In a surprising turn of events, Scott Anthony Barnett, a man from Dundalk, admitted last week to the murders of Charles Webster and Terril Lehman, who had been missing since 2014. Despite the long passage of time, Barnett’s confession has provided some clarity in the case, though the bodies of the victims were never found.
Barnett claimed that he and his late partner, Ashlie Barnett, were responsible for killing the couple, who had been living in the first-floor apartment of the Barnetts’ former home in Northeast Baltimore. According to Barnett, Webster and Lehman had been involved in extorting money and drugs from the couple in exchange for rent. Though Barnett mentioned extortion in his confession, it is still unclear if this was the main reason for the killings.
In his detailed confession, Barnett described how he and Ashlie attacked Webster and Lehman while they were under the influence of drugs. He stated that they stabbed the couple to death. After the murders, the Barnetts dismembered the bodies and disposed of the remains in various trash cans around the neighborhood, along with the weapons used in the crime.
Although Barnett confessed to the killings, he could not remember the victims’ names clearly during his statement. However, after being shown photographs of the victims, he mistakenly identified them as “Charles ‘Buck’ Reed” and “Tara Reed.” The police were able to confirm their true identities through further investigation.
Ashlie Barnett, who was Scott’s partner, passed away in 2022 from an overdose. She drowned while under the influence of fentanyl, cocaine, and methadone. Sadly, she was unable to stand trial for the murders due to her untimely death.
At present, Scott Barnett is being held without bond by Baltimore City police. He faces two charges of murder and is expected to stand trial soon. The reason behind his decision to confess after so many years is still unclear, leaving many unanswered questions in this tragic case.
As the investigation moves forward, authorities are likely to uncover more information, but for now, this case remains one of the darker moments in Baltimore’s history.
(Source : newsbreak.com)
