As part of a mortgage company’s loan process, a crew in St. Petersburg, Florida, was assigned to tear down a mobile home. Deborah Burns’ decomposed remains were discovered inside during what they thought was a routine job. A new television special on Investigation Discovery examines Deborah’s sister’s descent into madness, leading to her death. In case you’re wondering what occurred to Barbara afterward, here’s what we know.
Barbara Burns: What do We Know About Her?
A foul smell greeted the workers at some point in the afternoon on May 4, 2005. A blanket covered several decomposed remains found in one of the rooms. It is believed that the victim is Deborah Burns, and her forehead was shot once. The smell was concealed inside the house using an overabundance of room fresheners.
Barbara Burns was about 53 years old at the time of the shooting, living together with her sibling Deborah, a 40-year-old. Barbara was one of many siblings raised in Maryland, and her younger sister was Deborah’s younger sister. Deborah’s mental development was severely impacted by scarlet fever when she was about two years old. Shortly after, they lost their father, leaving their mother to work to support her family.
Barbara had to drop out of school to care for Deborah since their mother couldn’t afford child care. At the time, she was merely a young adult. Even their mom had trouble finding a job by the time they moved to Florida in 1981, and Barbara had to support two people while she worked part-time. Their mother died in 2000, and Barbara was left to support them on her own.
During this same period, another brother died, leaving Debbie $350k so she could take care of her sister. Deborah, the older sister, went bankrupt during the summers of the year 2003 due to frittering away that money within three years. Following this, she started working at a nearby store as a cashier. She stated that she had never lived in a trailer ever and that she did not have a sibling. Until a photo of Deborah was shown to her, that is.
What did She Do?
She told them about her sister soon after admitting she had a sister. On August 14, 2004, Deborah celebrated her birthday with her friends at a dining establishment. There was an argument about finances between the siblings. She wanted Barbara to move to Virginia so she could save money on rent costs, but Deborah wanted to spend more money on her.
Afterward, Barbara told authorities that she grabbed a .38 caliber weapon from her bedroom, grabbed Deborah, and shot her while she slept. Barbara continued to live in the mobile home with Deborah’s corpse for six weeks after returning from work. Her solution was to move the corpse to a different room, wrap it in blankets, and use air fresheners to obliterate the stink.
Deborah was in California with their aunt, so she told people where her sister was. The authorities found Barbara in Virginia Beach after she abandoned her car at the local bus station and left for there on October 1, 2004.
What Happened to Barbara Burns After the Act?
A murder charge was brought against Barbara, but her attorney advised her to negotiate with the prosecutor. Her conviction for manslaughter led to a sentence of 15 years in prison in 2006. Deborah’s care was Barbara’s responsibility, and she had no choice when it came to taking care of her.
Barbara confessed that she never really got the chance of being a teenager, of a life. She added that she hated her mother for that and was so mad and jealous that her other siblings got what she never could- A Life.
Where is She Now?
Having served 12 years in prison, Barbara was released in February 2018. She is staying in a halfway home in St Petersburg in 2020, cohabiting with two other ladies. Barb said she liked having her own room and was feeling free. The other sister was also on her mind. Barbara misses her sister despite how things turned out; she believes that she has missed them. During the deadly shooting, she claims to have blacked out.
