VA VA - Catherine Sybil Worsky, 12, Charlottesville, 12 July 1982

[Aurora90]

The Katie Worsky Case in 1982 Charlottesville Va.
Glenn Barker and I were friends during this time and I saw Glenn the night Katie went missing. I was questioned about Glenn but at the time I did not know her abduction had been 6 months earlier. Glenn had recently been arrested so I thought Katies disappearance had just happened. When the detective asked me about Glenn I only had good things to say and told him there was no way Glenn was capable of hurting anybody much less a 12-year-old girl. The detective told me "since I have nothing to add to the investigation I did not need to come in for further discussion" He also stated before he hung up the phone "Men that commit these types of crimes usually are really nice guys" When I found out he was convicted I was in shock but I always supported him even as much as writing him a letter for parole. I have come to regret it.
Only after reading articles on the internet 10 years after his conviction did I realize the timeline of her disappearance was 6 months before his arrest. After looking back at dated pictures from that time (I was a studio photographer) I realized it was the night I ran into him at an odd place and time that he should not have been and when he told me his reason for being there it made sense. After remembering this night I knew Glenn had been involved but there are others with information that could possibly know what actually happened to Katie and where she may be found.
I have tried to get Albemarle and Charlottesville Detectives to look into my information for over 25 years. Their answer was they know it was Glenn. There was another male who Glenn stated "he was helping that night" that I only knew by a nickname. Glenn had introduced me to him and his "girlfriend" about three weeks before Katie went missing. Their response has been they know it was Glenn. I keep trying to get them to understand there were others involved but they will not follow up on it. Over 25 years and at least 10 different calls to the Albemarle Police Dept. they have never had me come in to at least pick my brain about that night. I have read in several articles they state "they will leave no stone unturned to find Katie" I say that is not true or they would have me in their office ASAP.
There is so much more especially about 'the panties' found during the second search. I have read jurists state it was because of those panties he was convicted. Glenn denied he had ever seen them and Katies mother Robin herself told me they were not Katies. She stated "she bought all of Katies clothes and she had never seen those panties and had definitely not bought them. I asked why she had not said anything she stated, "she did tell the detectives at the time but they asked her not to say anything it could hurt the case and they knew it was Glenn."
If the panties were tested now for DNA with all the new equipment (touch) I know they will not find Glenns or Katies DNA on them. The only way would be if they were tainted by the detectives now that I wrote them about my conversation with Robin.
If anybody is interested please read the articles about Katie Worsky and Glenn Barker. If you know how or if I can petition the court for testing of the panties and maybe transcripts of the trial lmk. It may be too old but at one point I questioned the clerk of courts, and she could not confirm for sure, if case files and articles of clothing may still be available. She did state since Katie had not been found they very possibly could still be available.
There is so much more that I have questions and information about but I am tired of writing. If anybody wants to discuss her case or has any thoughts please reach out...

whereabouts did you run into him?

 

[turtleann2005]

Missing since July 12, 1982 from Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old

• Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde hair.
• Clothing: Pink t-shirt.
• Medical: Diabetic.

Circumstances of Disappearance
On July 12, 1982, Katie disappeared from her friend's house, where she was spending the night. Her insulin, was found with her shoes and other belongings at her friend's house. Her body was never found.
Glenn Barker was charged with Katie's murder, and convicted of second-degree murder in 1983. He served 9 years in jail before being released on parole.
Barker was the second man in Virginia history to be convicted of murder without a body as evidence. Barker was the last adult to see her alive and a pair of Worskys underpants were found by police in one of Barkers drawers. Barker served nine years of an 18-year sentence for the crime. He was released in 1992 and moved to Richmond, Va., where he was a suspect in a double slaying there.
Doe Network: International Center For Missing and Unidentified Persons

 

[LDP]

whereabouts did you run into him?

whereabouts did you run into him?

