Cause of death Suicide Occupation Daytrader | Name Mark Barton Injured 13 | |
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Born April 2, 1955 Stockbridge, Georgia, U.S. Date July 27 – July 29, 1999 Location(s) Stockbridge, Georgia, United States Target(s) Daytraders at All-Tech Investment Group & Momentum Securities Killed 13-15 (including himself) (wife and former mother-in-law possible 1993) Died July 29, 1999, Acworth, Georgia, United States | ||
Mark Barton redirects here. For the TV presenter, see Bloomberg Television
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Mark Orrin Barton (April 2, 1955 – July 29, 1999) was a spree killer from Stockbridge, Georgia, who killed 12 people and injured 13 more on July 29, 1999. The murders occurred at Barton's own house and at two Atlanta day trading firms that had previously employed Barton as a day trader, Momentum Securities and the All-Tech Investment Group. It is believed that Barton was motivated by large financial losses during the previous two months. Before he could be apprehended by police, Barton committed suicide.
Following the shootings, police searching Barton's home found that his second wife, Leigh Ann Vandiver Barton, and two children, Matthew David Barton (12) and Mychelle Elizabeth Barton (10), had been murdered by hammer blows before the shooting spree. The children had then been placed in bed, as if sleeping. According to a note Barton left at the scene, his wife was killed on July 27 and the children murdered on July 28.
Prior to the massacre, Barton had been a suspect in the 1993 beating deaths of his first wife, Debra Spivey, and her mother, Eloise Spivey, in Cherokee County, Alabama. Although he was never charged for either of the crimes—and though the note he left with the bodies of his children and his second wife denied any involvement in the 1993 murders—authorities consider Barton a suspect in those murders.
Background
Barton was born on April 2, 1955, in Stockbridge, Georgia, to an Air Force family, and was raised in South Carolina. Barton attended Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, where he earned a degree in chemistry despite his ongoing drug habit. Back in Atlanta, he married Debra Spivey, and had two children, Matthew and Mychelle.
The family moved to Alabama due to Barton's job. Barton became paranoid and started distrusting his wife. He lost his job when his work performance started to suffer. He was caught sabotaging company data in retaliation for his firing and he served a short jail term. Back in Georgia, Barton got a new job and began an affair with Leigh Ann Vandiver, one of his wife's acquaintances. In 1993, Spivey and her mother Eloise were bludgeoned to death. Barton was the prime suspect in the double murder, but was not charged due to lack of evidence. Barton married Leigh Ann in 1995. His mental health continued to deteriorate and he began to suffer from severe depression and paranoid delusions.
Barton had received a $294,000 insurance settlement from his first wife's death, and used the funds to finance his day trading career, preferring high-risk Internet-related stocks. In the month prior to his killing spree, Barton had lost $105,000, and Momentum Securities had cancelled his account.
Killing spree
On July 27, 1999, Barton woke up early in the morning and bludgeoned Leigh Ann to death as she slept. The next night, he also beat his children Matthew and Mychelle to death. He covered them with blankets and left notes on their bodies, reading in part:
"I killed Leigh Ann because she was one of the main reasons for my demise....I know that Jehovah will take care of all of them in the next life. I'm sure the details don't matter. There is no excuse, no good reason I am sure no one will understand. If they could I wouldn't want them to. I just write these things to say why. Please know that I love Leigh Ann, Matthew and Mychelle with all my heart. If Jehovah's willing I would like to see them all again in the resurrection to have a second chance. I don't plan to live very much longer, just long enough to kill as many of the people that greedily sought my destruction."
On July 29, he went to the offices of his former employer, Momentum Securities. Witnesses say that Barton briefly chatted with coworkers before suddenly pulling out two pistols and opening fire. He shot and killed four people and attempted to execute Brad Schoemehl, who was shot three times at point-blank range. Barton then walked to the nearby All-Tech Investment Group building and murdered an additional five victims. Barton left the scene before police could arrive. The police searched his house and found the bodies of his family and the notes that he had left with them, in which Barton vehemently denied responsibility for the deaths of his first wife and mother-in-law.
An intensive manhunt ensued. Four hours after the All-Tech Investment Group shooting, Barton accosted and threatened a young girl in Kennesaw, apparently attempting to secure a hostage for his escape. The young girl escaped and called police. Responding police officers spotted Barton in his minivan and a chase ensued, culminating at a gas station in Acworth. As law enforcement attempted to apprehend him, Barton shot and killed himself.
Victims
The following is a list of those killed: