Murder in the Bayou: The Devil in Hammond

Summary

Cold Case Files Episode Summary: "Murder in the Bayou: The Devil in Hammond"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Cold Case Files
• Host/Author: Paula Barros
• Episode: Murder in the Bayou: The Devil in Hammond
• Release Date: March 18, 2025

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Introduction to the Case

The episode delves into the harrowing 1987 murder of Salonia "Lonie" Reed in the serene bayou community of Hammond, Louisiana. Highlighting the chilling nature of the crime, the podcast sets the stage for a complex investigation that remained unsolved for decades.

Notable Quote:

• Gwen Smith: "Salonia was so sweet, like a magnolia flower to be killed the way she was killed. I just know she was scared to death." [01:21]

Discovery of Salonia's Body

On the morning of August 23, 1987, Reginald Reed reported his wife missing after she failed to return from a night out. The investigation took a grim turn when Salonia's body was discovered in a parked blue Chevy Sprint at the Johns Kerr Market parking lot.

Notable Quotes:

• Reggie Reed Jr.: "As a six-year-old boy, I was like, mommy's dead. My mommy's dead." [01:30]
• Barry Ward: "Salonia's body was beaten. She was stabbed in the chest, neck area. Her face was bludgeoned in. Her body was stripped naked." [02:38]

Initial Investigation and Suspects

The initial investigation revealed the brutality of the crime, marked by multiple stab wounds and signs of desecration. A key piece of evidence was a Winston cigarette butt found in Salonia's vehicle, despite neither Salonia nor Reginald being smokers.

Notable Quotes:

• Taylor Anthony: "There was no evidence of any defensive wounds on her hands. So maybe she was taken by surprise." [08:08]
• Gwen Smith: "Jimmy Ray lived not far from where Lonie and Reginald lived. We knew him from the neighborhood. He was a weird guy. Very, very weird." [09:35]

Jimmy Ray Barnes emerged as a suspect after being seen around the crime scene days before the murder. However, without concrete evidence, he was initially cleared.

Notable Quotes:

• Barry Ward: "Jimmy Ray Barnes said he knew Reginald and his family... he smoked Winston cigarettes." [10:56]
• H.L. Arledge: "People were afraid. Maybe there's some kind of ritual connection... Girls being stolen for human sacrifice." [12:04]

Reopening the Cold Case

After remaining unsolved for years, the case was revisited in 2011 with advancements in DNA technology. A breakthrough came when DNA from the cigarette butt linked to Billy Ray Barnes, Jimmy Ray's identical twin. This revelation redirected suspicion back to Jimmy Ray Barnes.

Notable Quotes:

• Taylor Anthony: "In 2012, there was new technology. DNA testing was available... we got a hit on the cigarette butt." [22:13]
• Barry Ward: "The DNA came back to a man named Billy Ray Barnes... identical twins contain identical DNA." [22:42]

Breakthrough and Arrest

Further investigation uncovered that Jimmy Ray Barnes had been approached by Reginald Reed to help with the murder. Under intense questioning, Jimmy Ray confessed to assisting Reginald but denied direct involvement.

Notable Quotes:

• Reggie Reed Jr.: "He discussed the money. 50,000... Hell, no." [24:00]
• Taylor Anthony: "Jimmy Ray Barnes was scared of Reginald. He thought he was trying to kill him." [30:03]

Trial and Verdict

In January 2019, after decades of suspense, both Reginald Reed and Jimmy Ray Barnes were indicted. The trial culminated in Reginald's conviction, receiving a life sentence for the murder of his wife. Jimmy Ray pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact, earning a five-year sentence.

Notable Quotes:

• Barry Ward: "Reginald Reed was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of killing his wife in 1987." [33:38]
• Gwen Smith: "He got to live his life but my sister-in-law Solonia... I miss her so much." [34:02]

Aftermath and Conclusion

The resolution of Salonia Reed's murder brought closure to a community long plagued by fear and uncertainty. Reggie Reed Jr., Salonia's son, shared his emotional journey through the tragedy, highlighting the enduring impact of the crime on his life.

Notable Quotes:

• Reggie Reed Jr.: "I've had successes professionally, personally. But I would trade all that in just to have my mom back and just erase all of this." [34:41]
• Gwen Smith: "Justice has been served. It was a long time coming... I hope my sister's at peace knowing that at least Reginald is in jail." [34:29]

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Key Takeaways

• Persistence Pays Off: The case underscores the importance of perseverance in criminal investigations, with new technologies like DNA testing playing a pivotal role in solving cold cases.

