Trending
WHEELING -- A man who allegedly helped dismember the remains of a murdered couple in 2018 has been charged in connection to the crime.
On July 29, Wheeling police arrested Brendon Barbour, 34, of Idabelle Avenue, Wheeling, in connection to the 2018 killings of Trevor Vossen and Lauren Cree-Jenkins. In October 2018, police say a witness who was close to Barbour came forward, saying that Barbour had admitted his involvement with the ongoing case. More recently, police say a second witness also came forward. Both apparently had knowledge of details that were not public knowledge.
According to court records, both witnesses told police that Barbour had gone to a residence at 2727 Wood Street, to bring drugs to the residents there. Once there, Barbour allegedly assisted in cutting the bodies of Vossen and Jenkins to pieces. Police say the witnesses provided facts that would only have been known through discussion with someone at the crime scene.
Barbour was charged with two counts of concealing a deceased human body and two counts of aiding a felon, both felonies. He remains lodged at the Northern Regional Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash-only bond. His bond hearing before magistrate Patricia Murphy is set for 9:30 a.m. this morning.
The remains of Vossen, 27, of Wheeling, and Jenkins, 28, of Martins Ferry, were found on Aug. 16, 2018 along a rural road in Raleigh County, along with several reciprocating saw blades, scissors, and a kitchen knife. In a June press conference, Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said their unborn child had also been killed. The couple were identified through dental records, and had been reported missing since Aug. 3, 2018.
Police records indicate that Barbour had approached Wheeling police in September 2018, wanting to speak about the case but demanding "a deal" before he would. Police say that Barbour seemed to want to cooperate, but had seemed reluctant and afraid. Barbour apparently stepped out for a smoke break and never returned.
At the June 26 press conference, Schwertfeger identified Gerald Wayne Jako Jr., 36 of Wheeling, as a person of interest in the murder of Vossen and Jenkins. Jako was identified by the witnesses as one of the two people Barbour had brought drugs to in his criminal complaint, which was filed on July 29, just prior to his arrest last week.
Jako was convicted in 2019 on unrelated robbery charges, relating to his 2018 robbery of the State Line Cafe in Valley Grove. On June 2 of this year, the state Supreme Court upheld his conviction after it was appealed, and he is currently serving his 100-year sentence.
Assistant Ohio Prosecutor Shawn Turak said at the press conference that she hoped Jako's conviction would encourage people with information to come forward. Schwertfeger said that Barbour's arrest was possible due to new information coming to light from the community in the wake of the conference, and that he is confident that more charges will be brought forth in the larger case.
"That assisted in getting some verification with that regard," he said. "We are confident and determined to pursue additional charges."