Carey Barnes

On a summer evening in Cincinnati, two men forced their way into a home in the Roselawn neighborhood, shattering the peace and ending a young man's life. Carey S. Barnes Jr., a 27-year-old Black man, was shot and killed on August 21, 2011, during a violent home invasion robbery at the residence he shared with his girlfriend and three children on Glenmeadow Lane.

That evening, Carey's girlfriend, Miranda Walker, was returning from the grocery store. As she brought bags into their home, leaving the door open, two men with guns burst inside. One of the intruders, his face partially covered by a bandana, confronted Carey and demanded money. A struggle ensued. The man shot at Carey but missed. As the two assailants fled the home, one of them fired several more shots, striking Carey in the chest. Neighbors called 911 after hearing the gunfire. Carey was rushed to University Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. His girlfriend and the three children who were inside the home at the time were not physically harmed.

The Cincinnati Police Department's Homicide Unit launched an investigation into what they quickly identified as a targeted attack. For more than a year, detectives worked to find those responsible. A critical break came from a tip that led investigators to check garbage cans behind a local nightclub. There, they discovered a bandana matching the description of the one worn by the shooter. Forensic testing revealed DNA on the bandana belonging to a man named Daryel Scott. In the same garbage can, police also found a torn and partially burned birth certificate belonging to Scott.

In December 2012, police arrested Daryel Scott, then 20 years old, and charged him with the murder of Carey Barnes. His bond was set at $1 million. The investigation determined that a second man had entered the home with Scott, but this individual was never identified and has not been apprehended.

As the case moved toward trial, it faced a significant challenge. Carey's girlfriend, the primary witness who had initially picked Daryel Scott out of a police lineup, stopped cooperating with authorities. Assistant Prosecutor David Prem explained that without her testimony, the case against Scott was severely weakened. This led prosecutors to offer a plea deal. In May 2014, Scott, then 21, pleaded guilty to reduced charges of manslaughter and robbery. The original murder charge, which could have resulted in a life sentence, was dropped.

During the sentencing hearing, Carey's family spoke painfully about their loss and how much he meant to them. The prosecutor acknowledged their grief, stating, "That pain is why the police didn't give up and persisted in trying to find witnesses and evidence to bring people like (Scott) to justice." Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge John "Skip" West sentenced Daryel Scott to 18 years in prison for his role in the robbery and killing of Carey Barnes. An autopsy had revealed that Carey had four old bullet wounds, indicating he had been a victim of violence in the past.

The case is now considered solved and closed with the conviction of Daryel Scott. However, the second man who participated in the deadly home invasion on that August night in 2011 has never been brought to justice.