On an autumn evening in Richmond, Virginia, the life of 27-year-old Harvey Wayne Wilkerson came to a brutal and tragic end. On October 19, 1979, Wilkerson, his 23-year-old common-law wife, Judy Diane Barton, who was eight months pregnant, and her five-year-old son, Harvey Wayne Barton, were savagely murdered in their home. The perpetrators were a group of neighborhood acquaintances: the Briley brothers—Linwood, James 'J.B.', and Anthony—along with their accomplice, Duncan Eric Meekins.
That evening, Wilkerson had seen the brothers heading down his street and, feeling a sense of unease, locked his door. This act, however, drew the attention of the group, who then forced their way into his home. Once inside, they bound and gagged Wilkerson and Barton. What followed was a night of terror. Barton was brutally assaulted and then, along with her young son and Wilkerson, was mercilessly shot. The bodies were not discovered for another three days.
The ensuing police investigation quickly led to the Briley brothers and Meekins as the prime suspects. Their reign of terror over the Richmond area, which included a string of robberies, assaults, and other murders, was brought to a decisive close. In exchange for his testimony against the Brileys, Duncan Meekins received a plea deal, ultimately being sentenced to life in prison.
The trials of the Briley brothers brought to light the full extent of their horrific crime spree. For his role in the Wilkerson and Barton family murders, as well as other crimes, James 'J.B.' Briley was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. Linwood Briley also received the death penalty for his part in the murder spree. The youngest brother, Anthony Briley, whose involvement in the murders was considered less direct, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole. Linwood Briley was executed in 1984, followed by his brother James in 1985. Anthony Briley and Duncan Meekins remain incarcerated.
