Travis Barren

Travis Barren is a convicted American serial killer who, on August 11th 1996, attacked and killed 9 people in the town of Bayman, Indianna. Captured the next day, Barren is currently serving a life sentence in Herson Grant Psychiatric Facility.

## Early Life

Travis Barren was born in 1970 to Patricia and James Barren of Wendell, Florida. At the age of 13 he killed his mother and father, disappearing after. It was commonly believed he was kidnapped and that his parents were killed by his kidnappers.

### **Reappearance**

Nothing is known about his life before his first appearance in 1985 at the age of 15, when he was discovered by a family enjoying a picnic. Travis appeared at the picnic sight, having killed and mutilated the families pet dog. After throwing the dog's corpse on the picnic table, the family ran for their cars, climbed in and drove away.

When police arrived on the scene, they were surprised to see Travis still there, eating the families picnic food. He was apprehended and taken in to the police station. He never spoke a word during his interviews with the police, though his recovered belongings revealed his identity. Travis was sentenced to 'permanent incarceration' within Herson Grant Psychiatry Facility.

### **Herson Grant**

On his first day in Herson Grant, Travis was confronted by another juvenile inmate named Peter Nichols. Nichols told the much taller and larger Travis that being big din't mean anything and that he himself was the top guy. Travis responded by slapping James across the face, hitting him so hard, the young man's jaw was shattered and his left right was rendered useless. No-one ever said anything to Travis again.

In 1990, Travis ran afoul with a newly appointed guard at the facility, Richard Dent. Though Travis never spoke and never really did much of anything, Dent was instructed to never do or say the wrong thing to Travis. One day, Dent attempted to cut the patients outside-time short. Travis did not comply and Dent confronted the young man, threatening him in the process. Travis struck Dent in the chest, breaking two ribs and puncturing a lung.

Three months latter, while in his cell, Travis was attacked by Dent with acid. Travis suffered horrific burns to his face, arms, legs and chest, though he never cried or screamed during the ordeal. Dent was fired for his actions and the event covered up, so as to save the facilities image and reputation.

### **Massacre and Escape**

On August 10, 1996, Barren was being moved from his cell. Along the way, Travis attacked his guides, killing all of them, as well as several security guards. He also killed several nurses and ultimately strangled to death the facilities director, Martin Drummond, before leaving the grounds of the facility. 10 people were dead.

Following the escape, Barren headed to Bayman, Indianna in a stolen car, in search of Dent.

### **Bayman, Indianna & Bayman Festival**

The day after his escape, Travis arrives in the town of Bayman on the same day as the local Bayman Festival. He notices people putting up decorations and preparing for the nights parade and street stalls. Some are even wearing their costumes already.

He follows a tall man home and kills him, stealing his clothes (shoes, boarder hat, dress shirt, suspenders, coat and pants) and makes a simple mask to wear.

He finds Dent, who is now a police officer, and follows him. He discovers Dent has a wife, a 17 year old daughter, a 12 year old son and a 12 month old son. Dent drives of while the oldest two kids (Haley and Benjamin) walk to school. Travis walks the property, spying on the wife Amanda and the youngest kid William. He enters the house through the back door and moves around, avoiding being scene by the mother. Amanda notices the back door open and locks it. At the same time, Travis appears before William, before vanishing to not be seen by Amanda. Travis looks upstairs, entering all of the rooms. Amanda leaves the house with William to run errands, leaving Travis in the house.

In the same year he and his sister ran afoul with the local trouble-causing family, the Thorton's. In defending his sister and sticking up for himself, he beat the three brothers into the ground at the local scrapyard. The witnesses and the local law were paid to keep quiet.

One month latter, one of the scrapyard employees disappeared. The man had confronted Matthew and Susan, demanding more money for his continued silence. Matthew killed the man and burnt his remains. When Sheriff Mason Watts explained to the brother and sister that he knew what they had done and asked for more money to remain quiet, Matthew attempted to kill him but was stopped by Susan, who told Watts that he would not be receiving any more money and that next time she would not stop Matthew from causing harm.

In 1986, a group of 9 local teenagers snuck onto the Cain property, in the hopes of uncovering information about the brother and sister, and to settle which of the local rumors, if any, were true. Though Susan was not home at the time, Matthew was. The teenagers fled in fright, with Catherine Trellings, daughter of Officer Franklin Trellings, injuring herself and she was left behind by her friends. Matthew took her him and gave her first aid. As Susan arrived home, the group told the cops what has happened, though they lied and said they were attacked. Sheriff Watts, officer Trellings and multiple cops arrived at the property. They instructed Susan and Matthew to hand over Catherine and for Matthew to hand himself over. Catherine was released but Matthew refused to surrender, his sister claiming the teenagers did not tell the whole truth. The Thorton's arrive, having heard of the events. They refused to leave after the sheriff orders them to do so and guns were drawn. In the commotion, Susan was fatally shot by Mitchell Thorton. Matthew pulled her body inside of the house, firing of several rounds from his hidden revolver. A gunfight ensued. Inside the house Susan died in Matthew's arms, causing him tremendous grief. A few moments latter, while the sheriff was chewing out Mitchell verbally, Mitchell was shot in the head by Matthew. Matthew fired upon the people with his assault rifle, wounding several men. Eventually he was truck in the side of the face by shattering glass and splintering timber and is forced to retreat. and received a bullet in his jaw on the left side. He gathered weapons, equipment and ignited fuses before heading down and locking himself in the underground rooms/tunnels. A massive explosion destroyed the house. Beneath the ground Matthew waited, emerging in the darkness days latter. He left the property and lived a secluded lifestyle in the woods near Hayden, were he plotted his revenge

## One Year Anniversary Revenge

One year latter in 1987 Matthew returned to Hayden. He suck into the Thorton house and proceeded to kill all 7 members of the family. Afterwards he vanished again.

