Deputies ID Lorida Murder Victim

Deputies now know the identity of the murdered woman whose body was dumped in a Lorida orange grove.

On Oct. 13, the Highlands County Sheriff's Office was called to a citrus grove near Buckhorn Road, where Virginia Navarro Barnes, 62, of Burbank, Calif., had been found, shot in the head.

Her husband, James Higley Barnes Jr., 64, also of Burbank, is the suspect in her death, according to the HCSO. The couple had been staying at 6100 Sherman Terrace in Sebring.

Lt. Tim Lethbridge, with the HCSO's Criminal Investigations Unit, said it was a tip from a member of Barnes' family that helped with the investigation.

He added that the family member does not reside in Highlands County.

During the evening hours of Oct. 21, a surveillance team from the HCSO was sent to watch Barnes' home, as he was considered a suspect, according to Lethbridge.

Following conversations with extended family members, Barnes called the sheriff's office at 2 a.m., Wednesday saying he wanted to speak with someone about the murder victim found in the grove.

Detectives contacted Barnes, interviewed him and subsequently arrested and charged him with first-degree murder. Lethbridge said the suspect's stated motive was because of his wife's health problems, although he would not comment on what those specific problems might have been.

Prior to Wednesday's identification of Virginia Barnes and arrest of the suspect, the sheriff's office had asked for the public's help in learning the victim's name. A composite photo of what she may have looked like ran in the Oct. 16 edition of Highlands Today.

"Citizens responded with numerous possible tips and leads," Lethbridge said. "Sheriff Benton and the investigative team greatly appreciated the interest and assistance offered by the Highlands County community as the many leads were followed by detectives in the field."

Additional information will be released as the investigation continues.