Two Marines slain in Jacksonville

[thedrifter]

Two Marines slain in Jacksonville <br />
August 16,2006 <br />
ROSELEE PAPANDREA <br />
DAILY NEWS STAFF <br />
<br />
Two people were killed early Tuesday morning in what Jacksonville police say is the first double homicide...

[thedrifter]

2:34 pm | 2 Marines found dead on N.C. street
Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - Police in Jacksonville are investigating a double homicide after the bodies of two Marines were found on a local street.

Chief Mike Yaniero says the two died of apparent gunshot wounds early yesterday morning. Police identified them as 20-year-old Amanda Carrithers and 19-year-old Jordan Barrow.

Carrithers and Barrow were with the Second Supply Battalion, Second Marine Logistics Group. Neither their hometowns nor their ranks were available.

A retired police officer who lives next door to the victims' house says she was in the shower when a neighbor called 9-1-1 after hearing gunshots. Karol Davis says she got out of the shower, went outside and found Barrow lying in the walkway inside her front gate.

Davis said the two were renting the house and had lived there for just a few weeks.
Information from: The Daily News, http://www.jdnews.com

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Probe closely guarded
August 17,2006
ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF

The two Camp Lejeune Marine lance corporals killed on East Drive in Jacksonville early Tuesday were both Chicago natives and one was an Iraq war veteran.

Lance Cpl. Amanda L. Carrithers, 20, and Lance Cpl. Jordan Barrow, 19, both of 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, died from gunshot wounds, said Dr. John Almeida, the Onslow County medical examiner who performed the autopsies.

Jacksonville police still hadn’t made an arrest Wednesday in connection with the double homicide that took place sometime after midnight Tuesday.

“We are still continuing our investigation,” said Jacksonville police Chief Mike Yaniero, who released very little information about the deaths, including what caliber gun was used or any possible motive for the crime.

“If we found any evidence, it would be part of the investigation and we wouldn’t release that information until we were sure it wouldn’t jeopardize the investigation,” he said.

Carrithers and Barrow rented the house on East Drive and only lived in the neighborhood for a few weeks, according to neighbors. The name of a third person, a male, was also on the mailbox in front of the home. Yaniero wouldn’t confirm whether others lived in the house or if Carrithers and Barrow were in a relationship.

“They weren’t married,” Yaniero said.

Barrow, who joined the Marine Corps in July 2005, was an administrative clerk. Carrithers, who joined in August 2004, was a basic warehouse Marine. She served in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006, according to a release from 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

Carrithers and Barrow both had received a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. Carrithers also received the Iraq Campaign Medal, according to the release.

Jacksonville police were called to 43 East Drive, which is off Lejeune Boulevard near Northeast Creek, at about 12:24 a.m. Tuesday. When authorities arrived, Barrow was found next door on the walkway in front of Karol Davis’ house.

Davis, a retired police officer, told The Daily News on Tuesday that she believed Barrow was coming to her for help and that’s why he came inside her gate. She said Barrow was afraid of her dog and in the past would speak to her from outside the gate.

Agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and State Bureau of Investigation are assisting Jacksonville police in what authorities say is the first double homicide in the city in at least two decades. The last homicide Jacksonville police investigated was in July 2003.

NCIS agents canvassed the neighborhood Tuesday. Jacksonville police along with Timon, a Belgian malinois in the department’s K-9 unit, searched the area Tuesday evening.

Yaniero wouldn’t say whether police or the dog found anything in connection to the crime.

“We are conducting interviews both locally and out of state,” Yaniero said. “We are working on several different leads.”

Anyone with information about the homicides can contact Jacksonville Police Department at 455-4000 or Crime Stoppers at 938-3273. Callers do not have to reveal their identity.

Contact staff writer Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 238.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Slaying victims’ families await answers
August 18,2006
ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Marine Lance Cpl. Amanda Carrithers was on the phone with the father of her unborn child when she and her roommate, Lance Cpl. Jordan Barrow, were shot to death in their home on East Drive early Tuesday.

