Dead on the Boardwalk

Summary

48 Hours: "Dead on the Boardwalk"

Date: September 3, 2025
Host: CBS News / 48 Hours team

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Overview

This episode of “48 Hours” examines the haunting 2002 murder of April Barber on a Florida beach, unraveling a complex case of love, betrayal, and suspicion. Through interviews with family, friends, investigators, and Justin Barber himself (April’s husband and accused killer), it delves into the investigation, the prosecution’s theory, and the gripping courtroom drama that led to Justin’s conviction. The narrative exposes the messy intersections of grief, motive, and circumstantial evidence that define true crime mysteries.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Marriage of April and Justin Barber

• Background: April Barber overcame a difficult childhood, stepping in as caretaker for her siblings after the death of her mother. She was ambitious, pursuing a medical career, and met Justin—an aspiring business executive—at college.
• Marriage Details: The couple quickly eloped to the Bahamas, described as intense but loving at first.
  • “We were married in the Bahamas. It was a very fun, very fun time.” – Justin Barber [03:07]
  • “She was more of a country girl at heart… That whole week was special.” – Patti Parish (April’s aunt) [05:05]

Early Marital Troubles and Distance

• Career Challenges: The demanding careers led to geographic separation, with April in Georgia and Justin in Florida, straining their relationship.
• Family Dynamics: April temporarily took in her siblings; the stress of sudden parenthood compounded the newlyweds’ challenges.
  • “I think there was stress almost immediately. They’re still getting to know each other… a ton of change.” – Narrator [08:12]

The Night of the Murder

• Anniversary Outing: On August 17, 2002, the couple celebrated their anniversary with dinner, drinks, and, later, a walk on the beach.
• Justin’s Account: Justin claims a stranger attacked them; April was shot and killed, Justin wounded.
  • “We were struggling. It was a fight.” – Justin Barber [10:31]
  • “I left her there. I was trying to find help.” – Justin Barber [14:08]
• Discovery: April was found dead near the boardwalk. Justin, shot four times, alerted authorities after an erratic drive searching for help.

The Investigation Begins

• Initial Focus: Detective Howard Cole finds inconsistencies in Justin’s story—no robbery occurred, no valuables taken, and the supposed route taken for help was suspect.
  • “If you truly were trying to get help, that certainly would be a place that I would consider getting help. That just doesn’t even… That defies reason.” – Det. Cole [22:21]
• Family Suspicion: April’s family quickly suspects Justin, citing marital problems, his controlling nature, and rumors of infidelity.

Motive and Evidence

• Affair & Life Insurance: Justin’s affair with Shannon Kennedy is uncovered. Authorities find sizable life insurance policies, and financial struggles surface.
  • “She was leaving him. She told him that she was leaving him.” – Amber Mitchell (April’s best friend) [26:03]
  • “I thought we could be looking at a possible motive. I mean, $2 million, that’s a whole lot of money.” – Det. Cole [25:22]
• Internet Searches: Forensic evidence reveals Justin researched “medical trauma, gunshot, chest” and downloaded Guns N’ Roses’ “Used to Love Her” hours before the murder.
  • “That was the first indication that he had researched a specific location. And he just happened to be shot there.” – Prosecutor [36:20]

The Trial and Courtroom Drama

• Circumstantial Case: The prosecution builds a case on motive, forensic quirks, and behavior; there’s no direct evidence or weapon recovered.
• Contentious Testimony:
  • Claims that Justin’s self-inflicted wounds were superficial and designed to support his story.
  • Conflicting expert opinions on blood evidence and sequence of events.
• Defense Stance: Denies all charges, emphasizing lack of direct proof and arguing that Justin was a victim too.
  • “I did not kill April.” – Justin Barber [27:24, 32:01]

The Verdict & Reactions

• Deliberations: Jury struggles for days, wracked by the circumstantial nature.
  • “We prayed. Wisdom. One person’s already dead and another one might die.” – Juror [42:12]
• Guilty Verdict: Justin is convicted of first-degree murder.
  • “We the jury, find the defendant… guilty of first degree premeditated murder…” [43:03]
• Sentencing: Though the jury recommends the death penalty, the judge sentences Justin Barber to life without parole.
  • “If that jury thinks I killed April, then they should execute me… if that jury believes that I’m that person, then they should send me to death row.” – Justin Barber [45:25]
  • “The jury recommended the death penalty for Justin Barber, but the judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole.” – Narrator [46:06]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Despair and Guilt:
  • “I wore my wedding band on a leather thong around my neck… Because I wasn’t ready to let it go. It was a reminder of her and it was a reminder of my failure during our marriage.” – Justin Barber [29:35]
• On Investigation Gaps:
  • “They saw a car right there at the boardwalk. They described the car, and the police chose to do nothing…” – Justin Barber [19:11]
  • “Were there any people in April’s life who you would consider to be a threat to her?” “I think that we’re stretching a bit when we say that.” – Justin Barber [19:50]
• On Family’s Pain:
  • “It was heartbreaking because somebody that we trusted… would be capable of doing something like that to our sister.” – Julie (April’s sister) [39:27]
• On Jury’s Reasoning:
  • “So the blood flow on her face did not match the story that Justin told.” – Juror [44:48]
  • “There was the computer that he had searched for. Gunshot wounds. Gunshot trauma, right chest. And he gets shot in the right chest.” – Juror [44:52]
• Strong Family Feelings:
  • “I think he’s the dirty son of a… That’s what I think he is.” – April’s family member [45:14]
• Justin’s Defiance:
  • “I will fight until I have no more options. And you’ll be screaming all the time that you’re innocent. Yes, because I am innocent.” – Justin Barber [37:38]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Early Relationship/Background – [03:18] to [08:12]
• The Night of the Murder – [09:11] to [14:45]
• Discovery & Initial Investigation – [15:01] to [19:26]
• Affair, Motive & Forensic Evidence – [24:05] to [26:09], [35:02] to [36:38]
• Arrest & Trial Preparation – [31:11] to [32:01]
• Trial & Closing Arguments – [32:12] to [41:27]
• Verdict & Sentencing – [42:01] to [46:12]