• Community Impact: The brutal nature of Salonia's murder instilled fear within the tight-knit community, demonstrating how a single crime can ripple through and affect an entire area.

• Personal Tragedy: Beyond the legal proceedings, the episode poignantly portrays the personal toll on Salonia's family, especially her young son, Reggie Reed Jr., emphasizing the human cost of unsolved crimes.

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Structured Sections and Clear Attribution: The summary is organized into clear, thematic sections, each capturing distinct phases of the investigation and its repercussions. Notable quotes are attributed to speakers with corresponding timestamps, enhancing the narrative's credibility and engagement.

Engaging and Informative Flow: By weaving together personal testimonies, investigative milestones, and emotional reflections, the summary provides a comprehensive and compelling overview of the episode, ensuring it is accessible and informative for those who haven't listened to the podcast.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Gwen Smith]

Salonia was so sweet, like a magnolia flower to be killed the way she was killed. I just know she was scared to death.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

As a six year old boy, I was like, mommy's dead. My mommy's dead.

[H.L. Arledge]

In our little bayou country, people were panicking. This never happens here.

[Barry Ward]

There's a lot of alarms going off to police. There's a lot of red flags popping up.

[H.L. Arledge]

No one had ever heard of people being stabbed in such a way. That many wounds, that much blood.

[Barry Ward]

It's one thing to kill, but it's a whole nother level to desecrate, humiliate a person that way.

[H.L. Arledge]

This was very dark and very creepy. And people thought, what kind of monster would do this? And is he still out there?

[Gwen Smith]

He's a cold blooded killer.

[Narrator]

There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories. It's a blistering summer morning. The sun cuts through the cypress trees as police get an emergency call from a panicked resident. Barry ward is a lieutenant with the Louisiana State Police.

[Taylor Anthony]

On the morning of August 23, 1987, Reginald Reed telephoned the Hammond Police Department that his wife, Salonia Reed, had not come home from a night out. She had gone to a local bar with friends. And when he awoke the next Morning he discovered her missing. The Hammond police dispatched a police officer. He met with Reginald and then began to canvass the area. As they were investigating, police got a call from a gentleman who discovered some contents of a purse, some credit cards, ID and some checks. The checks had Sloane Reid's name, address and phone number. Just a couple of blocks from where the purse was found is the Johns Kerr Market. And in that open parking lot was in Plainview, a 1986 blue Chevy Sprint two door vehicle. They called in the license plate and it came back registered to Salonia Reed. The officer looked into the passenger side window and saw the deceased body of Salonia Reed.

[Narrator]

Taylor Anthony is an assistant district attorney.

[Barry Ward]

Salonia's body was beaten. She was stabbed in the chest, neck area. Her face was bludgeoned in. Her body was stripped naked.

[Taylor Anthony]

There was also a large amount of a white substance that was covering her body.

[Narrator]

H.L. arledge is an investigative journalist.

[H.L. Arledge]

The police thought it had one time had been a word. Unfortunately, in the hot sun, as this white substance smeared with the blood, they couldn't read it.

[Barry Ward]

This wasn't a random killing. This was the work of a very angry person that wanted to humiliate, embarrass and desecrate her in the last moments that she had on earth.

[Narrator]

As the forensics team pieces together clues at the crime scene, officers deliver the heartbreaking news to Salonia Reid's family. Gwen Smith is Salonia Reid's sister.

[Gwen Smith]

I was at Salonia and Reginald's house the morning the police came and told us that they had found Lonie in her car. I mean, I was just sick, hurt to be killed the way she was killed. I just know she was scared to.

[Narrator]

Death from an early age. Solonia Lonie Reed was a quiet girl with big dreams.

[Gwen Smith]

There was five girls in the family. I was the oldest girl and Celoni was the fourth girl. Selonie was always quiet and very lovable, very giving. And Loni was a mama's girl for sure.

[Narrator]

Claudette Reed Matthews is Selonia Reid's sister in law.

[Gwen Smith]

Sylonia she had a beautiful smile, you know, and she was just outgoing. Salonia was a beautiful person.

[Narrator]

In the spring of 1980, while attending Southeastern Louisiana University, Solonia meets Reginald Reed. He's a former Marine from a prominent bayou family. A romance blossoms under the hot Louisiana sun.

