Summary: James Barnes‑Morris, 26, pleaded guilty to first‑degree reckless homicide in the death of his girlfriend, Brooke Strattan, whose body was found in a retention pond on Oct. 3, 2024. Witnesses saw the couple days earlier and reported Barnes‑Morris appeared injured and evasive. Police recovered Strattan’s phone and cards in a suitcase and found journal entries and texts in which she described past abuse and said she feared he might kill her. Barnes‑Morris has pleaded guilty; sentencing is pending.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty After Girlfriend Found in Retention Pond; Evidence Cites Threats and Abuse
Madison Police DepartmentBrooke Strattan
James Barnes‑Morris, 26, has pleaded guilty to first‑degree reckless homicide in the death of his girlfriend, Brooke Strattan, whose body was recovered from a retention pond on Oct. 3, 2024. A charge of first‑degree intentional homicide was dropped as part of the plea agreement, court records show.
Timeline and Key Evidence
Strattan, 24, was reported missing by her father on Oct. 1, 2024. Investigators located her body in a retention pond two days later, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.
Witnesses placed Strattan and Barnes‑Morris together on Sept. 29 in Madison. The next day, one witness reported seeing Barnes‑Morris alone outside an apartment complex, appearing distressed with scratches and carrying a pair of wet white sneakers.
Police say Barnes‑Morris was later found hiding under a pile of clothing in a friend’s apartment on Oct. 2. Officers recovered a suitcase in the unit’s backyard that contained Strattan’s cell phone and multiple credit cards.
Wisconsin Department of CorrectionsJames Barnes-Morris
Witness Accounts and Statements
Several attendees at a social gathering described an escalating argument between the couple. One witness said they offered Strattan a place to stay that night after a verbal fight; that witness later reported Strattan told him her boyfriend had "threatened to kill her." Another attendee reported hearing Barnes‑Morris make concerning remarks the following day, including statements paraphrased in the complaint as:
"I had to get rid of her, she knew too much" and "I need another brick and a rope."
Investigative Findings
Detectives recovered journals written by Strattan. In an entry dated Aug. 18, 2024, she described being beaten and wrote that Barnes‑Morris had "nearly killed her on multiple occasions," the complaint states. Investigators also found text messages from Sept. 29 in which Barnes‑Morris asked to meet and Strattan expressed fear that he might kill her.
Barnes‑Morris has entered a guilty plea but has not yet been sentenced. Further court proceedings will determine his sentence under the terms of the plea agreement.
Note: This account summarizes details from a criminal complaint and court records; charges were amended as part of a plea deal and sentencing is pending.
