The boyfriend of Audreona Barnes, an 18-year-old woman who was found dead under a pile of clothes on an apartment balcony, has been charged with aggravated murder and gross abuse of a corpse, the Independent reports. Barnes was reported missing on July 30, and according to the New York Post, was last seen being dropped off off at her boyfriend’s apartment in Cleveland.
Those investigating the case believe that Barnes was placed on the balcony to speed up the decomposition process. They found bullet casings around Barnes and noticed a bullet hole in a wall of the residence.
An autopsy confirmed that Barnes was shot in the head, though her cause of death has not been determined, WJW Cleveland reports.
Barnes’ body was found on the balcony on March 17, and Washington was arraigned on the charges on March 22 in Cleveland Municipal Court, Fox 8 reports. According to Cleveland.com, this isn’t Washington’s first run-in with the law. The 39-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison for shooting a woman in the back over a cocaine debt, the outlet reports.
Meanwhile, Barnes’ friends and family held a rally for the late 18-year-old. Emotions were running high as attendees called out the police for not taking adequate action to find Barnes when she was missing, Fox 8 reports. According to the New York Post, the Warrensville Heights police were still considering foul play in Barnes’ case in October.
“Where was y’all at when I asked for help?” Barnes’ mother exclaimed at the rally, according to Fox 8.
Hopefully justice for Barnes is acquired after Washington’s upcoming trial.
