In the fading light of an autumn evening in Kansas City, Missouri, the life of 40-year-old Larry Barnes was violently cut short. On October 17, 2019, Barnes, along with two women, Brandy Jones, 38, and Larona Jones, 42, became the victims of a brutal triple homicide that stemmed from a drug transaction gone awry. The grim discovery was made in the 4500 block of South Benton Avenue after police officers on patrol heard the distinct crackle of gunfire.
They first found Barnes's body lying in the street. A further search of the area led them to a nearby home where the bodies of the two women were located. All three had been shot to death.
The swift response of law enforcement led to the apprehension of two individuals in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Officers witnessed a woman, later identified as 35-year-old Lynnsey D. Jones, entering a vehicle while carrying a rifle. She was arrested, and the weapon was secured. A man who fled the scene on foot was pursued and captured by police; he was identified as 43-year-old Victor Sykes. It was later revealed that Sykes was on parole for a prior murder conviction at the time of the incident.
Investigators pieced together the chaotic events of that evening, alleging that the violence erupted during a drug deal. Court documents indicate that an argument broke out between Sykes and Barnes on the porch of the residence. A witness reported hearing Sykes shout to Jones, 'Shoot him baby, shoot him,' a command that was tragically followed by the sound of multiple gunshots.
Both Lynnsey D. Jones and Victor Sykes faced the full weight of the justice system for their roles in the heinous crime. They were each charged with three counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. In November 2021, a jury found Lynnsey D. Jones guilty, and she received three life sentences for the murders. The legal proceedings for Victor Sykes concluded in March 2023 when he was also convicted on three counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, with his sentencing scheduled for the following month.
