Mark O. Barton
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 Mark O. Barton |
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| Birth name | Mark Orrin Barton |
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| Occupation | Daytrader |
| Born | April 2, 1955 Stockbridge, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | July 29, 1999 (aged 44) Acworth, Georgia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Suicide |
| Killings | |
| Date | July 27 – July 29, 1999 |
| Location(s) | Stockbridge, Georgia, United States |
| Target(s) | Daytraders at All-Tech Investment Group & Momentum Securities |
| Killed | 12 including Leigh Ann Vandiver Barton (wife), Matthew David Barton (12), and Mychelle Elizabeth Barton(10) (children) |
| Injured | 13 |
| Weapon(s) | Hammer Colt 1911A1 Glock 17 H&R Revolver Raven MP-25 |
Mark Orrin Barton (April 2, 1955 – July 29, 1999) was a spree killer from Stockbridge, Georgia, who, on July 29, 1999, shot and killed 9 people and injured 13 more. The shootings occurred at two Atlanta day trading firms, Momentum Securities and the All-Tech Investment Group. It is believed that Barton, a daytrader, was motivated by $105,000 USD in losses over the previous two months. Four hours after the Atlanta shootings, Barton committed suicide at a gas station in Acworth, Georgia. He had been spotted by police and was ordered to stop, but shot and killed himself before the police could reach him.
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 July 27, and the children murdered July 28.[1]
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 in 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[2] - he is still considered a suspect in those murders by authorities.[3]
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[edit] 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, Georgia, he married Debra Spivey, and had two children, Matthew and Mychelle.
The family moved to Arkansas due to Barton's job. He became paranoid and started distrusting his wife. He lost his job when his performance started to slack. In retaliation, he sabotaged company data. He served a small time in jail for it.
Back in Georgia, Barton got a new job and a secret girlfriend, Leigh Ann Vandiver, whom his wife knew. In 1993, Debra Spivey and her mother Eloise were bludgeoned to death. Barton was the prime suspect, but was not charged due to lack of evidence.
He married Leigh Ann in 1995. After a while, he started acting strange again, devolving into deep depressions and paranoid delusions.
He lost a large settlement from his wife's death through day trading. He ended up owing money instead of receiving it. After losing $105,000 in a single month, Barton decided that he couldn't go on living.
[edit] 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 Matthew and Mychelle to death. He covered them with blankets and left notes on their bodies.
On July 29, he went to the offices of the company he worked for, the All-Tech Investment Group. He chatted with coworkers for a while before pulling out two pistols and started shooting. He shot and killed four people in the building, then calmly walked to another and killed another five people. Then he left and vanished.
The police searched his house and found the bodies of his family. They found the notes he left, in which he denied responsibility of the deaths of his wife and mother-in-law.
An intensive manhunt ensued. After five hours, Barton threatened a young girl. She called the police after running away from him, and the police were on his trail. After being spotted in his van, the police followed him into a gas station in Acworth, Georgia. Surrounded with no way to escape, Barton ducked behind his van and shot himself, ending his killing spree with a total of 13 victims.
[edit] Education
Barton attended the University of South Carolina, where he graduated with a chemistry degree in 1979.[4]
[edit] Quotes
- Immediately prior to entering the manager's office at All-Tech, Barton was heard to say, "I hope this doesn't ruin your trading day."
- "There may be similarities between these deaths and the death of my first wife Debra Spivey. However, I deny killing her and her mother. There is no reason for me to lie now."[5]
[edit] Victims
- Leigh Ann Vandiver Barton, 27, wife of Mark Barton
- Matthew David Barton, 11, son of Mark Barton
- Mychelle Elizabeth Barton, 8, daughter of Mark Barton
- Allen Charles Tenenbaum, 48, daytrader at All-Tech Investment Group
- Dean Delawalla, 52, daytrader at All-Tech Investment Group
- Joseph J. Dessert, 60, daytrader at All-Tech Investment Group
- Jamshid Havash, 45, daytrader at All-Tech Investment Group
- Vadewattee Muralidhara, 44, took a computer course at All-Tech Investment Group
- Edward Quinn, 58, daytrader at Momentum Securities
- Kevin Dial, 38, office manager at Momentum Securities
- Russell J. Brown, 42, daytrader at Momentum Securities
- Scott A. Webb, 30, daytrader at Momentum Securities
[edit] References
- ^ NY Times (1999-07-31). "Shootings in Atlanta: The Notes". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E1DD1331F932A05754C0A96F958260&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/B/Barton,%20Mark%20O.. Retrieved 2007-11-04. "Following are excerpts from a letter and the texts of three notes apparently written by Mark O. Barton and left in the Barton home..."
- ^ NY Times (1999-07-31). "Shootings in Atlanta: The Notes". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E1DD1331F932A05754C0A96F958260&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/B/Barton,%20Mark%20O.. Retrieved 2007-11-04. "Following are excerpts from a letter and the texts of three notes apparently written by Mark O. Barton and left in the Barton home..."
- ^ Cabell, Brian; Mike Boettcher, Martin Savidge, Holly Firfer (1999-07-30). "Georgia killer's notes show a troubled man". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/30/atlanta.shooting.06/. Retrieved 2007-11-04. "Mark Barton was a suspect in the murders six years ago of his first wife, Debra Spivey Barton, 36, and her mother, Eloise Spivey, 59."
- ^ "A Portrait of the Killer". Time. August 9, 1999. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,991676,00.html?promoid=googlep. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
- ^ Notes left by Mark Barton, The Guardian (July 30, 1999)
- ^ Shootings in Atlanta: the victims, The New York Times (July 31, 1999)
- ^ Memories of those who died, CNN (July 31, 1999)
[edit] External links
- BBC News stories on the Atlanta shootings
- CourtTV's Crime Library feature
- Manhunt under way for suspect in Atlanta shootings, CNN (July 29, 1999)
- Investigators search for answers after 12 die in Georgia killings, CNN (July 30, 1999)
- Blood bath followed suspect's mounting stock losses, CNN (July 31, 1999)
- Mourners remember gunman's wife as soccer mom, Scout leader, CNN (August 1, 1999)
- A Portrait of the Killer, Time Magazine (August 9, 1999)
- Riding the Mo in the Lime Green Glow, New York Times (November 21, 1999)
