Murder With My Husband
Episode 294: What Really Happened To Selonia Reed?
Date: November 10, 2025
Hosts: Peyton Moreland & Garrett Moreland
Overview
This episode explores the chilling and complicated murder case of Salonia "Lonnie" Reed in Hammond, Louisiana, in 1987. The discussion delves into how faded memories, family secrets, and decades-old trauma shaped the investigation and eventual prosecution. With a signature mix of Peyton’s loving fascination and Garrett’s reluctant horror, the hosts walk listeners through the twists, emotional implications, and ultimately, the unresolved questions that still linger for the Reed family.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Childhood Memories and the Nature of Truth
- Peyton introduces the episode by reflecting on the fallibility of our memories, setting the stage for a story where recollections play a crucial role.
- "We all have these moments from our childhood that seem a bit fuzzy... But there are some moments that stick with us so vividly... When we grow up and someone tells us that those memories we have didn’t exactly happen how we remember them, that can mess with your head." – Peyton [03:05]
Background: Salonia Reed and Her Family
- Salonia "Lonnie" Reed, beloved 26-year-old wife and mother, living a quiet life in Hammond with her husband, Reggie Sr., and their six-year-old son, Reggie Jr.
- She was described as deeply devoted to her son, rarely apart from him; her husband, a former Marine, worked as a car salesman.
- The ordinary texture of 1980s life is emphasized – afternoons at the mall, video games at home. [04:41–07:25]
The Disappearance and Discovery
-
On August 22, 1987, Salonia and her son visit the mall. She buys him a cookie, then heads home.
-
Later that night, Salonia tells her family she's going out with a friend. By morning, she hasn't returned.
-
Her husband, Reggie Sr., calls her sister Gwen, then the police.
-
Within hours, Salonia’s car is found abandoned at a gas station a mile and a half from home—her body is inside, nude, bludgeoned, stabbed, and sexually assaulted with an umbrella. Lotion is smeared on her torso, possibly to spell a message, but it’s melted and unreadable in the summer heat. [08:09–10:00]
"She has been stripped naked. Her earrings have been torn from her ears. She's been bludgeoned in the head and face and stabbed multiple times... She's been sexually assaulted. And a little graphic here, but the sexual assault involved an umbrella." – Peyton [09:19]
Early Investigation and Alibis
- The cigarette butt found in the car stands out—Salonia didn’t smoke.
- Reggie Sr. claims that after the mall visit, he stayed home all evening playing video games with their son and put him to bed; 6-year-old Reggie Jr. provides the same story.
- Police notice scratches on Reggie Sr.’s neck; he claims they’re from the family dog.
- The Reeds' home is spotless, freshly vacuumed, and smells like bleach.
- The only odd item: a necklace clasp found on the floor.
- Security guard at the mall does not recall seeing Reggie Sr. with Salonia and Reggie Jr. [12:17–14:17]
Conflicting Accounts and Suspicious Behavior
-
The friend Salonia was allegedly meeting, Melinda Mike, says she had no such plans and was out of town.
-
Complicating matters, Reggie Sr. called Melinda and threatened her, urging her to confirm Salonia’s alibi. Melinda refused and reported the threat to police. [15:09–16:15]
"He told me to say I was with her... I'm an hour away. I'm not even home." – Peyton as Melinda [16:08]
The Barnes Connection
-
Evidence links a cigarette in Salonia’s car to the brand smoked by Jimmy Ray Barnes, a friend of Reggie Sr.
-
Salonia reportedly despised Jimmy Ray and was afraid of him, especially after he flipped her inner tube at a beach—even though she couldn't swim—and then lurked near her house the next day. [19:50–22:00]
"Salonia actually had a relative over at the time and began going into hysterics, telling them, don't go outside. Don't open the do[or]. I don't like that guy." – Peyton [21:59]
Witnesses and License Plate
- Witnesses see two men acting suspiciously near the gas station the night Salonia died; one takes down a license plate number—it matches Reggie Sr.
- Police show a photograph of Jimmy Ray Barnes to the witness, who identifies him as the second man. [22:55–23:47]
Motive: Domestic Abuse & Insurance Policies
- Family members (including Reggie Sr.’s sister, Claudette) describe a history of domestic abuse and controlling behaviors by Reggie Sr.—black eyes hidden by sunglasses, forced surrender of her paychecks, paranoia about imagined affairs, and even intercepted phone calls.
- Claudette recounts disturbing stories, including Reggie Sr. stomping on Salonia’s stomach after childbirth, under the guise of "helping her lose weight."
