This episode of Rotten Mango delves into the disturbing case of Brian Cohee Jr., a young man who exhibited violent tendencies from an early age, and the tragic murder of Warren "The Reading Man" Barnes.
The summary details Cohee's troubling psychological issues, which escalated despite interventions. It then recounts the brutal killing of Barnes, an innocent community member targeted by Cohee simply out of curiosity. Cohee's chilling confession and lack of remorse during the investigation are also highlighted, showcasing his detachment from the gravity of his actions. Additionally, the summary examines the failure of various systems to adequately respond to the warning signs presented by Cohee, despite clear indications of mental health issues and risk factors for violence.
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Brian Cohee Jr. showed severe psychological issues from a young age, escalating into his adult years with violent tendencies and criminal actions. Diagnosed with ADHD and autism, his prescribed medications for ADHD and a depressive disorder could not curb his behavioral problems. He exhibited early violent tendencies, such as rumored involvement in missing neighborhood cats and even admitting to killing a cat for enjoyment. His parents found a "kill kit" in his room and confronted him but did not escalate the issue to authorities.
His online presence was equally troubling, sharing posts about making weapons, harming children, and discussing violent thoughts without remorse. His search history was riddled with queries about the lethality of stab wounds and coping with homicidal ideation. Friends noted his frequent discussions about killing, and his internet behavior revealed a dehumanizing viewpoint and fascination with serial killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer.
Warren Barnes, affectionately known as "The Reading Man," was a beloved and harmless community member. His routine life was tragically ended by Brian Cohee Jr., who specifically targeted someone he believed wouldn't be missed. Cohee brutally murdered and mutilated Barnes, a decision made out of sheer "curiosity" about murder. He wrapped Barnes' body, severed his head and hands, and disposed of them separately, inflicting a Glasgow smile and gouging out the eyes. Cohee methodically planned the crime and even expressed frustration when a bone broke during dismemberment, showing a heinous disregard for human life compared to Warren's gentle existence.
Brian Cohee Jr.'s interrogation was marked by a chilling lack of remorse as he detailed his murder of Warren Barnes. He re-enacted the stabbing for investigators, described the dismemberment process, and explained how he disposed of the body without any sign of distress. He showed amusement when recounting the act and the reactions of the investigators, showcasing a temperament removed from the gravity of his actions. His main motivation was to experience what murder felt like, a feeling he had been curious about after reading about infamous murderers. Throughout the interrogation, his detachment from the crime was evident, as was his lack of empathy for the victim or the community's loss.
Multiple systems failed to adequately respond to the warning signs presented by Brian Cohee Jr. His parents noticed peculiar behaviors and ignored red flags, such as his interest in morbid topics or the bloody "kill kit." Although he did receive some psychological counseling, there was no substantive intervention following his behavioral escalation. School counselors and peers recognized Brian's threatening demeanor, but the educational system seemed unable to provide the necessary support. Even when his actions were identified as a risk, the system did not take steps to potentially prevent his path toward violence. The lack of intervention despite clear signs of mental health issues illustrates significant oversights and missed opportunities to help Brian and prevent his eventual murderous act.
1-Page Summary
Brian Cohee Jr. exhibited symptoms of severe psychological issues from an early age that only escalated into adulthood, culminating in criminal behavior.
Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of five and later with autism, Brian Cohee Jr. was kept on medication for ADHD, an antidepressant, and diagnosed with a depressive disorder by high school. His dose of antidepressants was increased a few months before the murder. Despite these interventions, Brian's doctors reported he displayed no signs of psychosis, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and he never spoke of self-harm or harming others.
Stephanie Soo clarifies that Brian was diagnosed with "level one autism," although she notes that psychiatrists no longer use "levels" to describe autism, and the term "high functioning" is currently disfavored within the community.
As a toddler, Brian showed disturbing behaviors, like licking his shoes clean and damaging his nail beds, putting him at risk for infections. His violent tendencies manifested in rumors that he was behind cats going missing in his neighborhood. A friend believed he was responsible for killing a local cat, and Brian himself confessed to killing a cat for entertainment.
After his parents discovered what they described as a "kill kit" in his room, they confronted him with the option to dispose of the items or face police intervention.
Brian Cohee's behavior grew increasingly alarming due to his disturbing online activity. On Reddit, he posted about creating makeshift weapons, hitting a child with disabilities which he found entertaining, and expressed no remorse for these actions. His online diary logs, which included details of triggering a classmate’s PTSD for fun, showed a fascination with people’s reactions to pain and horror.
His internet searches included looking up the lethality of stab wounds, coping with murderous thoughts, and homicidal ideation. His participation in online forums reflected a violent sense of humor and disturbing interests, includin ...
Brian Cohee Jr.'s lifelong disturbing behavior
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The peaceful life of Warren "The Reading Man" Barnes, a cherished community member, came to a tragic end due to a senseless act of violence.
