Suvechha Sarkar
Brian Michael Barrett was a 22-year-old college student with a promising future ahead of him. Unfortunately, he met his untimely demise in September 2006, when he was shot dead inside his vehicle in Clarence, New York. The shocking crime stunned the entire community and left his loved ones entirely heartbroken. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective: Catfished To Kill’ explores how a series of fabricated personas online and secret online conversations ultimately helped detectives uncover the truth behind the murder. Additionally, the episode features interviews with his loved ones and individuals closely related to the case.
Brian Barrett Was Sitting Inside His Car When He Was Shot Multiple Times
On February 1, 1984, Daniel and Debra Barrett welcomed their beloved son Brian Michael Barrett into their lives. He grew up in a loving and lively household in Williamsville, New York. He had always been close to his brothers, Daniel C. and Richard M. Brian was loved dearly by his family and friends for his kind and compassionate nature. As an athlete, he loved playing baseball during his time at Starpoint High School. After graduating from high school, he pursued higher education at Buffalo State College. Brian aspired to eventually become an Industrial Arts Teacher. To help cover his college costs, he worked part-time at Dynabrade Corporation in Clarence, New York.
Simultaneously, Brian served as a Little League baseball coach in the summer of 2006 and assisted his father with soccer coaching. By 2006, he was living with his parents in Lockport. Everything seemed to be going well until his life turned upside down on September 15, 2006. Around approximately 10 pm, he set out from his office as usual after finishing his shift. However, when Brian didn’t return for the next two days, his family and friends became concerned. On September 17, one of his coworkers discovered the 22-year-old’s pickup truck parked in an isolated portion of the company’s parking lot. Upon checking inside, the coworker found Brian dead inside and promptly called 911.
When officials rushed to the scene, they discovered that Brian had been shot multiple times at close range through the driver’s side window. Detectives noted that he was sitting in the driver’s seat and was shot in his left arm and neck. After speaking with his coworkers, the authorities deduced that Brian was likely shot with a .30-caliber rifle after he got into his car after finishing his shift. However, they found no evidence suggesting a robbery. The autopsy report revealed that he was shot three times. Brian’s cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, and his manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Investigation Uncovered an Unexpected Online Chatroom Relationship
Initially, when Brian’s family was questioned, they could not understand why someone would hurt him. According to reports, officials received a break when they spoke with his coworkers, who told them that the 22-year-old had recently been involved in an escalating dispute with another coworker, Thomas Montgomery. Investigators learned that Thomas had become increasingly hostile towards him in the months leading up to the murder because they were involved in a love triangle with a woman they believed was an 18-year-old girl, Jessi, as per reports. Police records suggest that, upon checking Thomas and Brian’s computers, authorities discovered they were active on the online gaming site Pogo, which had several chat rooms. There, Thomas reportedly began speaking with Jessi in May 2005.
Thomas reportedly introduced himself as an 18-year-old Iraq-bound marine and sent Jessi love letters and pictures of himself from 30 years earlier, per reports. According to court records, detectives further discovered that the online relationship came to light to Thomas’ wife, Cindy, when she intercepted one of the packages sent by Jessi. It turned out that Thomas also received packages containing custom dog tags, lingerie, and pictures of Jessi. Records state that Cindy then wrote a letter to Jessi, informing, “He’s married, and he’s a father of two. He’s 47, and I’m his wife.” When officials finally contacted Jessi, they discovered that it was actually her 45-year-old mother, Mary Shieler, who was speaking to Thomas by posing as her daughter.
Brian’s Killer Was Arrested After Forensic Evidence Linked Him to the Crime
According to investigative reports, when Mary found out that Thomas was married, she recalled that he had told her about his friend, Brian, and his online chatroom name. She reportedly reached out to the 22-year-old and confirmed the information about Thomas’ marriage. Soon, Mary and Brian began having regular conversations, and he told his friends and coworkers that he was in a relationship with Jessi, who was actually Mary. As per the records, Mary continued speaking with Thomas simultaneously. However, it made the situation tense, and Thomas began writing hostile messages such as “Brian will pay in blood.”
In the meantime, officials reportedly found a peach pit near Brian’s car containing Thomas’ DNA. Additionally, one of his .30-caliber rifles, which had been missing from his home, was spotted in his family photo. When questioned, Thomas reportedly claimed he was visiting a local restaurant and returned home around 10 pm. Police records state that his statements were contradicted by Cindy, who told the police he had actually returned home approximately 30 minutes or more after 10 pm. Moreover, upon checking his cell phone records, investigators discovered that Thomas was near the crime scene at the time of the murder. Ultimately, Thomas was arrested on November 27, 2006, and charged with second-degree murder.
Thomas Montgomery is Out on Parole and Likely Leading a Quiet Life Today
Following his arrest, Thomas’ case was moving toward trial, as the prosecution had multiple pieces of forensic evidence, digital data, and circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. Given the extensive evidence against him, the defendant ultimately accepted a plea deal. In August 2007, he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. As part of the agreement, Thomas admitted to shooting Brian in the parking lot. In November 2007, he attempted to withdraw his guilty plea.
However, the judge reportedly rejected Thomas’ motion and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. He was serving his sentence at the Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, when he was released on parole on January 11, 2024. While his post-release supervision expiration date is set for September 11, 2026, his sentence expiration date is on March 26, 2027. Currently, Thomas appears to be leading a quiet life away from the public eye.
Read More: Rhonda Maloney Murder: Where is Robert Harlan Now?
