A man in Wisconsin has admitted guilt in the death of his girlfriend. Her body was found in a pond shortly after she was reported missing.
James Barnes-Morris, who is 26 years old, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide. Originally, he was charged with intentional homicide, but that charge was dropped as part of a deal.
Brooke Strattan’s father reported her missing on October 1, 2024. Two days later, her body was found in a pond.
A witness told police that she saw Strattan and Barnes-Morris walking together on September 29. The next day, the witness said that Barnes-Morris was alone and looked upset. He had scratches on his body and was carrying wet sneakers.
Barnes-Morris reportedly told the witness that he had argued with Strattan and was not clear about where she was.
Police found Barnes-Morris hiding in a friend’s apartment on October 2. In the backyard, they discovered a suitcase with Strattan’s phone and credit cards inside.
The friend told police that Strattan and Barnes-Morris had argued at a party at his apartment a few days earlier. He saw them walking near his home on September 30. Later that day, Barnes-Morris returned to his home alone and said he had left Strattan in a marshy area.
Another person at the party said that Barnes-Morris became angry when people flirted with Strattan. The person offered Strattan a place to stay to calm things down, which upset Barnes-Morris. Strattan told the person that Barnes-Morris had threatened to kill her.
The next day, Barnes-Morris made concerning statements like “I had to get rid of her, she knew too much” and “I need another brick and a rope.”
Detectives found journals belonging to Strattan. In one entry, she wrote about Barnes-Morris beating her and almost killing her on multiple occasions.
Text messages between the couple showed that Barnes-Morris wanted to meet with Strattan on September 29. Strattan said she was afraid to meet him because she worried he would kill her.
Barnes-Morris has not yet received his sentence.