Carrithers’ friend heard some kind of ruckus in the background and then the phone went silent. He dialed her cell phone over and over. Carrithers, who was about six weeks pregnant, didn’t pick up, said Tracy Carrithers, Amanda’s mother.

Worried that something horrible happened to Carrithers, the friend, who lives out of state, called information to get the number for the Jacksonville Police Department. He knew Amanda had received a threatening text message from some unknown person earlier in the day. He message had scared her.

The friend called authorities, hoping officers would drive by the house at 43 East Drive, off of Lejeune Boulevard near Northeast Creek. He eventually called Tracy Carrithers in Chicago, who tried to reach her oldest daughter numerous times. She also called the police for help.

“I called at about 1:20 (a.m.) Chicago time,” Tracy Carrithers said. “I called her phone and left a voicemail. She didn’t respond like she normally does.”

Amanda Carrithers, 19, was found by police at about 12:24 a.m. inside the house she rented with 19-year-old Barrow, who was her friend and a fellow Camp Lejeune Marine attached to 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. Barrow was found next door lying on a walkway inside their neighbor’s gate. They both lived in the house for about 10 days.

Friends and family don’t know who would want to kill either one of them or why. While Jacksonville police search for those answers, the family of both victims, most of whom live in the Chicago area, are left to wait.

It still doesn’t feel real to Tracy Carrithers, who continued to call her daughter’s cell phone Tuesday night, even though by that time both Jacksonville police and the Marine Corps had already delivered a mother’s worst news.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Tracy Carrithers said. “Tuesday night I called her cell phone. It went right into voicemail. I heard her voice. I just wanted to hear my baby’s voice.”

Several members of Barrow’s family spoke to him Sunday. Now, they are learning the details about his last moments of life from newspaper articles and whatever information the police can provide.

“We are just getting bits and pieces,” said Loetisis Buchanan, Jordan’s aunt. “That’s the hard part about this. We don’t even know where he was shot. It’s under investigation, and we won’t know anything for awhile.”

In the meantime, both Amanda’s and Jordan’s mothers, who didn’t know each other before this tragedy, are finding out they have a lot in common.

“They were both the same rank in the military and the same age,” Tracy Carrithers said. “They died at the same time.

“It’s just sad. It’s just really sad. My heart goes out to Jordan’s family as well.”

Barrow was described by his aunt as a good, God-fearing young man who attended church and would help anybody. He grew up in Joliet, Ill., and joined the Marine Corps in July 2005 with the hope of one day becoming a physician.

In a profile he created on the Web page MySpace.com — a social networking site that provides a place for users to post personal information about themselves — Barrow answered about 70 questions in a “tell me about yourself” survey. He listed “obstetrician” as what he wanted to be when he grew up. Under first thoughts when he wakes up, Barrow answered “God and family,” which he also included as his heroes.

His weakness was “trying to help others” and under the question how do you want to die, Barrow responded with “peaceful,” according to the MySpace.com profile.

Amanda Carrithers called her mother about five times Monday. She got a new puppy that day and was excited to share details about her newest love. Frequent calls were a normal part of their mother-daughter bond.

“She loved life. She loved computers. She wanted to become a lawyer,” Tracy Carrithers said. “She was a beautiful girl.”

Amanda joined the Marine Corps in August 2004 and served in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006. She was living her mother’s dream.

“I was supposed to go into the Air Force, but I got pregnant with her,” Tracy Carrithers said. “She was just a very loving person, very sweet and very down to earth. Anybody who met her loved her.”

It’s one of many reasons why Tracy Carrithers can’t fathom why anyone would want to kill her child.

“I just don’t know who would do this to my baby,” she said.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Jacksonville Police Department at 455-4000 or Crime Stoppers at 938-3273. Callers do not have to reveal their identity.

Contact staff writer Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 238.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

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[thedrifter]

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[thedrifter]

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