Barbara Lee Barnette, an 82-year-old Caucasian woman from Johnson City, Tennessee, was a kind and gentle soul who had retired after a career as a salesclerk at Belk. A loving mother to five boys, her life came to a tragic and unexpected end on Sunday, December 15, 2019. On that day, authorities were dispatched to her home on Taylortown Road to conduct a welfare check, a request made by a concerned relative.
Upon entering the residence, a grim discovery was made. Both Barbara and her 52-year-old son, Brian Scott Barnette, were found deceased inside the home. The investigation into their deaths, led by the Carter County Sheriff's Office, soon revealed the heartbreaking truth of what had transpired. Both individuals had sustained gunshot wounds, and the ensuing investigation determined the incident to be a murder-suicide.
The official conclusion reached by law enforcement was that Brian Scott Barnette had shot and killed his mother before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life. Following this determination, the case was considered closed, as there were no other individuals believed to be involved in the tragic event. Autopsies performed at the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine confirmed the cause of death for both Barbara and her son. The community was left to mourn the loss of a woman remembered for her gentle nature and the deeply unfortunate circumstances of her passing.
