The Murder of Private First Class, Barry Winchell

I watched an episode of Vanity Fair Confidential for this case. It’s season 1 episode 7, titled ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Kill.’ I also chose this case because there are still issues in the military today, especially with covering up crimes. I did another a few other cases about soldiers being killed and the military covering up what really happened. I think it’s important for these cases to be talked about, and when I can’t talk to my husband about it, I can do my own research.

Background

Barry Winchell was born on August 31, 1977. His parents convinced him to join the Army after Barry struggled in school because of his dyslexia. Barry’s mom, Pam, said Barry wasn’t good at reading or writing, but could take apart machines and fix them very quickly.

Barry enlisted in the Army in 1997, and was transferred to Fort Campbell, Kentucky a year later. He was a private first class in the 2nd Battalion 502nd Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division, also called the screaming eagles. He was just 21 years old when he was killed.

Events leading up to the murder

Barry was not very close with his roommate, a man named Justin Fisher. However, one night Justin and Barry and a few other friends went to a bar called The Connection. The Connection often had drag show performances and a lot of transgender performers. That is where Barry met a woman named Calpernia Addams.

Calpernia was interviewed in this episode, and Calpernia said she met Barry, and they talked after she performed one night. She said they immediately hit it off and went on a date the next day. They started dating, and Barry knew that she was transgender, but that he treated her like a woman. However, once Barry and Calpernia started dating, Justin Fisher started spreading rumors that Barry was gay.

Murder

On July 4, 1999, the soldiers were having a get together outside their barracks. There was a lot of drinking going on that night, and an 18 year old named Calvin Glover was the worst of them all.

Some of Barry’s friends were interviewed in this episode, and they said they didn’t really care for Calvin, and that Calvin was a liar. Calvin would tell people that he had robbed banks before just to get attention.

Calvin was also interviewed in this episode (from prison, spoiler!). He said that he was very intoxicated and ended up getting in a fight with Barry. He said he punched Barry, and Barry actually fought back and ended up winning the fight. Calvin said he was super embarrassed, and that Justin Fisher wouldn’t let him forget that Barry had won.

In the early morning hours of July 5, 1999, Calvin was severely intoxicated and he said Justin Fisher came to his room at 1am. Justin told Calvin that Barry was bragging that he had won his fight against Calvin, and that they should do something about it. According to Calvin, Justin had also said I can’t believe you were beaten by a “f***** like Barry.”

Justin also handed Calvin a bat, and told him to take care of it. Barry was sleeping on a cot in another room. Calvin said he stood over Barry, and the first time he swung he missed, but woke him up. The next few times, he hit Barry in the front of the skull. Barry was hit so hard, that his bone was visible.

It was Justin Fisher that told some other soldiers that Barry was dead and the police were called. It took 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

Barry Winchell was produced dead at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on July 6.

“Investigation” and Convictions

The Army apparently tried to say that Barry’s murder was a result of a “drunken brawl.” However, the blood evidence said otherwise.

Many people, like Sgt. Ed Rosa, who was friends with both Barry and Justin, said he believes that Justin also hit Barry that night. He said he confronted Justin about it and testified in court that he noticed the blood splatter was on both sides of where Barry was sleeping, and that Justin was left-handed and Calvin was right-handed. He also said Justin said he should be a detective, and that he found that odd for him to say.

Calvin Glover was convicted of Barry’s murder and Justin was given a lesser charge. They were both incarcerated at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks.

The murder charges against Justin Fisher were dropped, and he took a plea deal of 12.5 years, and only served 7. Justin is currently out, and living somewhere in the Midwest.

Calvin Glover is now 33 and serving a life sentence. He was heard in this episode in a prison phone interview.

Rumors

Many people believe that Justin Fisher actually had a crush on Barry, and might have been gay himself. Calpernia also said that Justin would flirt with her, and once asked her to hook him up with one of her drag queen friends. It’s never been proven, but Justin tormented Barry and people believe it was to get Barry out of the military, because he was insecure about his sexuality.

Barry’s mom, Pam, said Barry had told her that he had woken up to Justin touching his feet once. Pam thought it was strange and so did Barry.

Other

In 2003, a movie called The Soldier’s Girl, came out and is based on this case. The movie has had several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for it. It also won the Peabody Award.

In 2011, the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Law was abolished.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This case made me so angry! How is someone like Justin Fisher out of prison, and Calvin Glover isn’t. Justin was described by EVERYONE as a master manipulator, and described Calvin as a naive person. Calvin himself even said he did it to fit in, which isn’t a good excuse, but I think he was definitely manipulated. He was also very intoxicated, and Justin lied to him several times and finally got him to murder Barry.

I am so happy that the military is changing, and let people be who they want to be. However, there are still A LOT of crimes that happen on military bases, and they are still covered up. Sexual assaults are still covered up as well, just look at the Vanessa Guillen case. It’s so heartbreaking, and it’s hard for me to discuss these things with my husband who was a Marine. He doesn’t want to admit that the military has faults, and I don’t try to bring up these issues with him anymore because it doesn’t go anywhere. BUT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THESE ISSUES ARE TALKED ABOUT.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Barry_Winchell

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2000/05/kentucky-murder-200005

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/taps-for-barry-winchell-r_b_226004

https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Barry_Winchell