Found Deceased WA - Brian Barton, 25, Federal Way, 10 March 2005

[Springrain]

Wow, never heard of him. I don't live far away either. RIP :rose:

 

[Dixie811]

Within a mile of his apartment and he wasn't found for over 12 years. We see it time and time again.

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

Wow! I didn't expect him to be found honestly.

My condolences to his family and friends. RIP.

 

[SherryDelane]

I am soooo glad Brian has finally been found. I've followed his story for a long time. I hope he finds peace in knowing that his family actually will be able to lay him to rest properly. Any thoughts on what happened to him? They're saying no indication of foul play, but he was young and far as we know healthy.

 

[SherryDelane]

Since they're saying no foul play, maybe it was suicide?

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

He struggled mentally. I personally think it was a suicide.

 

[SherryDelane]

I'm with you, it had to be suicide although the ex gf and old band mate were some what shady. Reminds me of a guy from hometown, he struggled emotionally for years. He finally gave up and hung himself behind a church. Just sad that Brian had not been far from his apartment all this time. The conversation he had with his therapist and him saying, "I know what I need to do now." is haunting to say the least.

 

[Kjowl16]

Wow. I'm glad that the family has closure now but still so sad for them. Continued prayers for their family.

 

[Moonbeam456]

Wow, I have followed this case for a long time and today I randomly Googled his name and saw that his remains had been found very close to his house. Has law enforcement ever came out with the cause of death? I know some people were concerned about his mental state before he disappeared but it seems to be an odd place to commit suicide.

 

[wendybtn]

Wow, I have followed this case for a long time and today I randomly Googled his name and saw that his remains had been found very close to his house. Has law enforcement ever came out with the cause of death? I know some people were concerned about his mental state before he disappeared but it seems to be an odd place to commit suicide.

Unless they can see a bullet wound or stab marks from where a knife slipped off or on a bone, we will never know.

 

[scriabina]

This is a really odd case. It seemed like a clearcut suicide to me, with new-onset schizophrenia leading Brian to delusions that led him to kill himself. But to kill himself in some shrubs by a church and not be found for 12 years is quite bizarre. I wish there were photos of the site where he was found. It's hard to picture how he could be that well-hidden, and if it's right by a church, wouldn't people smell the decomposition? Was he really in that bush the whole time or were his remains dumped? Really really weird.

ETA: This article shows pictures of the area they describe as a "wooded area just east of church, in the 34000 block of 21st Avenue Southwest." It looks secluded enough that I amend my previous statement -- it's not as weird and it's doubtful someone dumped his body there. Maybe his visions of the angel who wanted him to die to help her battle evil led him to that church. So sad. He clearly needed treatment for schizophrenia IMO -- it's too bad he didn't see a psychiatrist instead of that counselor.
Church volunteers, employees find human remains in Federal Way

 

[Moonbeam456]

I’m not fully convinced this was a suicide:

• Why would he do it in such a random place like a patch of trees between a church and a Fred Meyer? Was it just because it was an easily accessible location by foot from his apartment? Most of the time when people commit suicide it’s done in their home or at a place of significance to them.
  
  
• The person who discovered his remains commented on Reddit that he thought it was weird that his body hadn’t been discovered earlier given that many homeless people camp in that patch of trees.
  
  
• It seems the only person that noticed Brian was having supposed mental health issues was his fiancé, I haven’t heard of anyone else that knew him stating they noticed he was struggling at the time. According to her he was fine and then suddenly started talking about good and evil and death, etc. Did he really have a mental health issue that came on that suddenly and severely that he decided to take his own life? Why didn’t anyone else besides his fiancé notice if there was a drastic change in his mental health?

I also noticed that the back parking lot to Fred Meyer backs right up to the wooded area he was found. IF per chance, something did happen to him at his apartment, it would be very convenient for someone to pull into that parking lot late at night and dump his body in the wooded area right behind it.

 

[evilwise]

I could imagine church grounds being a place a person might choose to die but woods adjacent to a back parking lot are also indeed a place that would be convenient to dump a body. Even if toxicology had been a possibility you can't really tell the difference between accidental and intentional (self administered or otherwise) overdose. Brian disappeared in March so Spring growth probably quickly overtook his body, which could have been his intention. In these sort of social groups, if someone knows something it usually comes out after a while so I'm inclined to believe it was suicide

 

[kate2931]

I actually think it’s the perfect place, for someone convinced they’re in a battle for good and evil, to commit suicide. Brian was clearly very poorly. RIP

 

[ex-stat]

I just watched the sad episode on Brian Barton and came here to post and I'm so glad other people were commenting about the 'officer' as it was infuriating me. She didn't put anything into context. They were punk rockers and kids really. Someone had probably kicked the screen door in. There was a lot of drinking going on etc. I don't find it odd. I would find it odd in a manicured suburban home with everything in place but not in a house of punk rockers.

She also didn't put the clues together.

One of his bandmates said there was no way he would commit suicide because of his strong belief that if you did you went to hell (which I don't personally believe FWIW)... but he had changed his opinion on that in the weeks before. The guardian angel had told him to 'join the fight of good vs evil' and he thought to do that he would have to die, which removes the obstacle of his previous belief. I think that is incredibly significant coupled with leaving on foot with no possessions, leaving a serious amount of cash behind (you would need/want that for a new life most likely) and the missing bottle of Tylenol PM.

'Officer' said the amount missing was not enough to cause harm but what about combined with alcohol? How on earth do you rule it out based on what she said, it's the intent that's important.

I think we got a sanitised version of what was going on really. I suspect that B and the band had way more tension than was ever explained. I wonder if Brian was arguing with his gf, arguing with the band (who seemed like nice people and were probably really frustrated), was struggling with the adoption issue and it was too much pressure which led to a few issues. I do believe B is genuine when she makes the statements regarding the guardian angel and her worries. I felt sorry for all of them.

I would like to know who this counsellor was and whether she was a registered counsellor or some kind of spiritual counsellor.

"Something had occurred in that apartment" - yeah, probably a party tbh. I feel like she was judgemental towards them because of their lifestyle/being involved in the punk scene.

The bottom line is that if someone leaves on foot, after having stated that to join the battle of good versus evil they would have to die, taking a bottle of Tylenol PM after having seen a counsellor for the first time, they need to do a proper search (e.g. concentrating on 1-2 mile radius from where they left). Did LE even physically search? There is no mention of it. However, it's easy to say this with hindsight. It is really sad. RIP Brian.