On the eve of what would have been her 27th birthday, Marlee Jones Barnhill, a female nurse from Winona, Mississippi, was filled with excitement. On the afternoon of March 1, 2019, she hosted a live video on her Facebook page, sharing her good mood with friends and followers as she got ready for her birthday celebration. She told her online audience that she was heading to a good friend's house in Carroll County for a night of karaoke and relaxation on the back porch, ending her video with a
wish for everyone to have a great and safe night. The party was held at the home of her friends, Jim and Brooks Harrell, a gathering of close friends to mark the happy occasion.
The celebratory atmosphere of the evening took a dark turn as Marlee's husband, 30-year-old Michael Martin Barnhill, became heavily intoxicated and belligerent. Concerned for his safety and the safety of others, Marlee tried to prevent him from driving drunk by keeping the keys to their truck. This act of care enraged her husband. He went out to the vehicle and returned with a. 40 caliber pistol. He first slapped a cigarette from his wife's hand and then shot her in the chest. When the party's hosts, Jim Harrell, 44, and his wife Brooks Harrell, 39, rushed to Marlee's aid, Michael Barnhill shot them as well. Marlee and Jim Harrell died at the scene, while Brooks Harrell died as she was being transported for medical help.
Amid the chaos, two other female guests at the party acted quickly to protect the Harrells' 10-year-old son, who was asleep upstairs. They ran to his room, barricading themselves and the child in a closet until law enforcement arrived. Michael Barnhill fled the scene after the shootings but returned later while deputies were investigating. He reportedly acted as though he had no knowledge of what had transpired, but the surviving witnesses identified him as the shooter, and he was arrested after a brief struggle.
Michael Barnhill was subsequently charged with three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. A grand jury later indicted him on a charge of capital murder. In November 2019, to avoid a potential death sentence, Barnhill entered a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his wife, Marlee, and their friends, Jim and Brooks Harrell, as well as one count of aggravated assault for shooting at one of the surviving guests. A judge sentenced him to serve three consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 20 years, ensuring he would never see the light of day again.
