Hardeman County Woman Charged with Murder and Desecration of a Corpse After Human Remains Discovered
On Friday, September 8, 2023, while investigating a report of a missing person, detectives of the Olive Branch Police Department (OBPD) discovered what appeared to be human remains at a location on Bethel Road in Olive Branch.
Throughout the following days, OBPD detectives worked closely with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Crime Lab, the DeSoto County Coroner’s Office, along with investigators of the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, to not only positively identify the remains, but also determine the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death that resulted in the remains being hidden within Olive Branch.
As a direct result of this collaboration and diligent investigative efforts, detectives with the Olive Branch Police Department and investigators with Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office identified a primary suspect in the suspicious death of this victim and were able to take this suspect into custody with the assistance of Henry County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia.
Amanda Bailey Barber, 34, of 95 Lakeview Cove, Saulsbury, Tennessee, has been arrested and charged with murder for the slaying of John Barber, 50, by the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office, for the crime occurring in Hardeman County. Additionally, she has been charged with desecration of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence by the Olive Branch Police Department.
Barber is currently being held at the Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex on a $300,000 bond.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation that may result in additional charges. If anyone has information related to this incident, please contact the Olive Branch Police Department at (662) 892-9400 or the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department at (731) 609-2401.
Read more local news by clicking here.
Do you have news you’d like to share? E-mail us at news@hatchiepress.com.
Subscribe to Hatchie Press to stay informed on what’s happening in Hardeman County and the surrounding areas.
