Teen jailed for 2022 ‘mafia-style’ murder of Jamie Barlow

A teenage bodyguard involved in a bizarre “mafia style” murder of a man stabbed 44 times before his house was torched west of Brisbane has been sentenced beyond the typical 10-year maximum after a judge found the killing “particularly heinous”.

Jamie Barlow died in June, 2022.

A teenage bodyguard involved in a bizarre “mafia style” murder of a man stabbed 44 times before his house was torched west of Brisbane has been sentenced beyond the typical 10 year maximum after a judge found the killing “particularly heinous”.

The now 19-year-old, who can’t be identified because he was 16 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to the murder of Jamie Richard Barlow, 48, and the arson of his home at Laidley in June 2022.

“There is a backstory to the offending, which in many respects, is quite bizarre,” Justice Peter Davis told Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Friday.

Justice Davis said the youth was hired as a bodyguard for Tahlia Healy, of Laidley, who believed the victim had placed a hit on her because he apparently believed Healy had told police he was selling dope from his home.

Both Healy and Jones are charged with murder and arson and have not entered pleas.

“The truth or otherwise of this is unknown” Justice David continued.

Healy’s boyfriend Gabriel Humberto Jones, who along with Healy were part of a broader group that subscribed to her beliefs, retained the youth as her hired muscle in the week leading up to Mr Barlow’s murder, the court heard.

“During a telephone call with another of these people you told that person that Jones wanted to send Mr Barlow a message and he “wanted his finger, tongue or ear’,” Justice Davis said.

“This has the flavour of mafia type behaviour that might be explained by an earlier comment made by Jones that he was starting a mafia family where members would be subject to a set of rules, which he disseminated on Snapchat.”

On the night in question the youth and others travelled to Mr Barlow’s home, which he occupied with girlfriend Stacey Vale, in cars that had their number plates obscured.

The electricity was switched off to lure Mr Barlow outside and when he walked under his house he was assaulted, stabbed and cut by one or more of the group but not the youth.

Mr Barlow was stabbed or cut a total of 44 times to the face, scalp, torso and upper extremities.

There were 14 stab wounds to the face alone, the court heard.

The youth, then entered the home along with three others, armed with a knife and splashed the contents of a jerry can around the dwelling before setting it alight.

Two of Ms Vale’s pets – a cat and a snake – were killed in the blaze.

The youth later told friends he had been involved but called Crime Stoppers and gave a story indicating the innocence of his co-offenders.

He was initially also charged with Ms Vale’s attempted murder but this was later dropped

Justice Davis said he was to be sentenced for murder on the basis he was a party to the offence and not that he foresaw or appreciated Mr Barlow’s death was probable but that objectively it was a probable consequence of the plan he was part of.

Despite not committing any actual violence against the victim Justice Davis said the youth was actively involved in the plan to burn the house and was not a “passive player”.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso had argued the murder was particularly heinous, opening up the possibility of a sentence greater than the maximum of 10 years.

Justice Davis found that it was.

“The offence arose from a planned night-time invasion of Mr Barlow’s home with a specific intention to cause him serious harm with the use of weapons and that resulted, whether you foresaw the specific details or not, in a vicious and sustained attack upon him where he suffered 44 knife injuries,” he said.

However he found the teen, who was the youngest of the group and had no prior criminal history, took part as a result of substantial immaturity.

A forensic psychologist’s report said he was likely influenced by peer pressure and his capacity to understand the serious nature of his offending was impaired.

Justice Davis said to the youth’s credit he engaged in restorative justice, meeting with Mr Barlow’s loved ones and apologising, had taken up rehabilitative options in custody and demonstrated genuine remorse.

The teenager was sentenced to 12 years jail with a parole release date set at 60 per cent.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Teen jailed for 2022 ‘mafia-style’ murder of Jamie Barlow