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Tone & Narrative Flow

The episode maintains the signature investigative and analytical tone of “48 Hours”—calm but relentless, deeply attentive to emotional and evidentiary nuance. Family insights and police skepticism are presented with raw candor, while the presentation of circumstantial evidence and courtroom exchanges add growing tension right up to the verdict.

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Summary Takeaway

"Dead on the Boardwalk" unpacks the devastating consequences of fractured trust, unravels how investigators piece together justice with only indirect clues, and leaves listeners wrestling with the ambiguity and heartbreak that linger in even so-called “closed” cases. The episode demonstrates both the strengths and limits of circumstantial evidence in the American justice system.

Transcript

[Justin Barber]

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[Narrator / Interviewer]

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[Justin Barber]

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[Narrator / Interviewer]

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[Justin Barber]

Of $45 for a three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy. Taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com, mom, Dad, I humbly suggest you save some money and shop Amazon for back to School. It's for my growth, meaning my body's growing at an alarming rate and clothes you buy me this year will be very small very soon. Plus, the clothes I love today will be out of style tomorrow. But at least your wallet doesn't have to be my fashion victim. If you shop low prices for school at Amazon. Hopefully this is helpful. Amazon. Spin less, smile more. Justin is very kind and he's gentle and he's very giving. He's got a great sense of humor. He can make anybody laugh. My name's Lisa. I was Justin's best friend. The winner this year, of course, is Justin Bartlett. I was a young man with the world at my fingertips. I had everything to look forward to. I wanted to be CEO, chairman of the board. I wanted to run a major company. He loved April very much. She was an extremely special person. Sunshine, commitment to family. Justin and April hit it off instantly. April and I both were initially very impressed with what he was setting out to do. He definitely pursued her and she was willing. We were very, very attracted to each other. I think instantly we were married in the Bahamas. It was a very fun, very fun time. This case started out on a Saturday night, August 17, 2002. My name is Howard Col and I'm a detective with St. John's County Sheriff's Office. They were walking on the beach. They were approached. The guy pulled a gun. We were struggling. It was a fight. His wife was shot and he was shot. I left her there. I was trying to find help. He was shot four times and within a centimeter of my lung, a bullet passed. I was deeply ashamed. I had abandoned her there alone on that beach. We initiated an extensive search of the area and we found his wife, April Barber, dead on the boardwalk with a gunshot. Went to the face and I think that I went crazy at that point. He'd wake up screaming. He would be sleeping, and he would be drenched in sweat. His nightmares were heartbreaking. I'm a broken man. Fortunately, in this case, the victim, April Barber, left us enough clues to continue on with the investigation. April's tires were slashed. There are certainly a few people that had a romantic interest in April. We need to talk about the car that was seen at the location. We need to find the driver of that car. April told different people in her life, different pieces of information. None of us had the whole story.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Secrets in the sand.

[Justin Barber]

Tonight's 48 Hours Mystery. They were a really cute couple, very fun, loving, carefree couple, and they looked really good together.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April Barber had the kind of wedding most girls only dream about.

[Justin Barber]

She was beautiful.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

A beach in the Bahamas at sunset, a beautiful dress, a handsome groom. A special day, special time for her, wasn't it?

[Justin Barber]

It was. Very much so. She was. She was.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But April's aunt Patti Parish says April was hardly a traditional bride.

[Justin Barber]

She had a gorgeous white dress that I remember her cramming into her suitcase. And here we are trying to get the wrinkles out of it the day of the wedding. She was more of a country girl at heart. That whole week was special. We spent a week together.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The lucky groom was Justin Barber. What kind of things did you do after the wedding as newlyweds? You don't have to go into any detail. I'm talking about, like, things you did out in the public, you know, I.

[Justin Barber]

Don'T think we spent a lot of time in public.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Okay, let's move on. If anyone deserved such a happy day, it was April. So many of the days before, it had been difficult and sad.

