In the quiet town of Springboro, Ohio, in 1995, the lives of Jim and Vickie Barton were well-known to almost everyone. Jim, a respected lieutenant in the local police department, was admired for his dedication to preventing crime. His dream was to one day become the chief of police, a goal that seemed within reach due to his hard work and reputation. Vickie, his wife, was a nurse supervisor at the local hospital. Together, they were a beloved couple in the community.
But on April 11, 1995, their lives took a dark and tragic turn. What followed was a chilling crime, a botched plan, and a forensic investigation that would unravel a shocking truth.
The Crime That Shook Springboro
Jim Barton returned home from work that fateful day to find his house in disarray. The front door was open, and the living room was turned upside down. Panicked, he called out for Vickie, but there was no response. His worst fears were confirmed when he entered the bedroom and found his wife lying in a pool of blood. She had been shot execution-style, and her body bore signs of a brutal assault.
Jim, despite being a trained police officer, was overwhelmed. In a state of shock, he called 911, barely able to speak. “Someone killed my wife,” he stammered. The 911 operator noted his panic, but Jim managed to describe the scene: Vickie had been shot three times with A22 caliber gun, and there were signs of sexual assault.
The police and paramedics arrived shortly after, but it was too late. Vickie was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Investigation Begins: A Robbery Gone Wrong?
The crime scene upon initial view suggested that there was a robbery. The home was rummaged, but nothing of value was found. Vickie’s jewelry, Jim’s firearms collection, and other valuables were untouched. This raised question over the motive of the killing.
Forensic teams scoured the house for evidence but found no fingerprints. The killer had been careful. Meanwhile, Vickie’s autopsy revealed chilling details: she had been shot three times in the head, and there were bite marks on her body. DNA samples were collected from the saliva left on her skin, but when compared to the FBI’s criminal database, there were no matches.
The police initially suspected Jim, as is common in most such incidents. His DNA, however, did not correspond with the samples from Vickie’s body. The investigators were puzzled by this. Who might have done so heinous a thing in the house of a police officer?
A Breakthrough: The Stranger at the Door
Jim provided a crucial lead during the investigation. He revealed that on the morning of the murder, Vickie had called him to say that a stranger had come to their door asking for help. The man claimed his car had run out of gas, and Vickie, believing him to be a polite college student, had given him some petrol. Jim had warned her not to trust strangers, but Vickie had dismissed his concerns.
The police theorized that this stranger might have returned later to commit the crime. However, without any leads, the case grew cold. Months turned into years, and the investigation stalled.
A Shocking Twist: Jim’s New Life and Hidden Secrets
A year and a half afterward, Jim began to move on from his life. He married Lacy, Vickie’s childhood friend and bridesmaid in their wedding. Theirs wasn’t going to be a lasting marriage, however. Lacy noticed strange things about Jim, particularly his frequent trips to the grimy basement of their home. Scared, she divorced him after a mere seven months.
In the meantime, the police continued to search for Vickie’s killer. Four years passed before they made a breakthrough. A man, Gary Henson, who was arrested on drug possession charges, confessed that his brother, William Phelps, had killed Vickie. William and a partner, Gary explained, had gone to the Barton home to rob it but things had escalated.
The police searched more and established that William Phelps had committed suicide three months after the killing. He was volatile in behavior before he perished, keeping to himself constantly, trapping and startling his home.
Forensic Evidence: The Key to Unlocking the Truth
The police decided to exhume William Phelps’ body to compare his DNA with the samples found on Vickie. However, the results did not match. This meant that while William had been present at the scene, he was not the one who had assaulted Vickie.
The investigation took another turn when the cold case unit reopened the case eight years after the murder. This time, they focused on Jim Barton. A critical piece of evidence emerged from the 911 call Jim had made on the day of the murder.
During the call, Jim had said, “I got to call Phelps, man.” This statement raised suspicions. Why would Jim mention Phelps if he didn’t know him? Forensic linguists analyzed the audio and confirmed that Jim had indeed said “Phelps” and not “help.”
Further investigation revealed that Jim had hired William Phelps to stage a robbery at his home. His plan was to scare Vickie into moving to a house within the city limits, which would help him qualify for the chief of police position. However, the plan went horribly wrong when Phelps’ accomplice, drunk and out of control, raped and killed Vickie.
The Final Verdict: A Life Ruined by Ambition
Jim Barton was arrested ten years after Vickie’s murder. He maintained his innocence but failed a polygraph test. In court, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He served 11 years before being released on parole.
The case remains unsolved in one crucial aspect: the identity of the accomplice who actually killed Vickie. William Phelps took that secret to his grave.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale
The Barton’s tragic story is a cautionary tale of the dangers of blind ambition and flawed decision-making. Jim’s ambition to become chief of police set into motion a series of events that lost him his wife, his job, and his freedom.
Forensic science played a key role in assisting to get to the truth, but the case also demonstrates the limitations of investigations when key witnesses are dead.
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