The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly.  This information, however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied on for statistical or legal purposes.

 

BARWICK, Darryl (W/M)

DC #   092501

DOB: 09/29/66

 

Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Bay County, Case #86-940

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable W. Fred Turner

Sentencing Judge, Retrial: The Honorable Clinton Foster

Trial Attorney: Michael L. Stone – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Retrial: Robert T. Adams – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: W.C. McLain – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: D. Todd Doss – Registry

 

Date of Offense:                     03/31/86

Date of Sentence:                   01/30/87

Date of Resentencing:            08/11/92

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

Darryl Barwick was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Rebecca Wendt on 03/31/86.

 

During the late morning of 03/31/86, Rebecca Wendt was sunbathing outside her apartment complex in Panama City.  At the same time, Darryl Barwick was lurking around the premises, watching her as he passed by several times.  When Wendt returned to her apartment, Barwick followed her inside intending to steal something.  When Wendt resisted, Barwick stabbed her.  Later that night, Michael Ann Wendt, the victim’s sister and roommate, discovered her body in their bathroom wrapped in a comforter.

 

Investigators found bloody footprints and fingerprints at the scene.  The victim had been stabbed over 37 times.  Wendt’s bathing suit looked as if someone tried unsuccessfully to remove it.  There was no evidence of sexual contact, but medical examiners did find semen on the comforter Wendt was wrapped in.  Tests conducted on the semen concluded that Barwick was within two percent of the population that could have left the semen.

 

After his arrest on 04/15/86, Barwick confessed to the murder, but insisted that he only entered Wendt’s apartment under the motive of robbery.

  

Prior Incarceration History in Florida: 

 

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case #

Sentence

08/18/1983

SEX BAT/INJURY NOT LIKELY

12/02/1983

BAY

8301432

5Y 0M 0D

08/19/1983

SEX BAT/PHYS HELPLESS RESIST

12/02/1983

BAY

8301056

5Y 0M 0D

08/19/1983

BURGL-FORCED ENTRY-NONRESIDENC

12/02/1983

BAY

8301056

10Y 0M 0D

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

04/15/86          Defendant arrested.

04/28/86          Defendant indicted on:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder

                                    Count II:         Armed Burglary

                                    Count III:        Attempted Sexual Battery

                                    Count IV:        Armed Robbery

11/24/86          The jury found the defendant guilty on all counts.

11/24/86          Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 9 to 3 majority, voted for the

death penalty.

01/30/87          The defendant was sentenced as followed:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder - Death

                                    Count II:         Armed Burglary – Life

                                    Count III:        Attempted Sexual Battery – 30 years

                                    Count IV:        Armed Robbery – Life

06/15/89          The Florida Supreme Court remanded the defendant’s Direct Appeal (FSC

#70,097) to the Circuit Court for a new trial because the State used its peremptory challenges to exclude potential black jurors.

07/09/92          The new trial jury found the defendant guilty on all counts.

07/16/92          Upon advisory sentencing, the new trial jury, by a 12 to 0 majority, voted

for the death penalty.

08/11/92          The defendant was resentenced as followed:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder - Death

                                    Count II:         Armed Burglary - Life in Prison

                                    Count III:        Attempted Sexual Battery – 30 years

                                    Count IV:        Armed Robbery – Life in Prison

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC #70,097

547 So. 2d 612

 

02/24/87          Appeal filed.

06/15/89          FSC reversed Barwick’s convictions and vacated his sentences due to an

error made during jury selection.  FSC remanded the case to the State

Circuit Court for a new trial.

09/07/89          Rehearing denied.

10/09/89          Mandate issued.

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC #80, 446

660 So. 2d 685

 

09/08/92          Appeal filed.

07/20/95          FSC affirmed the convictions and sentence of Death.

09/19/95          Rehearing denied.

10/19/95          Mandate issued.

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC #95-6964

516 U.S. 1097

 

12/05/95          Petition filed.

01/22/96          Petition denied.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC #86-940

 

03/18/97          Motion filed.

04/08/05          Motion amended.

08/28/07          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC # 07-1831  

(Pending)

 

10/01/07          Appeal filed.

 

Florida Supreme Court –Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC #08-1377

(Pending)

 

07/21/08          Petition filed.

  

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

 

After Barwick was retried and resentenced, his Direct Appeal took three years to complete.  The FSC, in consideration of the financial status of the CCR, granted a motion to toll time regarding the filing of the 3.850 until 09/01/97.  Barwick’s 3.850 Motion has been pending since 03/97 due to public records requests.

  

Case Information:

 

On 02/24/87, Darryl Barwick filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  On 06/15/89, the case was remanded to the Circuit Court for a new trial based upon the State’s misuse of peremptory challenges.

 

On 09/08/92, upon being retried and resentenced, Barwick filed another Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  In this appeal, Barwick contended that the court erred on four main points: (1) The denial of his motions to disqualify Judge Foster, (2) The denial of his motions for mistrial due to comments made by the prosecutor shifting the burden of proof, (3) The failure to dismiss the attempted sexual battery charge, (4) The application of several aggravating factors.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of death on 07/20/95.

 

On 12/05/95, the defendant filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 01/22/96.

 

On 03/18/97, Barwick filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court and amended the motion on 04/08/05.  That motion was denied on 08/28/07.

 

Barwick filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/01/07.  That motion is still pending.

 

Institutional Adjustment: 

 

 

 DATE            DAYS             VIOLATION                           LOCATION      

 --------             ----             ----------------------------               -------------------

 03/16/96         0            DISOBEY REGULATIONS            UNION C. I.       

 12/12/03         0            DISOBEYING ORDER                   UNION C. I.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

10/31/01 – ew

11/07/01 – approved – ws

07/24/08 – updated – klh