[Gwen Smith]

When Lonie met Reginald, she thought he was just like gorgeous and she just fell head over heel in love with him. They were with each other all the time. I mean, when you would see them together, they were the perfect couple. Loni and Reginald. The very first time I met Salonia, we had just come home from mass. We thought she was really nice.

[Narrator]

In the blink of an eye, Reginald and Salonia are married. They move into a modest home on Apple Street. Soon after, the young couple welcome a son, whom they name Reggie Jr. Salonie.

[Gwen Smith]

Was excited about being a mom after little Reggie was born. She was very happy. She loved that boy so much. Every Sunday, she would take him to the library and redo him. Salonia was a fantastic mother.

[Narrator]

In the hours after Salonia's body is discovered, police search for evidence.

[Taylor Anthony]

Police collected everything that was in the vehicle. They collected all of Salonia's clothing. There was miscellaneous contents along the floorboard, and there was a Winston cigarette butt. Salonia Reed was not a smoker. Neither was her husband. Her family and her co workers said she kept her vehicle spotless, and she did not like the smell of cigarette smoke.

[Barry Ward]

Maybe we can find someone that smokes those specific types of cigarettes. So it was bagged and processed for evidence.

[Narrator]

As the investigation deepens, detectives get statements from Solonia's loved ones about their whereabouts the night she was murdered.

[H.L. Arledge]

Traditionally, police always begin with the significant other, the person closest to the victim.

[Taylor Anthony]

According to Reginald, his wife was going out with her co workers, and he was home with Reggie Jr playing video games all night. And when he awoke the next morning, she was missing.

[Narrator]

Reggie Reed Jr. Is Celonia Reed's son.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Next morning, woke up, mom wasn't there. I remember that family was over, and I overheard one of my uncles talking about the death of my mother. And I kind of repeated like, mommy's dead, my mommy's dead. And that's when world just stopped. I remember that I was being consoled by my dad on his lap.

[Narrator]

The next day, detectives learn more about Salonia's cause of death when the medical examiner's autopsy report hits their desk.

[Barry Ward]

Salonia suffered 16 different stab wounds in her neck chest area. The wounds were described as long puncture circular wounds, larger than a ice pick, more like a small screwdriver. Unfortunately, investigators weren't able to pin down murder weapon at the crime scene, so the autopsy ultimately led to more questions than answers. There was no evidence of any defensive wounds on her hands. So maybe she was taken by surprise. Or she was near someone whom she thought she could trust and they got to jump on her. It's one thing to take a person's life. It's a whole nother level to desecrate and humiliate a person that way. So who killed Selonia Reed As a.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Six year old boy waking up on a random Sunday morning and to get the news of mommy's dead is a whole nother ball game. The way my mother was taken away from this earth, someone deliberately took her life. I just want to know why.

[Narrator]

With the close knit town of Hammond on edge, investigators turned to Salonia's family for more clues. Her sisters recall an odd incident that happened the week before Solonia was murdered.

[Gwen Smith]

My sister Jackie stayed a couple nights with Lonie since Reginald was out of town. So that particular night, about 10 o'clock, Jackie was going to go out and smoke a cigarette. As she opened the door to go out, there was a guy. I mean like right there. Jackie said, what? What are you doing here? Who are you? And he told her, it's Jimmy Ray.

[H.L. Arledge]

He steps out of the shadows and scares her to no end. He just kind of lurked in her yard and stared at her. At that time, the door opens. Salonia comes out and says, what are you doing out here? And starts screaming. Salonia was terrified that somebody was watching her and she was afraid.

[Taylor Anthony]

And Jimmy told them that he was there to check on Salonia. And Jackie responded to him that Salonia was a grown woman and didn't need to be checked on and she ran him off. At the time that the incident occurred, this would have been three days before the murder of Solonia Reed.

[Gwen Smith]

Jimmy Ray lived not far from where Loni and Reginald lived. We knew him from the neighborhood. He was a weird guy. Very, very weird. And ever since then, we kind of thought Jimmy Ray was involved.

[H.L. Arledge]

So Jimmy Ray Barnes was picked up and he was interviewed by police.

[Barry Ward]

Jimmy Ray Barnes said he knew Reginald and his family. Sometimes Jimmy Ray would work for him, doing jobs around his house, but he.

