Wayne Barlow

Wayne Barlow, a 40-year-old White man who worked as a welder, was found dead on the evening of June 27, 2023. A person driving in a remote area of Marion County, Florida, called 911 around 6:30 p.m. after spotting what he first thought was a dead hog on the side of the road. When he backed up to get a closer look, he realized it was a human body. Deputies responded to the 7600 block of NW 77th Terrace, near West Highway 326, and found Barlow about six feet off the roadway. He had obvious trauma to his head, and his clothing was torn, suggesting a struggle.

Investigators with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office soon learned that Barlow’s death was the result of a planned robbery that turned violent. Text messages revealed that Barlow had arranged to meet a woman, Jessica Lynn Long, for a paid sexual encounter in a secluded part of Ocala’s Regal Park area. After Barlow sent Long $80 via Cash App, she signaled her accomplice, Michael Montgomery Jr., to proceed with their plan. Montgomery, described as "the muscle," was supposed to help Long steal Barlow’s car while he was distracted.

The plan quickly went wrong. When Wayne Barlow realized they were trying to steal his car, he fought back. Montgomery, who had been hiding in the back seat of Barlow's 2018 Hyundai Sonata, then used a bike lock and a wire to choke Barlow from behind. A fight broke out, during which Montgomery pulled Barlow from the car and beat him with a pipe-like object. He then got back into the car and tried to run Barlow over, but the vehicle was too low to the ground. Montgomery then got out, walked over to Barlow, and shot him. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, with additional evidence of strangulation and blunt force trauma.

The day after the murder, police spotted Barlow’s missing Hyundai and gave chase. The driver refused to stop, and after a brief pursuit, the car was found abandoned. A foot search of the area led to the arrests of Montgomery, who was found hiding in water, and Long, who was found hiding nearby. Investigators later recovered a .22 caliber handgun about 30 feet from where Barlow’s body was discovered. In a dumpster behind a local aquatic center, they found a towel with suspected blood, paperwork with Barlow’s name, and a BB gun. Forensic analysis later revealed Montgomery's DNA on items used to choke and strike the victim.

During questioning, Long eventually implicated Montgomery as the killer, while Montgomery confessed to robbing Barlow but claimed it "got out of hand." Long later agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and testified against Montgomery at his trial. In December 2025, a Marion County jury found Michael Montgomery Jr., 48, guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, driving with a suspended license, and resisting an officer. He was sentenced to life in prison. For her cooperation, Jessica Lynn Long, 39, was scheduled to receive a 30-year prison sentence. As of December 2025, the case was closed.