Sean Harris, a 45-year-old man from Bremerton, was charged Jan. 9 with first degree murder for the killing of Mallory Barbour, a 27-year-old from Bothell who was found dead in September nearly three months after she went missing.
Harris, who was arrested by Mason County deputies, had lived with Barbour in Bremerton for a time, according to court documents that cited neighbors and a former roommate.
Barbour was last seen at her home in Bothell in June. Her family and friends said it was out of character for her to be away from home for so long without contacting them.
Months later, Barbour’s body was found in a timberland area of Mason County, near Highway 3 and Pickering Road. Her death appeared to be a homicide, the Mason County sheriff’s office said at the time.
Barbour had blunt force trauma to the back of the head and had been shot. Bullet casings were found with her body which appeared to have been there for an extended period of time.
When deputies searched Harris' Bremerton apartment in November, they found two guns along with items belonging to Barbour, including a purse and a ferry ticket from Seattle to Bremerton dated June 25, a day after she was last seen at her Bothell home, according to court documents.
A maintenance employee for the property told deputies that Barbour had told him Harris was “creeping me out.” Barbour asked if she could stay with the worker, which he declined, according to court documents.
Deputies found Harris at his mother’s home the same day they searched the Bremerton apartment. He told them that the last time he had seen Barbour had been in June when he picked her up from the ferry terminal. Harris said Barbour had come to see him to apologize after a dispute, and that she owed him rent for the seven to eight months she had lived with him.
Harris told deputies that after they spent time together, he dropped her off that night at a driveway in Belfair in Mason County, but he did not give an exact location.
Harris said he tried later to contact Barbour, but deputies were not able to verify that, according to court documents.
Lab results from the Washington State Patrol crime lab confirmed that one of the bullet casings found with Barbour’s body had been fired from one of the guns seized from Harris's home in Bremerton, according to court documents.
Harris is currently being held in the Mason County Jail.
Jennifer Chen, a childhood friend, said Barbour “always came to school with a smile. Chen said Barbour was always giggling and brought happiness to other people. The two had met in third grade.
Chen said the two shared their Chinese culture and celebrated Lunar New Year together. Barbour would make Chen laugh in drama club so much that they got in trouble for goofing off.
When Chen pictures Barbour in her head, a few memories come to mind, she said.
In one, Barbour is bouncing on a pogo stick, then trying to jump up stairs with it. Chen was afraid to try it, but Barbour made her do it, smiling and giggling.
“It felt like I had a sister and I really looked up to her,” said Chen, who was friends with Barbour through middle school. “She was a role model for me.”
Chen had since moved to the East Coast. But when she learned about Barbour’s disappearance, and later her death, she said it was “haunting.”
Chen said she feels relief, but not closure, that someone has been arrested for Barbour’s killing.
“ I just couldn't imagine who would want to hurt somebody so friendly, so nice, just a pure light,” said Chen. “It was terrifying.”
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