[Justin Barber]

Her mother had passed away when April was 17. She died from cancer. That was very difficult for April. She was finishing her senior year in high school.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Her mother's death made April grow up fast. Her father fell apart and later got into trouble over drugs. So April briefly took over the mothering of her younger brother, Kendon, who was only 1, and her sister Julie, who was 9.

[Justin Barber]

She took care of us. She would get me up for school, get me off to school. She'd cook us dinner. She just took the place of our mother.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Losing her mother also gave April's life a purpose. She went to college determined to pursue a career in medicine, treating cancer patients.

[Justin Barber]

She definitely didn't take life for granted and had pretty clear goals about what she wanted out of life. This is a few months after we met.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Her best friend, Amber Mitchell says college also opened up a whole new world for April.

[Justin Barber]

Katie Capital Deputy Katie Capital Deputy and.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

At the Capitol at Delta Sorority House, she found a new home.

[Justin Barber]

She was extremely cheesy, happy, bubbly, and if you stood next to her, you look forward.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

In 1998, when she was 23, April's world became even brighter. She met Justin, at the time a top student in the University of Oklahoma's MBA program. Amber was there the night they met.

[Justin Barber]

A lot of the guys she'd recently dated had not yet sort of found their place career wise, and Justin came along as such a complete opposite. And I think that was very attractive to her.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And when Justin first brought April home, his mother, Linda, took to her right away.

[Justin Barber]

I liked her immediately. She was very beautiful, very natural. You could just tell she was a good person. She fit in real well with the family.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

It was just 10 months after they began dating that Justin and April eloped to the Bahamas.

[Justin Barber]

I just worried that it was really quick and that maybe they didn't know each other well enough yet to do that. But I supported her completely because she was happy and I wanted to see her happy.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

When they returned from the honeymoon, April and Justin moved to Georgia for work. And April's siblings, Julie and Kendon, came to live with them for a while. But it didn't last. It was too much for the young couple to handle.

[Justin Barber]

Of course, it was difficult for them because they were so young and trying to raise two kids. They tried their hardest to give us everything that we could possibly want or need. I think there was stress almost immediately. They're still getting to know each other, and they've got other people in their home and careers they're starting and just a ton of change. It's a lot for any newly married couple to take on.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Then, just two years into the marriage, April and Justin's careers forced them apart. April, who worked in radiology, took a new job in Georgia. But Justin, a business executive, was transferred here to Jacksonville, Florida, nearly three hours away. They saw each other mainly on weekends. Did you want her to come and be with you and leave that job alone?

[Justin Barber]

It wasn't just a normal job that she took there. It was the next step up in her career. And it was a very, very good opportunity for her at an early age. And so I fully supported that.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

They had lived like this for more than a year when in the summer of 2002, April came to Jacksonville to celebrate their third wedding anniversary. On the night of Saturday, August 17th, they went out for dinner and drinks.

[Justin Barber]

April wanted to eat at Carrabba's, had a nice dinner Shot a few games of pool.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

After pool.

[Justin Barber]

We decided to go for a drive.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin says their destination was a remote state beach.

[Justin Barber]

We had been there a few times before April's previous birthday. And I think perhaps the year before it was a place that we would go to be alone on the beach.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The couple took off their shoes and started walking along the shoreline. Suddenly, Justin says, a strange and threatening man appeared in front of them.

[Justin Barber]

He was Caucasian. He had a hat on. It was a dark hat with a logo. How big was he in relation to me? Slightly taller and heavier. 200 pounds.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Do you think it was robbery?

[Justin Barber]

Yes.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Did you hear anyone say, give me your money?

[Justin Barber]

He was yelling.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Yelling what?

[Justin Barber]

I don't know exactly what he was yelling. I assume that he wanted money.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Did you see a gun?

[Justin Barber]

Yes.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin says he lunged at the man.

[Justin Barber]

We were struggling. It was a fight.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Then shots rang out. Justin doesn't remember what happened next. He thinks he passed out. After it was all over, you came to?

[Justin Barber]

Yes.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And what happened? You looked around?

[Justin Barber]

Yes.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

What'd you see?

[Justin Barber]

Nothing at first.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April was nowhere to be seen. Did you call her name out?

[Justin Barber]

Yes, I was yelling her name.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin's wife and his attacker had both disappeared into the darkness.

[Justin Barber]

I ran down the beach. I couldn't find her. I was screaming.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

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[Justin Barber]

Not available in all states. Now Streaming. Hi again. TV's quirkiest crime solver. I'm Elsbeth Tasuuni. I work with the police is on the case. I like my outlandish theories with a heavy dose of evidence and ready to go toe to toe with a cavalcade of guest stars.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Are you saying that this is now a murder investigation?

