He Hid a Head in His Closet: The Brian Cohee Jr. Case
"He said he just wanted to know what murder felt like… then he did it."
In February 2021, 19‑year‑old Brian Cohee Jr. stalked 69‑year‑old Warren Barnes—a beloved homeless man known as “The Reading Man”—and stabbed him to death under a highway overpass in Grand Junction, Colorado. After decapitating and dismembering Barnes, he took parts of the victim home, storing the head and hands in his closet
Arrested after his parents discovered the body parts, Cohee calmly confessed, saying he'd always wondered what murder "felt like" and admitted to keeping the body parts as trophies
During trial, his lawyers argued insanity, citing autism, ADHD, and depression—yet the jury convicted him of first-degree murder, dismemberment, and evidence tampering. Cohee was sentenced to life without parole
This episode explores:
How a quiet teenager's fascination with violence led to extreme brutality
The horrifying moment parents discovered body parts in their son’s room
The courtroom debate over mental illness vs. evil intent
The legacy of Warren Barnes, memorialized by his community
Content Warning: Contains graphic descriptions, murder, dismemberment, and discussions of mental illness. Listener discretion advised
Brian Cohee Jr., Warren Barnes, Reading Man, Grand Junction murder, dismemberment, head in closet, curious killer, teen homicide, mental illness and crime, trophy murder, true crime podcast
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