In the autumn of 2023, the life of Eldon Valery, a 59-year-old Black man, was violently cut short in Virginia Beach, Virginia. On the evening of October 7, at approximately 9:14 p.m., Valery was driving down Lynnhaven Parkway with his romantic partner, Kristin Barber, in the passenger seat and a child in the back. The couple, who lived together, had been arguing throughout the day. When Valery received a phone call, Barber went to answer it and discovered her firearm underneath the phone.
Prosecutors later stated she became angry because Valery was not supposed to be in possession of her gun. Barber picked up the weapon and fired a single shot, striking Valery in the side of the head.
After Valery was shot, he lost control of the vehicle. Barber and the child in the backseat managed to get to the brake pedal and bring the car to a stop in the middle of Lynnhaven Parkway, avoiding a collision. Neither Barber nor the child was injured. When police officers arrived at the intersection of Indian River Road and Lynnhaven Parkway, they found Valery with a life-threatening gunshot wound and immediately began administering lifesaving efforts. Paramedics rushed Valery to a local hospital in critical condition. He fought for his life for over three weeks before succumbing to his injuries on October 30, 2023.
Kristin Barber was arrested at the scene. She was initially charged with reckless handling of a firearm, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child neglect. As Valery remained in critical condition, the charges were upgraded on October 14 to include aggravated malicious wounding and shooting into a vehicle. Following Valery's death, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney's Office authorized a second-degree murder charge, which was officially served on Barber on November 25, 2023.
On April 1, 2026, Kristin Barber pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child cruelty/neglect. On June 22, 2026, Circuit Court Judge James C. Lewis sentenced Barber to 48 years in prison with 28 years suspended, leaving 20 years to serve for the killing of Eldon Valery.