[Justin Barber]

It's starting to look that way. Don't miss a moment. Of the critically acclaimed hit Elsbeth. All episodes now streaming on Paramount and return CBS fall. That sounds like fun. Obviously murder's not. I remember feeling confusion. I remember feeling nauseous panic.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

After desperately scouring the beach in search of April, Justin Barber says he finally found his 27 year old wife floating face down in the surf. He rushed into the water and tried to revive her.

[Justin Barber]

She wasn't responding to me.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

So what'd you do, Justin?

[Justin Barber]

I pulled her out of the water.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin says he pulled April to shore and that's when he noticed she'd been shot. He tried several times to lift her into his arms, but he couldn't do it.

[Justin Barber]

My body just was not responding the way that I think that it should have.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Panicking, he bent over April's limp body and grabbed the waistband of her pants, then dragged her several hundred feet.

[Justin Barber]

We got to the point at which the boardwalk meets the sand, and then there's a set of stairs that lead up to the boardwalk. I couldn't very well drag her up the stairs. I wanted to lean her over my shoulder and try to carry her that way to the road.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But his last ditch effort to lift April also failed.

[Justin Barber]

I dropped her, and I think the sound of her hitting the ground caused a reaction in me. And I knew at that point that what I was doing was just not working.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

It was at that moment, Justin Barber says, that he figured out what was wrong. The reason he couldn't carry his petite wife to safety was because Justin himself had been shot. And not just once, but four times. And now Justin says he was forced to do the unthinkable, leave his wife here on the beach while he blazed a trail to find help alone.

[Justin Barber]

I don't know what the thought process was, but I left her. I left her there.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And where did you go?

[Justin Barber]

I ran across the boardwalk to the highway looking for help, and that's when I saw the first car coming.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Realizing he had left his cell phone at home, Justin says he darted into the middle of the road to wave for help, but three cars whizzed past him.

[Justin Barber]

I ran to our vehicle. I remember getting in the truck and driving back to town.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Shaken and injured, Justin sped off into the darkness.

[Justin Barber]

I was driving erratically. I was looking for help. I was looking for attention. I remember seeing a red light and stopping there, and cars were there, and I started yelling for help.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

There at a major intersection, Justin Barber says he finally found a good Samaritan who called 911.

[Justin Barber]

I think somebody's been shot. Okay. Is he conscious at all? Yeah, he's conscious. Trying to keep him. Trying to keep him that way. Okay. Do you see a gun?

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Within minutes, the paramedics arrived. Justin told them what happened to April, and they rushed him to the emergency room.

[Justin Barber]

We got a call of a reported robbery, an attempted robbery with a shooting.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Meanwhile, Detective Howard Cole and the entire St. John's Sheriff's Department immediately sprang into action.

[Justin Barber]

We had a gentleman up there who had been shot four times. Initially, we didn't know where. We just knew that he had said that it was on the beach.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

When police reached the beach, they instantly made a chilling discovery.

[Justin Barber]

When the deputy found her, she was laying there on her back at the foot of boardwalk, completely wet. She was pronounced deceased right there at the scene.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Police now had a homicide investigation on their hands and a killer on the loose. Cole rushed to the hospital to find out from Justin everything he knew.

[Justin Barber]

He just said, how's my wife? And I basically said that. Paramedics were on scene, they found her, and she was deceased.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin managed to compose himself and tried to describe the gunman who killed April.

[Justin Barber]

He did not know what the guy looked like. He did not see his face. It was too dark. His description of the suspect at that time is that he was taller than me, he was stronger than me, and he had on a baggy T shirt and a ball cap.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Cole then photographed the wounds the gunman had inflicted on Justin. He had been shot in his left hand, his left shoulder, the base of his neck, and most alarmingly, his chest.

[Justin Barber]

I don't remember feeling pain at that time. My mind was on April.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin's wounds turned out not to be life threatening, and doctors released him the next day. Soon after, he flew back to Oklahoma to face the grim task of burying his wife.

[Justin Barber]

Well, the funeral was. It was both lovely and awful.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April's best friend, Amber, says the funeral made it clear just how many people loved April and felt close to her.

[Justin Barber]

We did everything we could to make it a tribute of how wonderful she was.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin, however, seemed distant.

[Justin Barber]

According to Amber, Justin was almost mute. He was looking at the floor. He wouldn't make eye contact with anybody.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin's brother Charlie, wasn't surprised. He says Justin was simply overcome with grief after losing April.

[Justin Barber]

He was emotionally devastated, physically wounded and emotionally devastated. I've never seen him like that. Even when our dad died.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Charlie was so worried about Justin, he wouldn't leave his side. So they flew back to Florida together. Once there, Charlie says Justin was able to put his grief aside for for one reason only.

[Justin Barber]

He wanted to get back as soon as possible so he could help in any way he could with the investigation.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Even returning to the place where April died and spending over 10 hours with police to help look for clues.

[Justin Barber]

Everything they asked for, I gave them. Every time they wanted me to come back to St. John's county and talk to them some more, I did. Whenever they wanted a statement, I gave it to them.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But almost immediately, Justin felt police were overlooking critical clues that pointed to April's possible killer. The biggest one, witnesses told police they had seen a second Car parked at the beach around the time Justin and April were shot.

