Odell Barnes

Odell Barnes, Jr. (March 22, 1968 – March 1, 2000) was a serial rapist and murderer who was convicted of the rape and murder of Helen Bass. He was sentenced to death by the state of Texas. The murder occurred on November 29, 1989 in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was also sentenced to life in prison and 99 years for two unrelated rapes, a series of robberies and one burglary. He also beat and attempted to rape a pregnant woman.

Bass, 42, was beaten, raped and stabbed with a kitchen knife, then killed with a gunshot to the head. While driving by in a car, witness Robert Brooks claimed to have seen Barnes, wearing coveralls, hurdle a fence in Bass’ backyard at 10:30 p.m. According to the prosecution theory, Barnes kicked in her back door at 10:30 p.m. and waited an hour for her to return home. A shoe print found on the back door and mentioned in a police report, was wiped clean.

There were numerous splashes of blood spread widely around the room where Bass’ body was discovered. Since the killer was alleged to have worn coveralls in committing the crime, it would seem likely that his coveralls would contain a fair amount of blood spatter. However, coveralls allegedly belonging to Barnes contained only two tiny bloodstains. At trial these bloodstains were identified as being of Bass’ blood type. DNA tests later showed that the blood did come from Bass. Tests also revealed that one of the blood samples contained citric acid, which is a preservative used in stored blood. Barnes supporters have claimed that this proves the blood was planted. The preservative could also have been deposited during the process of gathering evidence.

Barnes’ mother testified that Barnes arrived home about 11:50 p.m. that night wearing a tan coat and gray pants rather than coveralls as the prosecution claimed.

Brooks initially said he was alone in his car when he saw Barnes. His sister, Bobbie Jean Brooks, later said that she was with him in the car. She could not formally identify Barnes, but she did say her brother told her that the person they saw was not Barnes. Subsequent to Barnes’ trial, additional witnesses have come forward and have implicated another man as Bass’ murderer.

Following his arrest, Barnes claimed that he did not kill, rob or rape Bass. He also testified that he did not have a pre-existing sexual relationship with the victim and that the semen could not be his and that DNA testing would exonerate him. The state then ordered testing of the semen at a lab of Barnes' choice in 1998. The tests resulted in a positive match. He then claimed that he had a pre-existing sexual relationship with the victim, which he had been denying for nine years, and that the sex had been consensual. However, no witnesses ever corroborated this claim.

Appeals based on the post-conviction evidence were unsuccessful and Barnes was executed on March 1, 2000. For his last meal, he requested "Justice, Equality, World Peace". His final statement was:

“

I'd like to send great love to all my family members, my supporters, my attorneys. They have all supported me throughout this. I thank you for proving my innocence, although it has not been acknowledged by the courts. May you continue in the struggle and may you change all that's being done here today and in the past. Life has not been that good to me, but I believe that now, after meeting so many people who support me in this, that all things will come to an end, and may this be fruit of better judgements for the future. That's all I have to say.

”

[edit] See also

• List of individuals executed in Texas
• Capital punishment in Texas
• Capital punishment in the United States

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