[Taylor Anthony]

Denied having anything to do with the murder of Salonia Reed. Jimmy Ray Barnes told police and that he washed Slonia's car. He also said that he smoked Winston cigarettes. Well, they found a Winston cigarette butt inside her vehicle. Unfortunately, in 1987, DNA testing was in its infancy, so that the cigarette butt was never tested.

[Narrator]

Without hard evidence linking Jimmy Ray to Salonia's murder, detectives take his statement and let him walk. The pressure's building on Hammond PD to catch a killer. Investigators turn to the community for tips and receive a promising lead.

[Taylor Anthony]

In the area where the contents of Salonia's purse was located, a bystander reported finding a crucifix and a screwdriver in their mailbox. The Hammond Police Department was never able to produce a murder weapon. From the crime scene. But they thought that maybe it was some type of a screwdriver. So is this where the killer abandoned the murder weapon?

[H.L. Arledge]

When they found the screwdriver and a crucifix, People were afraid. Maybe there's some kind of ritual connection, Girls being stolen for human sacrifice and that sort of thing.

[Gwen Smith]

And then it was like the boogeyman, because every woman in Hammond was afraid to go out who could do something like this.

[H.L. Arledge]

So in our little bayou country, people were panicking. Police are canvassing the area, Searching mailboxes, people's yards, what have you. And people thought, what kind of monster would do this to us? And is he still out there? Is he going to be after me next? So the first thing I thought was, could this be connected to Sloane Reed's murder?

[Narrator]

Wondering if they found the murder weapon, Investigators send the crucifix and the screwdriver out for forensic testing. But the results come up short.

[Taylor Anthony]

Those items did not show any type of blood on them. Therefore, they were not considered part of the crime.

[Narrator]

Back to square one. Detectives meet with Salonia's husband Reginald, again. As they speak to him, something catches their eye.

[Taylor Anthony]

Investigators noticed scratches on Reginald Reed's neck. They ran in length, just a couple of inches on both sides.

[Barry Ward]

Reginald told the police that the scratch was from the family dog, so they took that for what it's worth. They had no reason to dispute that.

[Narrator]

But when police speak to Solonia's sisters again, they learned that the Reid's seemingly happy marriage was anything but.

[Gwen Smith]

Reginald was very, very controlling. Whatever he wanted her to do is what she did. It was very hard for me, the way she was treated and abused. There was one day, little Reggie, must have been three or four. And he says, nana, I'm gonna stay with you today. I said, says who? You know, just messing with him. And he said, because mom has to go to the hospital. Just like that. And asked, lonie, you know, what's going on? Because I saw her, and her face was all black and blue. And in spite of the abuse, sonia gave it 100%. She loved her husband dearly.

[Narrator]

Investigators obtain a search warrant for the couple's house on apple street. Upon entering, they're immediately alarmed by the condition of the living room.

[Barry Ward]

It smelled of cleaner, and it was so clean, you could see the lines in the carpet from where it was freshly vacuumed. And then police find in the carpet a broken necklace that they believe was some of Salonia's jewelry, maybe indicating to them that the dispute started in the home.

[Taylor Anthony]

Police also found bottle of Wandra hand lotion inside the residence. They obtained a sample from the crime scene and they were able to test that and determine that the substance on Slonia's body was in fact Wandra hand lotion.

[H.L. Arledge]

To me, the fact that that lotion was there and was chemically consistent, that was just too much adding up. It was another detail that linked Reginald Reed to that crime scene.

[Narrator]

As suspicion surrounding Reginald builds, whispers about his involvement spread through the community.

[H.L. Arledge]

Willie Jones and Michael Morris these guys were in a personal relationship and they were friends with Reginald Reed and Salonia Reed. Willie Jones coworkers said he was telling people the murderer was Reginald Reed.

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[Taylor Anthony]

On the night of August 31, a pedestrian was struck off of Interstate 55. The victim turned out to be Willie Jones. Not only was he struck by a motorist, but Willie Jones also had sustained a gunshot wound to the mid facial area. They immediately determined that this was a homicide.

[H.L. Arledge]

So just over a week after Salonia Reed's murder, the guy who said her husband did it has been murdered. So what's happening here? Is somebody killing people that Reginald and Salonier were friends with? Or was Willie just close to the truth as to who who killed Salonia?

[Barry Ward]

On August 23, 1987, Salonia's body was found. And then a week and a half later, another homicide happens where Willie Jones is found. Willie Jones was friends with Reginald Reed, so the community thought maybe these homicides were connected in some way.

