In the autumn of 1979, a wave of terror gripped the city of Richmond, Virginia, culminating in a brutal act that extinguished the lives of an entire family. Among the victims was five-year-old Harvey Wayne Barton, a Black male child whose life was cut tragically short on October 19, 1979. On that fateful evening, the notorious Briley brothers—Linwood, James, and Anthony—along with an accomplice, Duncan Eric Meekins, targeted the family's home.
The gang's violent spree had already left a trail of murder, rape, and robbery across the city.
Inside the residence, Harvey lived with his mother, Judy Diane Barton, and her common-law husband, Harvey W. Wilkerson. The perpetrators forced their way into the home, quickly overpowering the adults. Both Wilkerson and Judy Barton were bound and gagged. The events that followed were marked by unspeakable brutality as Judy Barton was sexually assaulted. In the midst of this horrific home invasion, Harvey Wayne Barton, his mother, and Harvey W. Wilkerson were all shot. The perpetrators then fled the scene, leaving behind a grim discovery that would not be made for another two days.
The ensuing investigation swiftly pointed towards the Briley brothers and Meekins, who had been seen in the vicinity of the Wilkerson home. Their arrests brought an end to their reign of terror. The legal proceedings that followed detailed the horrific nature of the crimes. James Dyral Briley was ultimately convicted of the capital murder of Harvey Wayne Barton in the commission of an armed robbery, the capital murder of Judy Diane Barton in connection with rape, and the first-degree murder of Harvey W. Wilkerson. For these crimes, he received the death penalty.
Linwood Briley also faced capital murder charges for other crimes committed during their spree and was sentenced to death. Their accomplice, Duncan Eric Meekins, entered into a plea agreement and received a life sentence for his role in the murders. Anthony Briley, the youngest of the brothers, received a life sentence plus 119 years for his involvement in the Barton family murders, as it could not be proven that he was the triggerman in any of the killings. The convictions brought a measure of justice to the victims of a crime spree that left a lasting scar on the Richmond community.
