The case of a beloved former college basketball star murdered in a “exceedingly cruel” manner has finally come to a close, with the man convicted of the crime being sentenced.
Dayrel McFarland will serve the rest of his life in prison, plus three years, for first-degree murder and open carry of a deadly weapon with intent to injure, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office announced on Friday.
On October 2, 2023, the family of Jamal Barney informed Baltimore police officers that they had received anonymous tips that a man known as “Little D” had struck Barney in the head with a cinder block and hidden his body in a deserted home. Barney’s family had already filed a missing person report, and he had been missing for nine days.
When police arrived at 520 North Payson Street, they “detected a strong foul odor,” according to the state’s attorney’s office. When they walked upstairs, they discovered a body inside a mattress covered in clothing and blankets.
Prosecutors stated that the victim could not be identified due to the “advanced stage of decomposition,” and that there were no obvious signs of trauma.
However, there was a large hole in one of the bedroom walls, which led to two adjoining rooms where officers discovered blood and spatter. They also discovered two cinder blocks, a concrete paver, and a portion of a blood-stained carpet.
A medical examiner later identified the victim as Barney based on his tattoos and determined that the cause of death was homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head. Details provided by a witness add to the harrowing nature of the crime.
A witness told police that McFarland confessed to killing his roommate, Barney, with a cinder block, and that the suspect led them to the crime scene.
Barney “was still letting air out for two days before he finally stopped,” the witness recalled McFarland saying, according to Baltimore-based ABC affiliate WMAR. The suspect allegedly claimed to have hidden Barney in the mattress and attempted to destroy evidence with acid.
McFarland’s DNA was reportedly discovered on the cinder block. He initially denied any involvement in the murder, stating that he had a roommate. McFarland, who was about ten years younger than Barney, was found guilty of murdering him in March.
Baltimore Witness reports that the defendant has maintained his innocence.
“It is my hope that this sentence brings some measure of justice for the senseless and tragic loss of Jamal Barney, who was taken from his family and loved ones in an exceedingly cruel and brutal manner,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement. “I commend ASA Alyssa Ragland for her tireless work to ensure that this dangerous defendant is removed from our streets.”
Barney grew up in Baltimore and played two seasons at Loyola University Maryland from 2008 to 2010. He scored more than 1,000 points for the school and had two 40-point games.
