James Barbier: DNA helps nab Missouri man for 1966 murder of Chicago woman stabbed 125 times

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

CREVE COEUR, MISSOURI: DNA evidence has led to a significant breakthrough in a cold case dating back to 1966, resulting in the arrest of a 79-year-old Missouri man, James Barbier.

The accusation stems from the brutal killing of 18-year-old Karen Snider, who was stabbed 125 times, in her suburban Chicago home almost six decades ago.

Matching blood samples result in James Barbier's arrest 

Barbier's arrest occurred at his residence in St Louis County, following renewed efforts by authorities to investigate the long-unsolved murder.

The critical turning point came when blood evidence collected from the crime scene was reexamined and sent to a lab in December 2022.

The blood samples matched Barbier's DNA, leading to his subsequent arrest, reported the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

Timeline of Karen Snider's murder

The case has resurfaced haunting memories of the tragic events of November 12, 1966, when Karen's husband, Paul Snider, discovered her body in their Calumet City home, about 20 miles south of Chicago.

The young mother had been brutally stabbed approximately 125 times, leaving behind their two-month-old daughter unharmed in her crib, prosecutors wrote in court documents. It was reported the 18-year-old had been dead for six hours in the bathroom when her husband got home. 

Barbier's connection to the case traces back to his employment alongside Paul Snider at a railroad yard.

Although the suspect was previously arrested in connection with the murder in 1966, he was never formally charged, and authorities did not provide explanations for this omission.

James Barbier faces first-degree murder charges with conditional release

Upon apprehension, Barbier was extradited to Cook County, Illinois, where he faces charges of first-degree murder in connection with Karen's death.

Despite the severity of the accusations, the state attorney's office opted not to seek the suspect's continued detention, citing his advanced age and reported physical ailments.

However, stringent conditions were imposed, including prohibitions on leaving Missouri or Illinois, surrendering his passport, and relinquishing firearms.

Notably, it remains unclear whether Barbier has retained legal representation. He is scheduled for another court hearing on May 21.