- Reggie Sr. had taken out multiple life insurance policies on Salonia in the weeks leading up to her murder, totaling $421,000, making him the sole beneficiary. Reggie Jr. would never see any of this money. [27:27–33:17]
Case Goes Cold & Reopened
-
Despite mounting suspicions and circumstantial evidence, no arrests are made—partly because Reggie Jr., then only 6, is considered a plausible alibi for his father.
-
In 2011, Lt. Barry Ward of the Louisiana State Police reopens the investigation. He uncovers overlooked insurance evidence and uses new DNA testing on the cigarette butt.
-
DNA hits on Billy Ray Barnes, Jimmy Ray’s identical twin, leading police to suspect confusion or deception during polygraph testing. [33:17–40:04]
"Maybe Billy had taken the polygraph for Jimmy." – Peyton [40:04]
Breaking the Case Open
-
Jimmy Ray Barnes, found living in Georgia, admits he was propositioned by Reggie Sr. for a murder-for-hire and says he agreed to help for $50,000, but he refuses to testify at first.
-
Eventually, both Jimmy and Reggie Sr. are indicted for murder over 30 years after the crime.
-
Seeking a plea deal, Jimmy implicates Reggie Sr. as the mastermind and main perpetrator, claiming his only involvement was seeing Salonia's dead body and helping with the cover-up. [41:29–44:38]
"I had nothing to do with the actual murder. I was just guilty of being there, driving the car for him, and seeing her dead body." – Peyton as Jimmy [44:35]
Trial, Convictions, and Lingering Doubt
-
At the 2022 trial, the physical evidence remains circumstantial, but points to the murder occurring at the house (the same brand of lotion is found there as was smeared on Salonia’s body).
-
Prosecution argues for Reggie Sr. as orchestrator and killer; the defense tags Jimmy as the sole perpetrator.
-
Reggie Sr. is convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life; Jimmy Ray Barnes, after cooperating, receives five years and is eventually released.
-
In a bizarre twist, Jimmy dies in a car accident in his hometown while attending his twin brother Billy Ray’s funeral.
-
Reggie Jr., who wrote a memoir titled “The Day My Mother Never Came Home,” is left torn—unable to fully believe or discard the idea that his father killed his mother. [47:44–49:33]
"He says he still doesn't know where he stands... but I just can't see him as a monster that killed my mother." – Peyton [48:49]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On unreliable memory:
"When we grow up and someone tells us that those memories we have didn’t exactly happen how we remember them, that can mess with your head..." – Peyton [03:05] -
On the crime scene:
"She has been stripped naked. Her earrings have been torn from her ears. She's been bludgeoned in the head and face and stabbed multiple times... sexually assaulted... with an umbrella." – Peyton [09:19] -
On family abuse:
"Sometimes Salonia would show up to work at the hospital with sunglasses on, not taking them off because she had black eyes..." – Peyton [28:26] -
On the persistence of circumstantial evidence:
"I just don’t know how much more evidence you need." – Garrett [24:24] -
On changing perspectives:
"...when the present throws you curveballs like this? But there's one thing Reggie doesn't seem to question. It's his own future." – Peyton [49:27]
Important Timestamps
- 03:05 — Peyton’s opening meditation on memory
- 07:25 — Timeline of Salonia’s disappearance
- 09:19 — Discovery of Salonia’s body and initial investigation
- 12:17 — Reggie Sr. and Jr.’s alibis
- 14:17 — Security guard and Melinda Mike’s conflicting accounts
- 19:50 — Jimmy Ray Barnes emerges as a suspect/Salonia’s fear of him
- 22:55 — Witness records license plate linking to Reggie Sr.
- 27:27 — Detailed abuse allegations and possible insurance scam
- 33:17 — The cold case is reopened in 2011; new DNA evidence
- 41:29 — Break in the case: murder-for-hire confessed, but with caveats
- 47:44 — Verdict, sentences, and aftermath
- 49:33 — Emotional fallout for Reggie Jr. and lingering ambiguity
Closing Thoughts
Peyton and Garrett repeatedly emphasize the complexity and emotional fallout of cases like Salonia Reed’s, where the victims’ families are left with half-memories, suspicions, and little closure. The episode stands as a somber reminder of how trauma and doubt ripple through generations—and how, in true crime, there is rarely a simple, satisfying answer.
"I think something about this case that just goes to show is how nuanced all of this is... how many victims there are when one person is murdered." – Peyton [49:34]
For more detail and discussion, listeners are encouraged to read Reggie Jr.’s memoir, "The Day My Mother Never Came Home."