[Narrator]

Before detectives can even begin their investigation, Willie Jones's murder case solves itself.

[Barry Ward]

Michael Morris turned himself into police and confessed shooting Willie Jones over a domestic dispute.

[Taylor Anthony]

He had caught him with another man and became enraged.

[Barry Ward]

Once Michael Morris confessed, that absolved Reginald of any suspicion of being involved in Willie Jones murder.

[Narrator]

Finding no connection between the two homicides, Solonia's murder investigation stalls until a witness comes forward with a story that puts detectives back on track.

[Taylor Anthony]

The night before body was discovered, a witness was getting gas at the John Curb market. This person noticed a blue sedan drive through the parking lot that looked suspicious. The witness indicated that she got a good look at the driver and the front passenger.

[H.L. Arledge]

They're driving slow and they're looking. So she's thinking they could be casing the place.

[Taylor Anthony]

The witness wrote down the license plate of the vehicle and after hearing on the news about Sloania Reed's murder, called the Hammond police department.

[Barry Ward]

They run the license plate and they find out that the car belonged to Reginald Reed's mother. So why was Reginald Reed's mom's car driving around the John's Curb Market the night before right next to where Celonia's body Was found the next morning.

[H.L. Arledge]

At that point, the detectives collected photos of everyone who had access to that vehicle and created a photo lineup that they could show to this witness.

[Barry Ward]

They used a photograph of Reginald Reed. They also added a picture of Jim Ray Barnes, the man standing there outside of Salonia's house the week before the murder. And without hesitation, she picked Reginald Reed and Jimmy Ray Barnes as the two men she saw that night.

[H.L. Arledge]

But when they went to pick up Jimmy Ray to interview him again, he was gone. They couldn't find him. Jimmy Ray Barnes disappeared at that point.

[Barry Ward]

Red flags are popping up that are tying the crime scenes are Reginald Reed and Jimmy Ray Barnes.

[Taylor Anthony]

So the Hammond police department collected everything that they had to secure a conviction.

[Barry Ward]

They turned everything over to the district attorney. And a day turned into a week, and a week into a month, and nothing ever happened.

[Taylor Anthony]

Ultimately, the district attorney's office felt the case didn't have enough evidence to move forward on the prosecution level.

[Narrator]

One year into the investigation, there is still no smoking gun tying Reggie or Jimmy Ray Barnes to to Salonia's murder. And the case goes cold.

[Gwen Smith]

At first we had hope, but then nothing happened.

[Taylor Anthony]

It was hard.

[Gwen Smith]

As time went on, I worried about little Reggie.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

After my mom passed, I remember the first time I stayed at home alone. I was terrified. I initially thought my mom never came home. So what happens if my dad never comes home? That always was a thought in my mind.

[Barry Ward]

In 2011, Louisiana State Police get involved in the cold case and ask Barry Ward to start the investigation again, to reopen it, to see where he can go with it.

[Taylor Anthony]

The evidence in the box was very well preserved. In 1987, a cigarette butt would not have been anything significant because there would be very limited testing that they could do other than the branding of the cigarette. But late 2011, early 2012, there was new technology. DNA testing was available. I sent the evidence off to the DNA lab and I got a call back that we got a hit on the cigarette butt.

[Barry Ward]

So the DNA came back to a man named Billy Ray Barnes whose DNA was in the system for some prior activity. He is the identical twin brother of one of the suspects, Jimmy Ray Barnes.

[Taylor Anthony]

Then the DNA supervisor informed me that identical twins contain identical DNA. I've never in my career had a situation where identical twins DNA was on a homicide scene. This was a first for me.

[Narrator]

With no connection between Billy Ray Barnes and Salonia Reid, investigators quickly clear him and move their attention to his twin, she, Jimmy.

[Taylor Anthony]

So I learned that Jimmy Ray Barnes was in the Atlanta, Georgia area. And in July of 2012. We set up an interview today. We are speaking with Mr. Jimmy Ray Barnes in reference to the Salonia reed homicide from 1987. Are you willing to answer questions at this time?

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Yeah, but I ain't got nothing to hide.

[Taylor Anthony]

He denied having any involvement, but he said that Rasmund offered him money to help him kill his wife.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

He came to the house.

[Taylor Anthony]

Did he discuss any money with you? Yeah, he had.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

He discussed the money. 50,000.