Warren Barnes was known for his daily routine of purchasing coffee, and occasionally a donut, at a local gas station. His punctuality was evident at his gig-based job, where he helped with tasks such as breaking down boxes or doing lawn work. On his days off, he could be found reading outside a bridal boutique, where he was known for his love of cowboy western mysteries. Locals fondly referred to him as "The Reading Man," a comforting presence within the Grand Junction community. The local paper celebrated Warren for his polite manner; he never begged or hassled anyone, choosing instead to acknowledge people with a simple nod or kind words. Monique, a friend, remembered him as a man who wanted to avoid being a burden to others and would share his bread with birds as an act of generosity. A metal life-sized chair now stands as a permanent memorial to Warren in front of the bridal shop, with a stack of books and the top book spine reading, "and you also."
Brian Cohee Jr., on the other hand, sought a victim out of a perverse "curiosity." He targeted a vulnerable person, one he thought would not be missed or prioritized by the authorities. Stephanie Soo detailed Cohee's premeditation, noting that he sought someone who "lived that type of life," believing that the case would not receive much attention.
During his heinous act, Cohee wrapped Warren's body in canvas, mistakenly believed by his mother Terry to be a homeless person hidden in her son's closet. Inside her kitchen sink, she found a severed head and hands covered by a blue towel.
The crime scene was a gruesome sight. Investigators discovered body parts -- a human arm chopped at the elbow, hands removed, and another arm that seemed to lead up to a shoulder. Warren's body was found headless and armless, with his abdomen savagely cut open. His legs bore ...
The murder of Warren "The Reading Man" Barnes
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The interrogation of Brian Cohee Jr. reveals a disturbing lack of emotional response or remorse as he details his actions around the murder of Warren Brown.
During the police interaction, Brian nonchalantly disclosed that he murdered Warren Brown with a knife and demonstrated the stabbing to the interrogator, showing how he straddled the victim and brought his hand down repeatedly. He described in detail how he dismembered Warren Barnes' body, comparing his method to pressing down on the blade like peeling garlic. He mentioned his frustration regarding the breaking of a bone during the dismemberment but showed no distress during the recounting.
Furthermore, Brian meticulously described disposing of the limbs and head, handling Barnes' wallet, as well as cleaning the murder weapon and clothes. He recounts how he cleaned up after the murder, washing his jumpsuit and remedying the issue of leaving a partial fingerprint by driving back to the body, picking it up in a different outfit, and disposing of it in a river. Brian described the logistical challenges he encountered during the disposal process, such as getting his car stuck, with what appears to be a lack of distress.
Brian enjoys the energy in the interrogation room and feels at ease. He is entertained by the reactions from the interrogators as they laugh and engage with his storytelling. He savors the interrogators' reactions, watching their faces for horror or admiration. Brian chuckled when he called the victim an "old man," found his own mislabeling of the victim's age amusing, and displayed amusement when speculating about someone potentially seeing him right after the murder.
Cohee laughed and showed amusement when he made jesting remarks about the bystander effect. He also made a kicking motion while explaining his actions, likening it to kicking away trash, which indicates a disregard for the victim. He giggled while recalling that the police found blood on the bumper of his car, noting that the police were eager to examine the car's trunk without realizing there was nothing inside it. Brian smiled and leaned back in his chair when discussing his plans for disposing the head and hands, indicating a level of detachment.
After the interrogation, while being led to booking, Brian smiled at the officer and compared himself to Hannibal Lecter, showing a degree of amusement about the situation.
Brian's chilling confession and lack of remorse
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Systemic failures, parental oversights, and ineffectual school interventions surrounded the troubled life of Brian, culminating in a tragic event that perhaps could have been avoided with proper attention and intervention.
Brian's parents noticed several disturbing signs, but their reactions fell short of addressing the underlying issues. When they found blood on their son's car, they were shocked, yet their actions did not extend beyond speculating it might be fake blood from a special effects class Brian took. Despite odd behaviors and the discovery of a "kill kit" in his room, the extent of the parents' intervention was to give him an ultimatum to dispose of the kit. Even with Brian's unusual sense of humor and interest in morbid topics, such as a joke about poisoning beauty pageant queens, his parents brushed it off as a misunderstanding of his sense of humor rather than seeing it as a potential warning sign.
Terry, Brian's mother, did bring Brian to a psychologist after noticing his behavior was off, yet there's no mention of specific follow-up actions regarding these escalating signs. Furthermore, Brian's parents supported him during his trial, despite acknowledged escalations in his behavior.
Brian exhibited antisocial behavior that did not go unnoticed by school counselors and his peers. His classmates expressed feeling unsafe around him to their teachers. Brian's fascination with infamous figures like Adolf Hitler and Ted Bundy concerned a counselor who was trying to understand his goals. Teachers agreed that he was a troubled kid, with his English teacher raising the alarm about him from the first week of school.
However, despite these obvious red flags, the school system seemed incapable of offering the help Brian needed. Teachers saw him as a potential danger to others, and after making inappropriate sexual comments, he garnered a suspension. One teacher wasn't surprised by his eventual actions, feeling let down by a system that had ample warning yet failed to help. Brian's history teacher, Jeremy, noted classwide i ...
Failure of systems meant to help Brian and prevent this
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