A South Carolina man accused of murdering his wife was allegedly having an affair with one of their roommates and fathered a secret child with another, according to a report.
Jessica Barnes, 20, disappeared from her home in Pendleton, S.C. She was last seen on Aug. 1, police records noted. A body was found in nearby Pickens County during a subsequent investigation. A coroner confirmed that the remains belonged to Barnes on Oct. 1.
Pendleton police arrested Brandon Barnes, Jessica's husband. They also arrested Kendall Mims and Victoria Tippett, the couple's two roommates after the remains were discovered, per a press release.
Brandon's Secret Relationships
During the investigation, police discovered that Brandon began a relationship with Jessica in 2023 while he was still in a relationship with Kendall, whom he fathered a secret child with six months ago.
Jessica was led to believe that Kendall was Brandon's sister and the child was his niece. This is according to a report by PEOPLE, citing Pendleton Police Chief Roberts Crosby and media advisors for Jessica's family.
The 20-year-old later moved in with Brandon and soon discovered his relationship with Mims. She and Brandon allegedly filed for a marriage license in 2023.
Brandon married Jessica in January of this year.
Initially, Jessica had a friendship with Tippet based on their shared experiences of losing a child. However, she found Brandon and Tippet having sex. This prompted her to take off for her mother's house on July 31.
Jessica disappeared on Aug. 1. Police said Brandon strangled her to death a day later, with Tippet witnessing the killing. Police affidavits noted that Mims and Tippet helped Brandon in disposing of the body of his deceased wife.
Jessica was not reported missing until her mother contacted Pendleton Police on Sept. 10, per the New York Post.
What Are the Criminal Charges?
Brandon has been charged with murder. Mims and Tippett were also charged as accomplices in the case. Their charges include accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice, and misprision of a felony (or the failure to report a known felony to authorities).
It is unclear if any of the three suspects entered plea deals. All three were denied bail.
