Brian Cohee
Brian Thomas Cohee Jr.
Brian Thomas Cohee Jr. is an American convicted murderer from Colorado, known for the 2021 killing of Warren Barnes in Grand Junction. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and related charges in 2023, and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Background
Brian Cohee Jr. is a Colorado man born in 2002 who became known publicly because of his involvement in a high-profile murder case in Grand Junction.
The murder of Warren Barnes
On February 27, 2021, Cohee killed 69-year-old Warren Barnes under a highway overpass in Grand Junction, Colorado. Reporting on the case says the killing involved stabbing and the later dismemberment of the body.
Trial and conviction
Cohee was tried in Mesa County and convicted on February 3, 2023, of first-degree murder and two tampering charges. He was sentenced to life without parole for murder and additional years for the other convictions.
Incarceration and public coverage
Later reports placed Cohee at Buena Vista Correctional Facility. The case drew widespread media attention because of its graphic facts and the insanity defense raised at trial.
Key facts
- Cohee was 19 years old when Warren Barnes was killed in Grand Junction, Colorado, on February 27, 2021.
- A Mesa County jury found Cohee guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, and tampering with evidence.
- He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus additional prison time for the tampering convictions.
- Media coverage noted that Cohee pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the jury rejected that defense.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Brian Cohee?
What was Brian Cohee convicted of?
What sentence did Brian Cohee receive?
Who was Warren Barnes?
Did Brian Cohee use an insanity defense?
Where is Brian Cohee imprisoned?
References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Warren_BarnesSupports: Birth date, victim name, conviction, sentence, and incarceration location.
- The Independent — https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/brian-cohee-footage-murder-confession-b2522100.htmlSupports: Overview of the case, conviction, and sentence.
- Crime + Investigation — https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/articles/brian-cohee-murder-warren-barnesSupports: Summary of the killing, charges, and reported motive.
- The Daily Sentinel — https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/evidence-presented-in-hearing-on-brutal-murder-case/article_e05926b0-1bf9-11ec-9e34-47336e610414.htmlSupports: Pretrial reporting and probable-cause hearing.
- The Daily Sentinel — https://www.gjsentinel.com/a-look-back-cohee-trial-top-crime-story-of-2023/article_0874ef32-9937-11ee-8995-a3539ebe6dc3.htmlSupports: Trial outcome and sentencing.
- TooFab — https://www.toofab.com/2024/04/01/brian-cohee-documentary-bodycam-footage-arrest-murder-homeless-man/Supports: Reported insanity plea and jury finding.