Thirty-two years after the brutal murder of 19-year-old Sarah Vannatta Des Prez, the man suspected of killing her is being brought to justice.
Jerome Sydney Barrett, 60, of Memphis, has been indicted on charges of first-degree and felony murder. Cold Case Unit Detectives Pat Postiglione and Bill Pridemore, assisted by Memphis Police Department homicide detectives, arrested Barrett Monday afternoon in Memphis. Barrett was transported to Nashville where he was booked last night. He is being held without bond pending a preliminary hearing.
Scientific evidence developed over the past several months by the police department’s Cold Case Unit, with the assistance of the TBI, led to the identification of Barrett as the man responsible for Des Prez’ February 2, 1975, murder.
Barrett was convicted in 1976 of the February 17, 1975, rape of a Belmont student. He was sentenced to 60 years imprisonment and released in 2002.
Des Prez, who was from Nashville, attended Vanderbilt University and had recently moved into an apartment on 20th Avenue South. She was found dead inside her apartment.
“Sarah Des Prez’ death was not forgotten,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “I am very pleased that scientific advancements, along with the diligent work of Cold Case Detective Bill Pridemore, have now resulted in a murder indictment.”
Since March 2005 the Cold Case Unit, headed by Sergeant Postiglione, has cleared a total of 22 old homicide cases, 19 by arrest and three by exception (the suspects identified in those three cases are deceased).
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