[Justin Barber]

They saw a car right there at the boardwalk. They described the car, and the police chose to do nothing. We didn't have a tag number. We didn't have a reliable make. I would have loved to have found it, because you know what? That was a potential witness in my mind. But the simple fact is, we could not.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin was also mystified why police weren't thoroughly investigating suspicious incidents that happened while April was living on her own in Georgia.

[Justin Barber]

April had a stun gun because she did not feel safe there.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April's car was broken into, and just three weeks before the murder, so was her house.

[Justin Barber]

We did speak with the investigator that actually worked that burglary. There's no connection with that, with this case.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Were there any people in April's life who you would consider to be a threat to her?

[Justin Barber]

I think that we're stretching a bit when we say that. I think that there are some folks in April's life that should have been investigated, but there are certainly a few people there that had a romantic interest in April. But did the police follow up on those leads? No, I don't believe they did.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But what Justin didn't know is police were pursuing leads of their own, and in fact, they thought they were already zeroing in on April's killer. To Detective Howard Cole, Justin Barber was the prime suspect in April's murder from day one.

[Justin Barber]

The situation, as he presented it, wasn't adding up.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Even the basic premise of Justin's story didn't make sense to Cole. Is this the kind of place, this area right here, where someone would stick somebody up, rob somebody?

[Justin Barber]

I don't see why they would. I mean, it just doesn't make any sense. It's never happened before, and it hasn't happened since.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Cole's suspicions were first raised when he found out nothing was taken during the alleged robbery, including Justin's wallet and April's diamond ring.

[Justin Barber]

Do whatever he did, try to grab that gun.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And when Cole took Justin to the beach after April's funeral, he became even more suspicious.

[Justin Barber]

He certainly appeared to be crying, but there was no tears coming down his face. He was almost, like, rubbing his eyes just like that, you know what I mean? Like trying to force up some emotion.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

So Cole took a closer look at Justin's account of what happened after he left April on the beach that night, beginning with his attempt to flag down three passing cars.

[Justin Barber]

If what he was saying is true, I would have expected to get numerous 911 calls. And we received None.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Most troubling of all to Cole was that when Justin got into his car to find help for his wife, he drove almost 10 miles before stopping.

[Justin Barber]

There's a McDonald's right here that would have been open. There's a Walgreens right here. That's 24 hours that would have been open just north of here. You'll come up. There's a 24 hour Shell station, would have been open and they're very well illuminated. If you truly were trying to get help, that certainly would be a place that I would consider getting help. I don't think anybody would accept that that man drove, left his wife and drove 10 miles away to get help. That just doesn't even. That defies reason.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Meanwhile, April's family and friends, like Amber Mitchell, were comparing notes and growing suspicious of Justin, too.

[Justin Barber]

When you put it together, it was frightening what was really going on.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The story they began to piece together was of a marriage in trouble. And they realized that problems surfaced right at the beginning when April's siblings, Julie and Kendon, came to live with the newlyweds in Georgia.

[Justin Barber]

Whenever we first lived with them, it was good. Towards the end of living with them, it got kind of tense. I was very strong willed and I didn't like it.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

So the family brought Julie back to Oklahoma, and Kendon soon followed against Justin's wishes.

[Justin Barber]

He was really angry. None of us understood why he cared so much about it, except for if he liked the appearance of being such a noble guy to take in these children.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Amber says she realized appearances were very important to Justin.

[Justin Barber]

He would put his high school jeans on once a month to make sure they still fit, and if they didn't, he would fast until they did. He gave April a hard time about weight to the point she was almost paranoid about gaining weight and she was tiny.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Amber also knew that April suspected Justin was having an affair in Jacksonville.

[Justin Barber]

She didn't know her name, but she had learned that Justin was playing tennis with her. And April was certain that there was more than tennis and that it was an affair and confronted him about it.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Detective Cole discovered the woman was Shannon Kennedy, who worked at the agency where Justin's company rented cars. Cole invited Shannon to the police station the same afternoon he was interviewing Justin.

[Justin Barber]

Shannon Kennedy came in right away. And she was very honest. She said it started out as kind of a social relationship. They go out, have drinks and whatnot and eventually progressed into a sexual relationship.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin, however, was less honest, at least at first.

[Justin Barber]

He adamantly denied having any affairs with anyone. Shannon Kennedy specifically. I Said, well, I'm going to bring her in this room. We're going to get to the bottom. He said, no, no, no. He said, I did sleep with her. I have been having an affair with her. Only confronted with, you know, her and he being in the same room, did he tell the truth. To me, that's huge.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

When he searched Justin's apartment, Cole made another discovery. Two life insurance policies, one in Justin's name, one in April's, for $2 million each.

[Justin Barber]

I thought we could be looking at a possible motive. I mean, $2 million, that's a whole lot of money.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April's aunt, Patty Parish, says she had always been troubled by that.

