In the early autumn of 2010, the discovery of a man's body in a wooded area of Newton County, Georgia, began a homicide investigation that would remain unsolved for years to come. Wendell Ronard Barber, a 29-year-old Black male also known by the nicknames 'Pumpkin' or 'P,' was found deceased near Piper Road in Covington on September 28, 2010. A hunter happening upon the scene made the call to 911 at approximately 6:45 p.m.
Investigators with the Newton County Sheriff's Office were called
to the location where Barber's body was recovered. It was estimated that he had been deceased for about five days before being found. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was brought in to assist with the case, and an autopsy determined the cause of death to be homicidal violence of an undetermined nature. Authorities learned that Barber, who had a transient lifestyle and no known connections to Covington, was last seen alive a week before his body was discovered, on September 21, 2010, in College Park, Georgia.
Despite efforts to track down leads, the investigation into Wendell Barber's death quickly stalled. Detectives canvassed areas in Midtown Atlanta that Barber was known to frequent, including Piedmont Park and local nightclubs, but were unable to gather information that would lead to a suspect. The case grew cold, with investigators hitting what they described as a 'brick wall almost immediately.' To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide, and the case remains open. Authorities have continued to ask for the public's assistance in bringing closure to the case.