[Taylor Anthony]

He offered you 50,000 to knock off his wife, Right. You took that to mean to kill her, to murder her, right? What was your response to that?

[Narrator]

Hell, no.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

When he said that, I told him it's the hell on. Wait.

[Taylor Anthony]

Jimmy Ray Barnes also indicated that just a couple of days before Slonia Reed's murder, Reginald Reed asked him to check on Salonia at the house while he was away.

[Barry Ward]

He tries to distance himself from Reginald. He says, look, I did not kill her.

[Taylor Anthony]

Mr. Jimmy, there's more than one person involved in this murder.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I ain't got nothing to do with that. I got two of them. I'm telling y'all the same thing.

[H.L. Arledge]

So at this point, police have two key suspects at the scene of the crime within 12 hours of the body being found. And those people are both connected to Salonia. Reid.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

That was the same Danny told me.

[Taylor Anthony]

I'll keep a secret. I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Today is your day. And in this case, the strongest physical evidence I have on the murder, Sonia Reed, is against you.

[H.L. Arledge]

At this point, police are looking at two suspects that are both connected to Salonia Reed. The DNA evidence from the cigarette butt was tied to Jimmy Ray Barnes, but.

[Barry Ward]

There was also a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to Reginald Reed. The bottle of hand lotion found in his home matched the type of lotion that Salonia's body was covered with. The scratches on his neck, the eyewitness that puts him on the scene with Jimmy Ray Barnes the night before Cellone was killed.

[H.L. Arledge]

The only alibi Reginald Reed had was his six year old son, and he shielded him from the police. So you have to wonder why.

[Narrator]

It's now September 2012, 25 years after Solonia's murder, and investigators want to know if Reginald Reed's alibi still holds up. So they follow up with his son, Reggie Jr. About his memory from the night of the murder.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I was living at the time in San Antonio, Texas. One night, I get a knock at the door, and it was a Texas Ranger. The Ranger says, you mind if I come in? I want to Talk about the murder of your mother.

[Barry Ward]

What happened that particular night?

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I just remember my dad and I falling asleep playing Nintendo. What did it tell you to happen? He said, mama's not coming home. How did he feel? I don't remember.

[Barry Ward]

You don't?

[Taylor Anthony]

Yeah.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I just remember laying across my dad's lap, just trying to console it.

[H.L. Arledge]

What little Reggie actually remembers about that night, we don't know. He was probably asleep. That doesn't mean Reginald didn't murder Salonia. But for police, it was a dead end.

[Taylor Anthony]

Unfortunately, Reggie Jr. S interview just didn't move the case forward in the. On the prosecution level, it come to a point where I realized I had to move on.

[Narrator]

It's now January 2019. As the mystery surrounding Celonia's murder continues to grip the community. The parish's newest assistant district attorney, Taylor Anthony, is handed the case. He teams up with Lieutenant Barry Ward. The duo review the evidence and decide to pursue the person they consider the weak link.

[Barry Ward]

Barry Ward and I load up and we go to Atlanta on our search for Jimmy Ray Barnes. We have a picture of Jimmy Ray Barnes, and we're just kind of driving around. Have you seen this man? And eventually we pull up to this residence, and out steps Jimmy Ray Barnes. He was just standing there in the flesh.

[Taylor Anthony]

He just kept saying the same thing, that he wasn't involved. But while we were getting ready to leave, Jimmy makes what law enforcement calls a spontaneous utterance. He says, quote, I'm the key to it all.

[Barry Ward]

It was almost movie like, the way he said it. We knew he knew what happened. So we got back in the car. I went back to Hammond. I went to my boss, and I said, Boss, it's been 32 years. Give me a microphone, give me a podium, give me a jury, and let me go. I can prove Reginald and Jimmy Ray did this. I know it.

[Narrator]

Three decades after the murder of Salonia Reid, a grand jury is convened to hear the evidence against Reginald Reed and Jimmy Ray Barnes.

[Barry Ward]

I laid out the facts to the grand jury, told them everything we had. And the grand jury returned an indictment against Reginald Reed and Jimmy Ray Barnes for the second degree murder of Salonia Reed.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

When I got the call that he was indicted for my mother's murder, it was a moment of disbelief. It was. It was shocking.

[Gwen Smith]

At that point, I began to see Reginald as a monster capable of doing anything.

