Marla Jones, Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala.--
Today, March 24, 2022, Christopher Wayne Madison appeared in DeKalb County Circuit Court and accepted a plea agreement of life without the possibility of parole for the Class A Felony Captial Murder of Amberly Barnett.
Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge, Jeremy S. Taylor released the following statement regarding the plea agreement:
“Today the State of Alabama, in consultation with the family of the victim and in consultation with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, reached an agreement with Christopher Madison and his attorneys. Madison pled guilty to the charge of Capital Murder. By agreement with the State, Madison will serve the rest of his life in the State Penitentiary, without the possibility of being paroled. The family of the victim and the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office were present in the courtroom for the guilty plea and acknowledged the plea agreement.”
On March 1, 2019, Amberly Barnett, age 11, was reported missing after staying home alone in her Mount Vernon home, while her aunt and aunt’s boyfriend went to Walmart in Centre. The couple was back within an hour and a half, but when they returned, Amberly was missing from home.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office responded and began a search and investigation. Police dogs were used and picked up the scent at the back door of Madison’s home.
Christopher Madison, who lived on the adjoining property, told the family that he saw a Dodge Durango in the home’s driveway, but no neighbors were able to corroborate his story. He went on to say that he had checked in the woods behind the home but found nothing.
After a search warrant was obtained, investigators found items pertaining to Madison’s interest in bondage in his home. Inside the home, blood was found on the bedroom walls, mattress, bed frame, bathroom sink, and a sheet of paper. Also found was a bloody pair of Madison's jeans in the clothes dryer.
The body of Amberly Barnett was found by Sheriff Nick Weldon in the woods behind the home with a rope, the same type of rope found at Madison’s home, tied around her neck.
In March 2019, Christopher Madison, 33, was arrested and charged with capital murder in the death of 11-year old Amberly Barnett. Autopsy results ruled that Barnett died by strangulation. Madison appeared in the DeKalb County District Court where it was ruled by Judge Steve Whitmire, that there was probable cause for the capital murder charge against Madison.
In Alabama, capital murder convictions are subject to punishment by the death penalty. Madison avoided this option by pleading guilty, accepting life in prison without parole, and waiving his rights to future appeals.