Hello
I am LDP who made this post re: Katie Worsky and seeing Glenn the night she went missing. Glenn and I worked for the same company Olan Mills Studio. I was an area manager who traveled to many different studios between Va. Beach and North Carolina. Glenn worked for the telephone sales department at the studio in Charlottesville. My team took over the Charlottesville studio in October of 1981 and I worked there for almost a year while re-staffing the front department. Glenn and I became friends who hung out all the time after work going to a bar and just hanging in my hotel room smoking my weed. A few weeks before Katie went missing he took me to meet a friend of his (the only person he ever introduced me to) a man who went by a distinct name. I do not use his name because it is different enough that if he is still alive and around I am scared of him. I was 21 Glenn was 23 and "his friend" looked older than us. From the beginning, walking into this home, something was off. Both he and Glenn wanted me to smoke a bong they hadn't smoked from yet that was on the table and my thought was is this a cop? I assumed we were the only ones there until his friend called out for a younger girl (NOT 12) to come into the room. When she appeared she did not fit the picture at all and the way he spoke to her really put me off. He demanded she make him a sandwich or possibly a drink I don't remember and the way she followed his command let me know I wanted to leave. I am a woman who does not let a man speak to me this way and was surprised Glenn didn't say anything. I made an excuse to go, wondering if this was a setup or something and I just wanted to get out of there. When Glenn and I got in the car I asked him about his friend and the girl that was there. Glenn stated, "He was a mean guy, Glenn and the girl liked each other and were trying to find a way to get her away from him and be together". What he said seemed odd but I didn't think much of it. A couple of weeks later I came to Charlottesville to interview a new photographer on Monday, July 12th, 1982. I drove at night so I arrived in Charlottesville early on the 12th (12-2 am?) and stopped in the studio to set everything up so I could sleep longer the next morning. When I pulled up to the studio I noticed the door to the back sales department closed (supposed to stay open) and the light was on under the door. I assumed the staff had forgotten to turn off the lights and keep the door open as required. I went in and opened the back door Glenn was standing there shocked disheveled and of course scared. His clothes were not wet or bloody that I noticed. Glenn had been let go months before and had no reason to be there. I asked him what was he doing, his reply is what needed to be investigated. Glenn stated, "His friend" had done something really bad and he was looking for money so "his friend" could leave town. I told him he had to leave and he did with no problem. I called my supervisor and told her what happened and had the locks changed the following morning. I never heard anything about a young girl missing during this time.
Fast forward (6 months later) I was working in Richmond and received a call from my boss stating I was wanted for questioning in Charlottesville, Glenn had been arrested for the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl. I had not worked in Charlottesville for several months and found this hard to believe since Glenn had always been a gentleman easygoing and never out of line. He had been in my hotel room when I took showers and dressed (in the bathroom of course) he made sure I made it back to my room if we had been drinking and had many opportunities to hurt me if he wanted since my guard was down. NOBODY warned me of his past. I defended Glenn to the detective and explained our friendship (not romantic) and only had good things to say about him. The detective stated I had nothing to add to his investigation Glenn was dangerous and it is "Those nice guys who commit crimes like this". I really believed they would figure out it was not Glenn and by this time I was working in other cities. It was not until Glenn called me from prison that I knew he had been convicted.
Until I read a story Courteney Stuart wrote many years later about Glenn I did not know Katie had been abducted 6 months before I was questioned. I did not remember Glenns friend or the night at Olan Mills. I don't know how much time went by before I remembered both of those nights but as soon as I did I called Charlottesville Police Dept. to tell them my story. They have never called me in to ask more questions, only scared me away with "Glenn is dangerous" and "He could come for my kids" they know it was Glenn. I even offered to wear a wire and question Glenn if they would tell me where he was. They would not. I have never been tech-savvy so anything I stumbled upon was sheer luck. This 25-year journey has been about finding who the girl was at the house that night and finding Katie. The girl visited Glenn in jail and wrote him a letter for parole so my question is how did they end up together? I know there was somebody else involved who may have information about what happened that night after Glenn left Carries house. Glenns conviction was based on theory which does not include my interaction with him that night. I have so much more but again I need to take a break. If interested I will check the post and add more as time allows. I should say I spoke to Katies mother twice and during our last conversation, she confirmed something I feel would change the case and possibly open peoples minds to somebody else helping Glenn dispose of Katies body. I told the Charlottesville Police I will not give up but like most cold cases people are dying with secrets and untold information. What I can say over the last several years as I have continued my search for information I see why Katies case has fallen to the side. I honestly had no idea how many people and children have gone missing and never been found. Charlottesville and the surrounding areas have had so many women go missing that I wonder could the man who helped Glenn and was never caught be involved.
Attached are 2 original polaroid pictures Glenn sent me from prison. I also have professional photos from Olan Mills dating my time in Charlottesville and my name is in the appeal records at the courthouse.

 

[LDP]

Wow This is an uncanny resemblance to pictures I have seen of Katie. Do you know if this girl was identified? I saw a picture a couple of weeks ago of a young girl that had been identified with DNA and reached out to confirm they had compared it to Katie. They had a 100% confirmation of who she was but did state Katie had been looked at also. The person I spoke to also stated Katie had been looked at for 5 unidentified bodies also... I am definitely going to follow this if you're not sure. I also updated my story if you are interested.

 

[LDP]

Hello
I sent this to Kentucky cold case for them to see if Katie has been looked at for this comparison. You have an uncanny ability to locate that Thanx again

 

[Caring1]

Any new updates?

 

[Caring1]

5 Unidentified Person Exclusions

 

[LDP]

Any new updates?

Hello I just heard from Bowling Green Katie was ruled out But it was a great catch looks so much like her I believe as I read further you may have already of ruled her out Thanx

 

[William Walker]

Hello I just heard from Bowling Green Katie was ruled out But it was a great catch looks so much like her I believe as I read further you may have already of ruled her out Thanx

In Barker's previous encounter with the law, he abducted a woman at knifepoint, tied her to a bed and threatened to burn down her house. In a subsequent case linked to Barker a mother and daughter were killed in their home and then fires were set in the home to burn up the victims. I seems likely that Barker disposed of Katie Worsky's body by burning it. Since Barker had experience as a photographer, he likely photographed his victims. Perhaps there is a stash of photos at his mother's house, whom he was living with. It's interesting that you state Barker was let go from the photography job, but don't reveal the reason.