[Justin Barber]

April thought it was a lot of money. Neither April nor I could understand why he was insisting to have a two million dollar life insurance policy on her life.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Amber Mitchell thinks she knows why.

[Justin Barber]

He was in debt up to his eyeballs.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Stock market losses and other expenses had left Justin over $50,000 in debt by the summer of 2002. Between the affair and the money problems, April had had enough.

[Justin Barber]

She was leaving him. She told him that she was leaving him.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

As the circumstantial evidence implicating Justin was mounting, Detective Cole began to examine the crime scene more closely. And now even the fact that Justin had been shot four times began to seem suspicious.

[Justin Barber]

He had one wound to his left shoulder, which was out and away. He had another one in his right shoulder, same thing. It was kind of out and away.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

You're saying out and away from vital organs?

[Justin Barber]

Yeah, I'm saying out and away from center mass. Exactly. From the stuff that counts.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin and his brother Charlie found Detective Cole's description of the wounds preposterous.

[Justin Barber]

It hurt him. He was in a lot of pain for a few weeks after he had to keep the one arm in a sling. Have you ever been kicked by a horse?

[Narrator / Interviewer]

No.

[Justin Barber]

I have, and I felt like I'd been kicked by a horse in several places. It was painful. It was painful.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Then, just months after the murder, while police were still trying to gather hard evidence against him, Justin suddenly moved to Oregon, where he got a new job, a new woman, and started a new life, far from Detective Cole's scrutiny. But suspicions about Justin Barber persisted.

[Justin Barber]

He's very controlling. He has no feeling. I'm not a violent person. Very intelligent, very charismatic. I would never, ever consider doing anything like that. And he was committed to. To this situation turning out successfully for him. I did not kill April. This episode is brought to you by Greenlight. Get this. Adults with financial literacy skills have 82% more wealth than those who don't. From swimming lessons to piano classes, us parents invest in so many things to enrich our kids lives but are we investing in their future financial success? With Greenlight you can teach your kids financial literacy skills like earning, saving and investing and this investment costs less than that. After school treat start prioritizing their financial education and future today with a risk free [e-mail] Spotify greenlight.com Spotify do you know what went down at the Viper Room the night River Phoenix died? Are you aware of how Steve McQueen escaped death at the hands of the Manson family? But what about the real life brutal murder that inspired David Lynch's Twin Peaks? These stories and more are told in the Hollywoodland podcast where true crime and Tinseltown collide. Follow and listen to Hollywoodland wherever you get your podcasts. UnitedHealthcare nurse Crystal checked in on a patient. We do a routine call after surgery and I could tell in her voice that she was struggling. Crystal knew she needed help. I knew that this is very serious. This is like septic, this is life threatening. And she knew just what to do. And I called the hospital and said she's coming in, here are her labs and got her the help she needed. I see my role at UnitedHealthcare as.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

A life saving role.

[Justin Barber]

Hear more stories like crystalshc.com benefits, features and or devices vary by plan. Area limitation and exclusions apply.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Even though Justin Barber had moved to Portland, Oregon, far from the scene of April's murder, she was always on his mind.

[Justin Barber]

I wore my wedding band on a leather thong around my neck.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Why did you wear that ring around your neck?

[Justin Barber]

Because I wasn't ready to let it go. It was a reminder of her and it was a reminder of my failure during our marriage.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

So Justin distracted himself with work.

[Justin Barber]

Come on angel, go.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And with a new woman.

[Justin Barber]

He would take me to the movies a lot, take me to dinner. We were just best friends.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Lisa, who asked us not to use her last name, says Justin often relived what happened to April that night on the beach.

[Justin Barber]

He felt like he just abandoned her. He never forgave himself.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin never forgave April's family either. It was because of them he claims that he remained the prime suspect. Did April's family suspect you right away?

[Justin Barber]

I believe now that they did, at least very, very quickly. And now I've learned that they voiced their accusations to the police immediately.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April's aunt, Patti Parish makes no apologies for putting the spotlight on Justin.

[Justin Barber]

He planned every moment of it. This was Premeditated, cold, calculated.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Yet months and then years went by without an arrest. So Patty, who is a judge in Oklahoma, stepped up the pressure on Florida prosecutors to arrest Justin.

[Justin Barber]

Judge Patty was insistent that we keep this case on the front burner.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But State attorney John Tanner worried his prosecutors would get burned by the case.

[Justin Barber]

We knew it was a case that could be lost. You just don't expect a person to shoot themselves four times. But as we began to search for who did it, we determined that all the evidence led back to the husband.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

After years of pressure and painstakingly weighing the evidence, which was largely circumstantial, prosecutors finally rolled the dice. In July 2004, a very different looking Justin Barber was arrested for murder. Did you kill your wife?

[Justin Barber]

No, sir, I did not kill my wife.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Did you shoot yourself four times to cover up the murder?

[Justin Barber]

No. That's ridiculous.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Did you love April?

[Justin Barber]

I did. I stole.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

June 2006, four years after April's murder.

