil, evil” killer.
All of it started on August 12, 2012, on a blackwater river within the metropolis of St. Mary’s, about 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida. Camden County dispatchers obtained what marine journalist Peter Swanson known as a “haunting” 911 name at about 3:00 a.m., listening to the muffled moans and screams of an unknown individual, as obtained and revealed by Deadly Waters with Captain Lee, airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen.
Although the caller supplied no data, investigators traced the telephone to the St. Mary’s Boat Yard off New Level Peter Highway, based on Detective Misty Gilliland of the St. Mary’s Police Division.
What occurred to Karen Barnes’ boat?
“As I come to the center of the causeway, all I might see was this blazing inferno within the river,” Gilliland stated. “My abdomen simply sunk to the ground.”
The warmth coming from the anchored vessel was so extreme that responders might really feel it from the shore, making it not possible to strategy the boat safely. With out figuring out the reason for the fireplace — and since water might have exacerbated the blaze — authorities had no selection however to attend for the fireplace to die.
It was clear that, if anybody was on board, there have been no survivors.
“If somebody was residing on this vessel, it’s basically like a home fireplace on water, and there’s the potential of a number of victims onboard,” stated sequence host Captain Lee.
Authorities quickly discovered the 37-foot houseboat was a custom-made Nice Harbour Trawler named “Premium Time.” Later confirmed by the boat’s H.I.N. (hull identification quantity), authorities gleaned the boat belonged to 55-year-old girl Karen Barnes. In accordance with marina locals, she’d lately been spending time along with her good friend Larry Ford.
Because the boat continued to burn, police tried to contact Ford to no avail. By 6:30 a.m., three hours after responders had been known as to the fireplace, the flames had settled sufficient for authorities to chop the anchor and produce the boat again to the dock.
“The hearth wasn’t totally extinguished till about 12:15 that afternoon,” Gilliland instructed Lethal Waters. “Fairly a very long time.”
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G.B.I. (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) Particular Agent in Cost Cathy Mausolf stated that by then, there was “just about nothing left of the boat.”
Who was on the Premium Time boat?
On the afternoon of the blaze, investigators found burned bone fragments on the boat, which had been despatched to Savannah, Georgia, for a autopsy examination. DNA testing confirmed the stays belonged to Karen Barnes.
Barnes’ sister, Lesha White, instructed Lethal Waters that information of her sister’s dying was “heart-wrenching,” a sentiment shared by those that knew the decedent finest. Susan Graham, a detailed good friend and member of the Nice Harbour Trawler group, stated the information left everybody “in shock.”
In accordance with White, Barnes got here from Myrtle Seashore, South Carolina, and was the oldest of 4 youngsters. She’d joined White in St. Mary’s, the place the youthful sister helped her discover work as an occasion planner.
“She beloved the seashore; she beloved to go in search of shells, kayaking, swimming,” stated White. “She beloved all of it.”
In the meantime, investigators — nonetheless sifting by means of the boat’s ash — discovered shell casings on board, main them to imagine that Barnes was shot to dying. On the time, they had been nonetheless in search of her male good friend Larry Ford, who — based on Swanson — was a ship technician who frequented the waters of southeast Georgia.
“Larry was simply the nicest man; simply actual laid-back,” stated White. “He would assist Karen, and she or he would take him meals. He simply kinda was there [and] would assist anyone with no matter they want[ed] completed.”
A health worker in the end contacted investigators, informing them that they’d bones belonging not solely to Barnes however to Larry Ford, too.
Who was Karen Barnes’ former husband David Trauger?
Locals described Ford as an important man, however based on witnesses, Barnes was lately “involved” about her ex-husband, 67-year-old David Trauger, based on Det. Gilliland. The couple had solely divorced that very summer time.
Barnes and Trauger met at a restaurant in 2009 when Barnes nonetheless labored as an occasion planner, journalist Peter Swanson instructed Lethal Waters.
“David Trauger, he had an insurance coverage firm in Pennsylvania,” stated Swanson. “He was financially nicely off.”
Trauger already owned Premium Time when assembly Barnes, a trawler price greater than half 1,000,000 {dollars}, because of its custom-made inside and an extra tender (a small boat used to move folks between the first boat and shore).
The couple married solely months after assembly, and based on White, Trauger’s monetary standing allowed Barnes to cease working.
However the honeymoon stage didn’t final lengthy.
“Karen was good to David, however David was an alcoholic,” Graham instructed Lethal Waters. “Karen did say she would by no means have gotten concerned with him if she knew he was an alcoholic.”