[Barry Ward]

Reginald was arrested in his home, and Jamie Ray Barnes was arrested in Georgia and flown back to Louisiana to face prosecution.

[Taylor Anthony]

I did ask Reginald if he would be willing to sit down and submit to an interview in which he declined.

[Narrator]

Unlike Reginald. Jimmy Ray Barnes is finally ready to talk.

[Taylor Anthony]

Okay, Jimmy, will you please tell me what, if any, knowledge you have of the events that occurred the Dave Slony Reed was murdered.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I have knowledge that I was driving the car. Salon car was already parked there already. I drove and picked him up from there.

[Taylor Anthony]

Who's him?

[H.L. Arledge]

Reggie Reed.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I picked up Reggie Reed from there.

[Barry Ward]

He told us that Reginald Reed called him and said, hey, I need you to go get my mother's car. I need you to come pick me up from the John's Curb Market from the gas station.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

When I got there, he was getting out of the blue car. The blue car was parked there.

[Taylor Anthony]

Did you get out of the car and look?

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Yeah, I got out. Cause he had called me. He wanted me to do something. I said no, I wasn't getting involved in that. He wanted me to move the body and I didn't want to move and I didn't move the body.

[Taylor Anthony]

And you saw Sahone Reid?

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I did see the body in there and I panicked.

[Taylor Anthony]

The information that you have given us today, Are you prepared to testify?

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I don't know.

[Taylor Anthony]

Jimmy indicated that he was fearful of Reginald Reed and he didn't want to come back to Louisiana to testify because of his safety.

[Barry Ward]

This is one of the worst homicides that has happened in our region. And it all boils down to this. Can we get the testimony of Jimmy Ray Barnes?

[Taylor Anthony]

Based on Jimmy's confession, I believe he took part in Salonia's murder.

[Barry Ward]

Jim Ray Barnes denies that he killed her, but he says he knows it was Reginald Reed.

[Taylor Anthony]

But we just needed to get Jimmy to testify.

[Barry Ward]

Jimmy Ray Barnes was scared of Reggie. He thought he was trying to kill him. Ultimately, Jimmy Ray Barnes made the decision to testify in exchange for his testimony against Reginald Reed. Jamie Ray Barnes pled guilty to accessory after the fact of second degree murder and received a five year sentence.

[Narrator]

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[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Testifying at trial was one of the moments I was most terrified of. Leading up to it, I had nightmares. So that day I was called to the stand. It was. It was rough. I broke down. I was asked a few questions about my dad, my mom. And it was just one of those moments I'll never forget. I still have a hard time believing that my dad killed my mother, that my dad's a monster. But seeing the evidence, hearing the testimonies, you know, it does look suspicious.

[Narrator]

After four hours of deliberation, the jury returns its decision.

[Barry Ward]

Reginald Reed was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of killing his wife in 1987.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

When the guilty verdict was read, I was shaking. I was just staring at my dad and he didn't make a sound. Then I just put my head down. I was numb. Time had stopped. I just felt like that six year old boy again.

[Gwen Smith]

Thank you Jesus. Justice has been served. It was a long time coming. He got to live his life by but my sister in law Solani. You a heartless person to do somebody like that. My brother is a cold blooded killer. I wonder sometime what life would be like if she was still here. I miss Salonia dearly. I miss her. I hope my sister's at peace knowing that at least Reginald is in jail and we miss her so much.

[Reggie Reed Jr.]

I've had successes professionally, personally. But I would trade all that in just to have my mom back and just erase all of this. I started to write a memoir. It's titled the Day My Mother Never Came Home. I'll share excerpts that I wrote. I miss my mother. Though I don't have enough memories of her to know exactly what I miss about her. I still feel a deep empty place in my life where her presence would have and should have been. The wound swells and contracts in time with the beating of my heart. It is an old scar and reminds me of how deeply I have been hurt and the painful truth of all that was taken from me. A few months ago, my wife and I found out that we're pregnant with our second child. And a couple weeks ago we found out she's gonna be a girl. We thought about names and the first name that came to our mind was Salonia Grace Reed. This is a joyful moment. I know my mother is watching over me and my family. And I'm not gonna let her down.

[H.L. Arledge]

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[Reggie Reed Jr.]

You're gonna need some backup.

[H.L. Arledge]

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[Taylor Anthony]

Very cool.

[H.L. Arledge]

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[Reggie Reed Jr.]

Take care of business, fellas.

[H.L. Arledge]

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