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Officials have found the body of Audreona Barnes months after the 19-year-old went missing.
According to WJW, the Ohio teenager vanished on July 30, 2021 after sending an odd text. The months-long investigation that followed came up dry — that is, until police were called to a Cleveland apartment on Thursday after a cleaner came across Barnes’ remains.
The apartment’s most recent tenant was Barnes’ boyfriend Bennie Washington, who had reportedly been evicted on March 11. The cleaner allegedly found the body, which was wrapped in a blanket, on the apartment’s balcony (pictured above) after moving a pile of clothes that was on top of it.
Per court records, the medical examiner determined Barnes had been shot in the head. Investigators reportedly found bullet casings near her body and a bullet hole in a wall inside the apartment. Police said it appeared the body had been purposely left outside to speed up decomposition, although it’s unclear how long it had been on the balcony.
Washington was arrested on Saturday and charged with aggravated murder, as well as gross abuse of a corpse for his “disposal” method. The 39-year-old allegedly ran into someone’s home on Friday after being spotted by police and jumped out a window. Court records state that police had received reports about Washington’s “erratic behavior in public” in the weeks before his arrest.
The victim’s mother, Akua Avegnon, said her daughter was last seen being dropped off at Washington’s house in Cleveland. She claimed that Washington had received a text from Audreona’s number asking to be picked up at a gas station, adding that the text “didn’t seem like it came from her.” Barnes’ family said that was the last time anyone heard from her, as her social media accounts were deactivated and her phone was turned off.
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The day she went missing, Barnes had reportedly met with Army recruiters, who picked her up and dropped her off at her boyfriend’s house, police said. It was unclear to the recruiters if Barnes went back into the apartment or if she walked away.
Warrensville Heights Detective Gregory Curry told the local news outlet he had tried to interview Barnes’ boyfriend but was unsuccessful. He said there is no gas station located on Warner Road where Barnes had reportedly asked for a ride.
Another senseless tragedy. Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones.
[Image via Cleveland 19]
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