Garfield Williamson Barnes, 44, was found dead after a car crash in Milwaukee on January 22, 2023. Police responded to a Lexus that had struck a retaining wall near McKinley and Vliet and discovered Barnes inside with fatal gunshot wounds. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Investigators recovered a single 9mm cartridge casing inside the vehicle, which suggested the shot was fired from within the car. Witnesses reported seeing a man walking away from the crash with a limp. The case description includes family conflict and mental health concerns: on the day of the shooting Barnes had been at home with his girlfriend and his son, Tra-Von Barnes, while trying to persuade Tra-Von to enter a mental health facility. The girlfriend reported hearing Tra-Von talking to himself in the basement and saying things about somebody being a mooch.

The investigation focused on Tra-Von Barnes as the primary suspect; he was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide and later pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree reckless homicide, with sentencing scheduled for May 2025. Does anyone have information about Garfield, his son, or the events that day that could shed more light on what happened?