[Justin Barber]

All right, Mr. Bailey, show the jury in.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

With his family behind him, Justin Barber is finally put on trial in St. Augustine, Florida.

[Justin Barber]

When you take common sense with you and apply the evidence, you'll be convinced that the defendant murders. What?

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The state attorney's office is seeking the death penalty. And two of its youngest prosecutors.

[Justin Barber]

Mr. Henry, you were just.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Matt Foxman and Chris France are trying this high profile case.

[Justin Barber]

Call you next week.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

What was your gut reaction when you first received this case?

[Justin Barber]

Well, it's a career case, I think, for a prosecutor. The threshold problem for us, I think, would be to convince a jury that someone would shoot themselves four times. Justin Barber has insisted, and I believe that he's an innocent man. And the only thing we're interested is an exoneration. This is treated with simply a chest tube.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin's attorney, Bob Willis, will try to convince the jury that a robber and not Justin Barber killed April on the beach.

[Justin Barber]

Now, you will find that within a very short period of time after April Barber's death, it was found on the evening of August 17, 2002, that the police focused exclusively their attention on Justin Barber.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

When the prosecution star witness, Detective Howard Cole, disagrees, if information had led to.

[Justin Barber]

Another suspect, would you have been open to it and investigated it? Absolutely.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Cole testifies that he asked Justin why he drove more than nine miles from the beach after the shooting.

[Justin Barber]

He said he didn't really remember much about that drive. Did you ask him why he didn't stop at any houses? Yes. And what did he tell you? He said he didn't want to get some old man out of bed.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Cole also testifies that even though Justin said he dragged April by her waistband and had a bullet hole in his hand, his blood wasn't visible on her pants.

[Justin Barber]

Looking on the top line of her pants there and her stomach, do you see any evidence of anyone's blood? No, sir, I don't.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But the defense strikes back. They say Justin's blood was found on April.

[Justin Barber]

How about the blood that was here on her. Right here, Inside upper left arm. Did you know at that time that that was Justin Barber's blood? No, sir. You know it now, though, don't you? Yes. Okay, Ms. Kennedy, if you'd just come right up here, please.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Prosecutors turned their attention to Justin's possible motives and called Shannon Kennedy to the stand.

[Justin Barber]

When you became involved with the defendant, did you know that he was married? Not originally, no. Did you ultimately come to that conclusion, though? Yes. And what sort of things did the defendant say about his wife or his marriage? He said that he loved her. He just couldn't live with her. If you want to look at just the fact that he was cheating on his wife and the fact that there was $2 million and you want to stop right there, then we can't do anything about that. If, on the other hand, you're really seriously interested in who killed April Barber, let's look at the evidence.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

That's exactly what prosecutors do next when they drop a bombshell.

[Justin Barber]

All right, call your next witness in. Say we'll call Chris Henry.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Six months before the murder, they say Justin went online to research how to shoot himself without getting hurt. A computer expert recovered a record of those Google searches.

[Justin Barber]

You recognize what I'm showing? Yes, sir, I do. It was a Google search in which the keywords medical trauma, gunshot, and chest were performed. Finding that computer search where he was actually shot, that was the first indication that he had researched a specific location. And he just happened to be shot there. That was a pretty big turning point point.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Then, just hours before April was murdered, Justin went online again.

[Justin Barber]

This exhibit, what does it say was downloaded? Basically, it's telling me that the MP3 guns n roses Used to Love her was downloaded. I used to love to hear.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

How significant was that song in this case?

[Justin Barber]

Well, it was significant because of the timing. Downloaded just hours before the murder. Then when he's set to turn his computer over to law enforcement after the murder, that was the only song deleted.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin surfed the Internet so often, his lawyer says the evidence is meaningless.

[Justin Barber]

Out of potentially 2,200 queries, they wind up with two that look bad in Retrospect, I think I could probably do that on anybody's computer.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And Justin says he's not giving up.

[Justin Barber]

I will fight until I have no more options.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

And you'll be screaming all the time that you're innocent.

[Justin Barber]

Yes, because I am innocent. Hablas espanol? If you used babbel, you would. Babble's conversation based techniques teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world.

[Justin Barber]

With lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers, Babbel is like having a private tutor in your pocket. Start speaking with babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription right now. @babbel.com Spotify spelled B A B-B-E-L.com Spotify rules and restrictions may apply. I'm Ashley Graham, and as a parent, I know the back to school transition can be a lot when it comes to wellness. Ollie supports me and my family through it all. Kids multi is big in my house. It supports their immune system and they love to take it. A win win for everyone. Shop these [e-mail] or retailers nationwide. These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

As Justin Barber's murder trial drags into her second week, the pressure is growing on two families who once were close.

[Justin Barber]

This is devastating for us, and it's devastating for them.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

It's particularly tough on April's siblings, Julie and Kendon, whom Justin once helped raise.

