THE husband of a young woman found dead weeks after her disappearance made a chilling remark about ” not feeling good” before the discovery of her body.
Brandon Barnes, 21, is now accused by police of strangling his wife Jessica to death.
The body of Jessica Barnes, 20, has been identified this week[/caption]
Her husband Brandon Barnes, 21, is now accused of murdering her[/caption]
Police have searched a house the couple lived in with two roommates[/caption]
Jessica was last seen alive at her home in Pendleton, South Carolina, on August 1.
She wasn’t reported missing until September 10, almost six weeks later, by her mom, Cecilia Varvara.
Her remains were discovered 10 days later in nearby Pickens County, according to the Anderson County Coroner.
The body was reportedly discovered in a wooded area near the Twin Lakes boat ramp just four miles southwest of the home where she was allegedly murdered.
On Tuesday, October 1, Jessica Barnes’ remains were positively identified, and police subsequently arrested her husband, Brandon.
They also arrested Victoria Tippett and Kendall Mims, both 20, who were living with Jessica and Brandon in a shared home at the time of her disappearance.
In the days following Jessica’s disappearance, Brandon spoke out about “nasty” allegations he had murdered his wife.
“I could physically never do something like that,” he told Blunt Force Media last month.
The U.S. Sun reached out to Brandon for a comment at the time.
He told us he had “not been feeling good lately.”
Pendleton Police Chief Robert Crosby previously confirmed that Brandon and Jessica were having marital issues.
“There was some issues with her and her husband,” Crosby told local NBC affiliate WYFF.
“They were having the typical marital disputes, argumentative, and then, she just left.”
Kendall also changed the handle of her since-taken-down Facebook page to “Brandonsgirl116.”
Court records have since revealed Brandon was married to both Jessica and Kendall at the same time.
According to records from the Anderson County probate court, Kendall Mims, who has an infant daughter with Barnes, obtained a marriage license with him on July 31, 2023.
Jessica’s mom said that when Barnes and Jessica met online, he told her that Mims, who was pregnant then, was his sister.
Barnes was arrested this week and accused of strangling Jessica to death[/caption]
Kendall Mims, whom Brandon is suspected to have been married to at the same time[/caption]
Roommate Victoria Tippett was also arrested[/caption]
In an arrest affidavit for Brandon, Pendleton Police allege he strangled Jessica to death with his arms on August 2 at a Pendleton residence.
They also allege Brandon admitted to killing his wife.
Mims and Tippett have both been charged with accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice, and misprision of a felony, according to police.
Respective affidavits claim the pair both allegedly confessed to the crime.
Tippett is further accused of witnessing the killing but failing to report it, while Mims is alleged to have been told about the killing but not telling police.
Timeline of Jessica Barnes’ disappearance
August 1 – Jessica Barnes is last seen by her husband at home in Pendleton, South Carolina.
September 10 – Jessica’s mom receives a suspicious text from her daughter and reports her missing.
September 19 – Police search a wooded area near the Twin Lakes Boat Ramp. The Pendleton community holds a vigil.
September 20 – Remains are discovered in Pickens County.
September 20 – Cops search the home Jessica shares with her husband, Brandon, and roommates. The trio were all questioned by police at this time.
September 24 – Brandon tells The U.S. Sun he has “not been feeling good lately.”
September 26 – Brandon tells Blunt Force Media he “could physically never do something like that” when asked about rumors Jessica had been murdered.
October 1 – The remains discovered in Pickens County are positively identified as belonging to Jessica.
October 2 – Brandon and two others are arrested by Pendleton police and jailed in Anderson County.
Jessica’s mom claimed to have received text messages from a number purporting to be her daughter after her disappearance but didn’t believe them to be real.
On September 20, police searched the house where the four lived and took clothing, electronic devices, and other pieces of evidence.
This reportedly led them to a car owned by one of the couple’s roommates, with phone records allegedly showing Brandon drove the vehicle to a location frequented by him and Jessica.
The U.S. Sun has been to Pendleton Police for comment.
Barnes, Tippett, and Mims are being held at the Anderson County detention center.
Their initial hearings have been scheduled for December 3 at the Anderson County courthouse.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money for Jessica’s family.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Pendleton police at 864-646-9409 or email the department at police@townofpendleton.org
