Michael Montgomery Jr. and Jessica Long are accused of setting up a sex rendezvous with Wayne Barlow where they stole his car and killed him on June 27, 2023, in Marion County, Florida, cops say. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
A man and woman are behind bars after allegedly concocting a plan where she set up a sex rendezvous with a man, and they murdered him and stole his car, according to Florida cops.
Michael Rene Montgomery Jr., 47, and Jessica Long, 37, were arrested on Wednesday on a charge of homicide-murder while engaged in a robbery, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
A passerby called deputies shortly after 6:30 p.m. on June 27 after seeing a dead person on the side of the road in the 7600 block of Northwest 77th Terrace near Ocala. The person was later identified as 40-year-old Wayne Barlow.
Deputies noticed his body was wedged against some vines and a tree, and his shorts and underwear were at his ankles. He had been shot in the head and had several injuries, including a defensive wound, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit.
Barlow still had his wallet with his driver’s license on him, and deputies talked to his roommate. The roommate told deputies Barlow planned to meet with a woman on June 26. Barlow later told the roommate he was upset that the woman had taken his car and not given it back.
On June 28, deputies tracked down the vehicle and tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver took off. Deputies began chasing the vehicle, which drove off into a heavily wooded area. They found the vehicle abandoned. About 25 minutes later, authorities found Montgomery hiding in the water and Long hiding in a tree, according to the affidavit.
Montgomery was arrested for fleeing and eluding while Long had an active arrest warrant for grand theft, the affidavit said.
In an interview with detectives, Long said Barlow let her borrow his vehicle despite not knowing her well. She claimed not to remember his name and was not consistent in her recollection of the day’s events, deputies said.
Montgomery told deputies Long showed up in Barlow’s vehicle the night of the murder. He said he and another man planned to rob Barlow while he was having sex with Long, the affidavit said. After the meetup in a secluded area, Montgomery said he and the other suspect attacked Barlow and tied him down with a bicycle lock, according to the affidavit. The men “roughed” up Barlow before forcing him into the back seat and driving to the location where the murder took place.
According to Montgomery, the suspects were surprised Barlow fought back so hard. As they were fighting, Long gave him her gun, and he shot Barlow in the head, Montgomery told detectives. He claimed he was defending himself, but he had no injuries.
Text messages between Barlow and Montgomery confirmed they were meeting up for sex. Barlow said he wanted to be in the car with Long alone.
“So can we drop them for like 20 and f— in the back seat and smoke,” Barlow reportedly texted.
Long immediately responded: “Hell yeah that’s the plan duh.”
Montgomery and Long are at the Marion County Jail without bond.