White stated when Trauger drank, he was “an evil, evil, hateful individual.”
Proof factors to David Trauger in Karen Barnes’ dying
Family members and data helped investigators uncover Trauger reportedly had jealous suits of rage and went so far as to injure Barnes’ arm in order that she required a solid.
In 2012, not lengthy earlier than the double murder, Barnes reported that Trauger tried to run their car off the street as a type of home violence, based on divorce legal professional Melissa Cruthirds.
“At that time, Karen got here to our agency to file a divorce towards her husband, David Trauger,” Cruthirds instructed Lethal Waters. “She had been on this abusive relationship with David for a number of years, and she or he wished out.”
Each events labored it out in order that Trauger would maintain his properties, properties, and enterprise whereas Barnes was awarded alimony and Premium Time. However the alleged abuse continued, and even after they cut up, Trauger allegedly stalked Barnes when each resided on Jekyll Island, Georgia, about 50 miles on the coast north of St. Mary’s.
There was a “turning level,” Det. Gilliland stated, after a June 2012 incident when Trauger allegedly tried to interrupt into the Premium Time, although Barnes had modified the locks. The boat was alleged to have been Trauger’s retirement plan, and when Barnes was awarded the trawler, he went into “a downward spiral.”
“He actually wished his boat again,” stated Gilliland.
Round that point, Barnes met Jekyll Island common Larry Ford, and he presumably hoped to assist Barnes by giving her a handgun for self-defense, a firearm by no means discovered with the boat. Ford additionally helped Barnes take Premium Time to St. Mary’s in an try to cover from the embattled ex-husband, and he lived close by to make her really feel protected.
“They chose the waters out entrance of St. Mary’s Marine Providers’ Boatyard as a result of it was a superb place to cover,” Swanson instructed Lethal Waters. “However David in some way manages to seek out them.”
The stalking continued, with documented reviews that Trauger adopted Barnes in a grocery retailer and allegedly boarded the Premium Time illegally to tamper with the boat’s steering. In accordance with Atty. Cruthirds, Barnes utilized for a stay-away order, however the sheriff’s workplace couldn’t find Trauger to serve him with papers.
Barnes’ sister, Lesha White, stated Barnes stayed along with her for her safety simply earlier than the double homicide, stating she had “a foul feeling” on Aug. 12, 2012, when Barnes left to retrieve some garments.
What occurred to David Trauger?
A number of businesses helped seek for Trauger, the only real suspect within the double murder, and regarded him armed and harmful. Media revealed the suspect’s face, and a B.O.L.O. (Be on the Lookout) was issued for Trauger and his car. Finally, they discovered Trauger’s truck parked at an area gasoline station.
Responders situated a path within the woods behind the gasoline station. They adopted it to a number of private gadgets, together with a pockets and a bloody gun holster, all of which had been related to Trauger.
Searches continued by means of the day and resumed the subsequent day, although there was no signal of the homicide suspect. However on Aug. 15, 2012, at round 9:00 a.m., neighbors from a close-by condo advanced reported they noticed Trauger, who was allegedly staying there.
By the point Det. Misty Gilliland and the others retreated from the forest and arrived on the advanced, regulation enforcement had the place surrounded. Quickly, Trauger stepped exterior.
Trauger’s response was to attract a handgun and fireplace one shot in regulation enforcement’s path, prompting G.B.I. authorities to fireplace again, subsequently killing Trauger on the scene. In accordance with overwhelming proof discovered after Trauger’s dying — together with quite a few suicide letters and last-wish memos — it was decided that Trauger’s dying was suicide by cop.
White instructed Lethal Waters that she was “upset” that her sister’s killer died earlier than listening to the affect the murders had on her life
What investigators believed occurred on the night time of the Barnes/Ford murders
On Aug. 16, 2012, three days into the investigation, detectives discovered a Jon boat — a small, flat-bottomed boat generally utilized in swamp areas — belonging to Trauger. It had been spray painted black, and had a number of cinderblocks and gasoline cans discovered on board.
“He put cinder blocks within the entrance of the boat, and that is believed to have been a approach of conserving the boat from slapping because it was being pushed by means of the water, and thus, drawing consideration to it,” Swanson defined.
Investigators believed Trauger operated the Jon boat to Premium Time earlier than breaking his approach in and capturing Barnes and Ford. In some unspecified time in the future, Barnes known as 911, nevertheless it was already too late. Trauger then doused the boat with gasoline and set fireplace to Premium Time.
In accordance with White, family members “misplaced a very great individual.”
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