In February 1999, he met his girlfriend Melody Lopez at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. She was also a traveler. They quickly fell in love and became traveling companions. Shortly after, Melody became pregnant so Shawn brought her home to Canada for she had never been here. They came to visit for a few days and then were off again to spend Canada Day in Toronto, then they were on their way to Portland, Oregon to live by Melody's mother and raise the baby.
The last time anyone heard from them was August 5th when Melody called her mother to tell her where she was with and with who and that she would see her on Monday of the next week. No calls came since. We knew almost immediately something was wrong for Shawn made sure to call home every Sunday to tell us he was okay and where he was. After a while, my parents came in Contact with Melody's parents and expressed their concerns to each other.
Both parents put out missing person reports and the police would not do anything because they were of age and "didn't need to call home if they didn't want". My dad kept bugging the detective to go and check out the place they were last heard from which was St. Josephs Island. A remote forest area just outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The detective assured my father that he would go and check it out and get back to him.
A few days later he got back to my father and told him there was nothing and that he had been to check it out. That detective later retired and a new one came on the case. The new detective came on and called my parents to get the details of the case and my father happened to tell him how the old detective went to check out the Island but found nothing. A few days later, the detective called my father and notified him that the old detective did not go and check out the Island, there was nothing on record of him ever doing so, and that he was leaving first thing to go check it out.
December 15, 1999, as my parents were out Christmas shopping and I was home watching my little sister and my son, there was a knock at the door. 2 detectives stood there and identified themselves. I told them that my parents were out shopping and that they would be home soon. I asked if it was about my brother and they said that it was, I asked if it was bad and they said that unfortunately it was. They gave me their card and told me to get my parents to call them as soon as they come in the door.
I knew that my parents were supposed to go see my grandmother before they went shopping so I called her place hoping they would still be there. My aunt answered the phone and said that they had already left to go shopping. She could tell something was wrong so I told her. She immediately came over followed by my grandmother and we all waited in silence until my parents got home.
As soon as my parents walked in the door they knew something was wrong because they had just seen my grandmother and aunt. My aunt handed them the card for the detectives and they called. The detectives were there in 2.2 seconds flat! There they proceeded to tell us that Shawn's life had been taken.
Later in court, we heard how Shawn was shot in the head. As Melody cradled him in her arms crying, she was shot in the back of the head by a coward named Robert Armstrong. Then, both their bodies thrown into a fire for 2 days of burning like they were nothing but garbage. All that was left of the two were bone fragments smaller than 25 cent pieces. Robert Armstrong got two life sentences ( which is 25 yrs each in Canada) with no chance of parole for 25 yrs. The whole year and a half he was in jail waiting conviction was dead time. It did not count as part of his sentence. The trial ended June, 2001 and I finally can breath again. Justice has been served although it will never be enough. Shawn and Melody were so happy together and about to have a baby. Shawn leaves behind our loving parents Robert and Suzanne Barrett, a little sister Kelly (10)), myself Shannon his younger sister. I am 20. And a nephew named Matthew (4), and a new baby niece Hailey (5 months).
Although justice has been served, I will never forget my brother. He was my best friend, body guard, and everything that any sister would want. The thing that bothers me the most is that he was murdered. He didn't die from an accident, or an illness. Someone decided to play God and take his life brutally and irrespectively. My kids will never really get to know how great their uncle was or never meet their new Aunt Melody. I never got to say good-bye.