Naman Shrestha
When a married mother of five, Barbara Weaver, was found dead in her Apple Creek, Ohio, residence in June 2009, the entire Amish community was shaken to its core. Bringing the story to life, Lifetime’s ‘Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story’ provides a dramatized account of the entire case and how the authorities tied her husband, Eli Weaver, and Barbara “Barb” Raber to her murder. The biographical crime drama movie delves deep into Raber, who not only indulged in an affair with Eli but also shot Barbara Weaver to death.
Barb Raber Killed Barbara Weaver in Hopes of a Fresh Start With Eli Weaver
Born on May 20, 1970, Barbara “Barb” Raber grew up in the Amish community, but later joined the Mennonite faith with her husband, Edward “Eddie” Raber, with whom she lived at 6109 Township Road 310 in Millersburg, Ohio. Over the course of their marriage, the couple welcomed three children into the world. Since the Mennonite faith is less conservative than the Amish, Raber was allowed to own cell phones and cars and to work as a driver for the Amish. She eventually bonded with Eli Weaver, a married father of five and a part of the Amish community, and the two began having a sexual affair behind their respective partners’ backs. When Eli opened up about his desire to get rid of his wife, Barbara Weaver, who had caught him being disloyal multiple times, Raber agreed to do it for him so that they could start afresh. She reportedly made more than 800 searches on her computer on how to kill someone.
She and Eli also talked via text messages, discussing possible ways to kill Barbara, such as using carbon monoxide, a poisoned cupcake, and a house explosion. As per Eli’s claims, Raber attempted to kill his wife in May 2009 in their residence at 10465 Harrison Road in Apple Creek, Ohio. However, she allegedly got scared and left without hurting the mother of five. Three weeks later, in the early hours of June 2, she parked her car outside the house and went inside through the door that Eli had deliberately left open while going out for fishing with his friend. Armed with a shotgun, Raber went to the room where Barbara was asleep and shot her in the chest. A few hours later, her remains were discovered by her children.
As the police launched a homicide investigation, they dug deep into Raber’s affair with Eli. During her interview, she told the police that her affair with him had ended six months earlier and she was at home with her husband, Eddie, at the time of the murder. However, the police found out about the text messages between Eli and Raber, indicating that she was lying and that she had a part in the murder. When confronted with the evidence, she admitted to killing Barbara but claimed that it was an accident as she was only trying to frighten her. She also told the detectives that Eli had manipulated her into killing his wife by saying that the only way they could be together was if she got rid of her. About a week later, on June 10, 2009, both Barb Raber and Eli Weaver were arrested and charged with the aggravated murder of Barbara Weaver.
Barb Raber is Incarcerated at an Ohio Prison Facility Today
Despite maintaining her innocence, Barbara “Barb” Raber’s trial commenced just a few months after her arrest. By then, Eli Weaver had pleaded guilty to complicity to commit murder and agreed to testify against Raber at her trial in exchange for a lesser sentencing. During her trial in September 2009, Eli testified against her, and the prosecution presented a series of evidence against the defendant. The defense argued that she had no prior criminal record and was the mother of three children. Her lawyer told the jury that it was Eli who shot Barbara before going fishing at 3 am.
However, after three days, the jury deliberated and returned with a guilty verdict. Thus, on September 22, Raber was convicted of aggravated murder. About a week later, on September 30, Barb Raber was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for her involvement in the murder of Barbara Weaver. In August 2010, she filed an appeal to get her conviction reversed, but the Court of Appeals denied her motion. As of today, Raber is serving her sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio, with her expected parole eligibility date scheduled for June 2032.
Read More: Eli Weaver: Where is Barbara Weaver’s Husband Now?