[Justin Barber]

It was heartbreaking because somebody that we trusted and somebody that we had loved would. Would be capable of doing something like that to our sister. And we both looked up to him. Dr. Stern, if you'll come right up here, please, sir, and raise your right.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Hand to circle screen. Justin's defense now attacks one of the most critical points in the case. Whether Justin's wounds were superficial or not. A defense expert testifies that Justin's wounds were serious. One nearly struck an artery.

[Justin Barber]

What would be the result if that subclavian artery was penetrated or something? Extensive hemorrhage and possibly death. Possibly, yes.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Then prosecutors present two witnesses who say they saw another car at the crime scene. The problem is they can't agree what color the car was.

[Justin Barber]

It was an older model car, light colored. I want to say it was dark and cold color.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The trial finally boils down to a key point illustrated by this graphic, which represents a crime scene photo of April's face that the jury was shown to prosecutors. The blood flowing in a single direction proves Justin is lying.

[Justin Barber]

The blood flow is everything. Justin Barber's story is that she was shot down by the water and then carried 18 different positions with her head moving in all kinds of directions. The blood flow would be everywhere instead of it's in a unified direction. And what the significance of that is. His story just wasn't true.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But the defense's expert testifies the blood flow is consistent with Justin's story.

[Justin Barber]

In my view, she was shot in that location near the water, and plus other blood which had come out was probably washed away by the ways because she was, as I understand, found face down in approximately one foot of water.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Finally, the case draws to a close.

[Justin Barber]

This is a pure circumstantial evidence case. The gun was not recovered in this case. There's certainly no one that ever saw him involved in any aspect of this crime at all. He wanted it all. He didn't just want to evade prosecution. He wanted that for sure. And he wanted the $2 million. And he wanted sympathy for being shot. And he wanted to look like a hero who tried to save his wife.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

If the jury finds Justin guilty, he could be sentenced to death. What was the first thing the jury did when he went into the liberation room for the first time?

[Justin Barber]

We prayed.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

What did you pray for?

[Justin Barber]

Wisdom. One person's already dead and another one might die. So we wanted to make sure that we were sure.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Deliberations drag into a second day.

[Justin Barber]

Agony. Agony. It was very, very difficult waiting there all day. We're up to about hour 28 of.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Deliberations and then a third.

[Justin Barber]

By the third day, I was beginning to fear that the jury was hung.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But jurors are still trying to sort it all out.

[Justin Barber]

All right, Mr. Barber, would you please rise for the verdict?

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Finally, on day four, a verdict.

[Justin Barber]

We the jury, find the defendant. Justin murders Barbara as follows. Guilty of first degree premeditated murder as charged in the indictment.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

April's family and friends are overcome, but their emotions are mixed.

[Justin Barber]

I was happy, but then again, it breaks my heart.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

It's understandable. Kendon, your reaction to the verdict?

[Justin Barber]

Joy.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Joy?

[Justin Barber]

Yeah. But then I. I live with him for a. Your thoughts, your feelings. Relieved for an instant. And then heartbroken for Justin's mother. You will, of course, be remanded to the sheriff of St. John's county, pending the penalty phase.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Justin's family does not have mixed emotions. They're simply furious.

[Justin Barber]

I would love to know what those jurors saw that made them think that he did this? Because he didn't. And they didn't prove that he did it. So I don't know what they went by.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The jurors say they were swayed by many factors, especially the blood evidence.

[Justin Barber]

If she had been shot out on the beach, there would have been some smearing, some blood flow in another direction.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

So the blood flow on her face did not match the story that Justin told.

[Justin Barber]

Correct. Also, there was the computer that he had searched for. Gunshot wounds. Gunshot trauma, right chest. And he gets shot in the right chest. I really can't tell you on national TV what I think about him. But it's not good. It's not good at all.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

We were adults here.

[Justin Barber]

Tell us, George.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

I think he's the dirty son of a.

[Justin Barber]

That's what I think he is.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

But Justin Barber, who might now be sentenced to death, is defiant.

[Justin Barber]

If that jury thinks I killed April, then they should execute me. I would never ask for mercy for the person who killed her.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Why not?

[Justin Barber]

Because they don't deserve it. And if that jury believes that I'm that person, then they should send me to death row.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

The jury recommended the death penalty for Justin Barber, but the judge sentenced him.

[Justin Barber]

To life in prison without parole.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

September 4th on Paramount Plus.

[Justin Barber]

Someone is trying to frame us until our names are clear. More fugitives from interval Like Bonnie and.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Clyde with better snacks.

[Justin Barber]

Espionage. You still as good a shot as you used to be? Better.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

Is there the love language?

[Justin Barber]

We like to walk that fine line between techno thriller and romantic comedy. We make up our own rules.

[Narrator / Interviewer]

NCIS Tony and Ziva streaming September 4th on Paramount Plus.

[Justin Barber]

Now streaming on Paramount Plus. It's an all new season of adventures. We have to stop this invasion. Get into this. This crew is a team. We are going to find our way out of this. Star Trek Strange New worlds New season. Now streaming on Paramount plus.