For the next few years Matthew planned his revenge on the group of 9 kids to trespassed on his property in 1986. He spied on the children and their families, waiting until each one turned twenty years of age.

Three months before the Hayden Autumn Killings, the oldest of the 9 kids (Patrick) moved away to a few towns over. Two weeks latter, Matthew traveled to the town of Brakken and murdered Patrick, along with his mother.

Matt watched the funeral of Patrick and his mother from afar, two months before the Autumn Festival.

## One Day of Carnage

Matthew returns to Hayden on October 1st, the day of the **Hayden Autumn Festival**.

Matthew targets Benjamin first, sneaking onto the college campus. He follows Benjamin into the men's bathroom. Once inside, he pounces on Benjamin, bursting through the stall door and striking the young man. He blinds the kid with his thumbs, before repeatedly slamming his head against the back wall and side walls. He leaves Ben's corpse in the stall and leaves the campus.

His next target is Noah, who he attacks after the young man finishes having sex with a girl at a party. He chokes Noah unconscious and drags him to a cliff edge. He ties Noah up and ties his feet to a large rock. Noah wakes up and despite he pleas and tears, Matt pushes the rock over the edge, which pulls Noah over the edge and into the water below where he drowns.

Matt locates Sam at his house and is briefly seen by his target, who second guesses when Matt vanishes. Matt sneaks into the house as Sam goes to help his mother bring in the groceries. He chokes Sam out in his own room and then turns his attention towards Sam's mum, whom he strangles to death, before hanging by a noose from the ceiling. He leaves a note for when Sam wakes up. He next appears after Sam cuts his mother down. After Sam decides to take his own life and shoots himself, Matt leaves.

Matt sneaks into Collin's house while Collin and Sofia are having sex. He causes sounds downstairs, leading Collin to investigate. He attacks Collin and puts him into a confused/dazed state. He pushes Collins head between the stair banister supports and then re-positions a nearby cabinet and pushes it over onto Collin's neck/head, killing him. He attacks Sofia from behind as she finds Collin's body, choking her out. He takes her phone and puts her back in the bedroom. He hides in the closet for when she wakes up. When she doesn't venture down the hall and instead goes out the window, Matthew emerges from the closet, walks over to the window and hits her in the back of the head, causing her to fall over and off the roof. He climbs out after her a finishes her off with a single stab wound. He is however seen by a neighbor and flees the scene.

Matt attacks Marcus in a covered parking lot. He attempts to choke him unconscious but is forced to use paralytic drugs when the young man puts up a fight.

As he drives to his destination, Marcus covered up in the back, he is pulled over by a cop for a broken tail-light. He manages to get away by playing deaf and simply accepts the ticket.

Matt takes Marcus to a derelict building where he places him on the top floor, with a loaded gun and newspaper clippings of the events he and the other 8 led too, as well as the killings of the Thorton's. He sets several traps and blockades to hinder Marcus' escape, and also appears to Marcus several times while he makes his escape, vanishing almost immediately after. He confronts Marcus as the young man makes his way out of the building. He shoots Marcus in the face, killing him.

As Matt observes Celeste and Catherine together, he is surprised to see a cop car pull up, with Officer Boyd taking the girls away.

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Officer Daniels reveals to Celeste and Catherine that Benjamin and Sam were discovered dead by way of murder. He further reveals that the chief suspect is Matthew Cain, also believed to be responsible for the Thorton family massacre years previous.

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## Aftermath

Following Matthew's arrest, 16 people were dead and 4 were injured.

By searching Matthew's vehicle and possessions, the authorities were able to locate his forest hideout. Two officers were injured by the traps and snares laid by Matthew, resulting in the authorities taking 48 hours to disarm the traps, enabling them to safely enter the property. An inspection of the cabin, the underground tunnels and the surrounding area unearthed 9 more corpses, bringing the total number of deaths caused by Matthew to 25.

Evidence linking Matt to the Thorton massacre and the murders of Patrick and his mother then brought the number of victims up to 34.

Two months after the rampage on November 18, Matthew was sentenced to life in prison, to be served in Kermont Gates Penitentiary.

## 1990 & Pre-1990 Victims

* Mitchell Thorton (1)
* Thorton Family (8)
* Nine Unknown People (17)
* Patrick (18)
* Patrick's Un-named Mother (19)
* Benjamin (20)
* Noah (21)
* Sam's Un-named Mother (22)
* Colin (23)
* Sofia (24)
* Marcus (25)

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