Police found her house locked up, but signs of a struggle were inside: a messed-up sofa, bloodstains on the carpet and bedding, and a glass knocked over. The amount of blood was small. Barrick was gone, along with her purse and bedsheet. Her dentures were in their case, and there was a cigarette butt in the bathroom. Her dog was locked in its crate, and the trash was left on the counter (she usually took it out at night). $400 she kept in the freezer was untouched, but a hidden key was missing. Her truck was parked nearby, with her house keys inside, but her truck keys were in the house. It looked like she was getting ready for bed when something happened.

Barrick was a widow who lived alone. She liked fishing, gardening, and sewing. She was dating a younger man her family didn’t know. Because she’d taken out her dentures (something she never did around strangers), her family thinks she probably knew her attacker. They suspect a handyman she’d hired. Police also have a suspect who left town after Barrick disappeared, but haven’t revealed their identity. They believe Barrick was murdered and her body might be buried nearby in the woods.