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A preliminary hearing for two alleged co-conspirators charged in connection with last summer’s horrific murder of 20-year old Jessica Barnes was held in the South Carolina Upstate late last week.
The hearing for 20-year-old Victoria Tippett and 20-year-old Kendall Mims was held in Anderson County last Friday (February 14, 2025). The proceedings exposed harrowing details of a murder that began as a missing person investigation – but evolved into a tragic tale of violence and deception.
During the hearing, magistrate Stacy Blair heard testimony from Pendleton, S.C. police officer Steven Wescott – who outlined law enforcement’s timeline and the alleged actions of the two defendants in connection with Barnes’ death.
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Barnes’ husband — twenty-one-year-old Brandon Barnes – was also scheduled to face the judge, but waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Barnes is accused of strangling his late wife to death on or about August 2, 2024. According to investigators, Tippett and Mims subsequently joined him in disposing of Jessica’s remains in the Twin Lakes region of Pickens County.
During the hearing for Tippett and Mims — who are both facing charges of accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice and misprision of a felony in connection with Jessica’s murder — additional details emerged, including text messages exchanged between the suspects, surveillance footage of their movements, and forensic evidence linking them to the crime scene.
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THE CASE AGAINST MIMS AND TIPPETT…
The investigation into Jessica Barnes’ disappearance began in earnest in mid-September when her mother, Cecilia Varvara, requested a wellness check after her daughter stopped answering her calls – and messages sent to Brandon Barnes were not returned. Varvara was especially concerned for her daughter’s well-being in the aftermath of allegations of physical abuse against her involving Brandon Barnes.
Barnes, Tippett and Mims were charged on October 2, 2024 in connection with Jessica Barnes’ murder.
Officer Wescott testified the investigation revealed Barnes was strangled to death in a pool house on Laurel Drive on or around August 2, 2024. According to Wescott, Tippett was present while the murder occurred along with the infant child of Brandon Barnes and Kendall Mims. Mims was reportedly at work during the murder and was told upon her return from work Barnes had died by suicide.
Wescott told the court that following the murder, Barnes’ body was placed in a plastic tote purchased by her husband and Tippett from a local Walmart – along with a shovel. The purchase was confirmed by bank records as well as surveillance video from the store. Ring camera footage at the home of Mims’ grandfather, Ron Herrin, showed all three suspects moving the tote to the car. The tote was transported to Twin Lakes Drive and – utilizing data from a tracker placed on a vehicle by Herrin – investigators determined the location was repeatedly visited by the suspects.
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After police began their investigation, the same tracker showed the three suspects fleeing to Colorado under growing suspicion from both law enforcement and the public. While they were gone, investigators placed a trail camera at the site where they had located Barnes’ remains. Westcott testified when the three returned from Colorado, their first stop was the site where they had burned and disposed of Barnes’ body.
During cross-examination of officer Wescott, Mims’ attorney – Catherine Wyse of Clemson, S.C. – focused on several key aspects of the investigation and raised questions about police procedures relating to domestic violence reports involving Barnes and the interviews of her client.
Wyse questioned Wescott about police’s knowledge of Brandon Barnes’ documented history of domestic abuse and coercive control before eliciting testimony that portrayed Mims as a victim of manipulation rather than a willing accomplice in criminal activity.
Wescott described Barnes as having controlling influence over the women involved, particularly Mims.
“He was very controlling… I believe one witness described him as manipulative and narcissistic, saying if his lips were moving, he was lying,” Wescott said.
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Wescott also noted Barnes would monitor Mims via apps on her smart phone – and maintained near-constant contact with her while she was at work.
According to Wescott, Mims rarely showed emotion during her interactions with police. When asked if police interviewed the three suspects together or separately, Wescott testified that – despite law enforcement being aware Barnes’ controlling nature over the two women – they were always interviewed together (until their final interviews just prior to their arrests).
During her cross-examination, Wyse also questioned Wescott about the tracking device placed on the vehicle by Mims’ grandfather. The data from this tracker will likely serve as key evidence for the prosecution as it documented multiple trips between the pool house and the burn site at Twin Lakes Drive.
Wyse questioned Wescott about the reliability and legality of the tracker data. She argued that law enforcement had not obtained a search warrant before accessing the information and suggested the data alone did not conclusively prove the suspects’ involvement in the crime. The prosecution countered by pointing to corroborating evidence, such as text messages and surveillance footage, that support the tracker findings.
Despite stellar arguments made by Wyse during the hearing, the judge concluded there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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