Colorado Teen's Horrifying Secret: Mother Discovers Warren Barnes' Severed Head in Son's Bedroom
The disappearance of Warren Barnes, a 69-year-old fixture in downtown Grand Junction, Colorado, sent ripples through the local community in early March 2025. Known affectionately as "the reading man," Barnes was recognized for his daily routine of sitting behind Monique's Bridal with his books, feeding birds, and enjoying Subway sandwiches. Despite his modest appearance, Barnes maintained steady employment through a temp agency and paid for his own accommodation, contrary to assumptions about his housing situation.
When Barnes failed to appear at his workplace on March 1st—something unprecedented in his four years of employment—concern quickly spread. His absence was particularly troubling to Monique Lenat, owner of the bridal shop where Barnes had become a welcome presence. Meanwhile, across town at the Blue Heron boat launch, authorities were responding to an incident involving a partially submerged vehicle belonging to 19-year-old Brian Kohe, an event that would soon reveal unexpected connections to Barnes's disappearance.
Key Takeaways
Warren Barnes, a well-known local figure in downtown Grand Junction, unexpectedly vanished after last being seen on February 27th.
Despite his appearance, Barnes was employed, housed, and maintained a predictable daily routine that made his disappearance immediately concerning.
A routine recovery of a car from the Colorado River would later reveal troubling evidence possibly connected to Barnes's case.
Unexpected Discovery
The events surrounding Warren Barnes, a 69-year-old regular in downtown Grand Junction, led to a disturbing revelation. What began as a missing person case evolved into something far more sinister, connecting seemingly unrelated incidents across town.
Police Interaction with the Young Man
On a cold night in March 2021, law enforcement responded to an unusual incident at the Blue Heron boat launch. A 19-year-old named Brian had accidentally driven his 2007 Ford 500 into the Colorado River. His parents arrived to help after receiving his distress call. The atmosphere initially remained lighthearted as officers assessed the situation.
Brian explained he had parked at the boat ramp to "relax and think" but encountered difficulty when trying to leave. Despite attempting to use low gear to navigate uphill, the car slid into the river. Fortunately, he escaped without apparent injury, though he was cold and lacking proper clothing.
The officer allowed Brian to return home with his parents to warm up and change into dry clothes. The family agreed to return later to address the vehicle recovery. Around 3:00 AM, they came back to the boat ramp where recovery efforts were underway.
Discovery of Remains
The seemingly mundane vehicle recovery took a shocking turn when workers noticed something disturbing on the car. The recovery crew pointed out significant red staining beneath the license plate on the rear bumper, which appeared to be blood. This observation immediately changed the nature of the investigation.
Meanwhile, across town, Monique Lenat had been searching for Warren Barnes, who had disappeared on February 27th. Warren was well-known in downtown Grand Junction, particularly around Monique's Bridal where he sat daily reading books, earning him the nickname "the reading man." Despite his appearance, Warren wasn't homeless—he paid for a room daily and worked through a temp agency.
What raised immediate concern was Warren's uncharacteristic absence. He had never missed work in four years and maintained a consistent seven-day-a-week schedule. The temp agency contacted Monique when Warren failed to show up on Monday, March 1st, knowing he was a fixture behind her shop.
Warren's disappearance would soon be linked to Brian in the most horrific way possible—through a confession revealing that the missing man had been murdered, with his head and hands separated from his body.
Warren Barnes: A Local Presence
The Vanishing
Warren Barnes, a 69-year-old man known for his daily presence outside Monique's Bridal in downtown Grand Junction, Colorado, disappeared on February 27, 2021. His absence was immediately noticed when he failed to report to work on March 1st—something completely out of character for him. The temp agency where Warren worked contacted Monique Lenat, the owner of the bridal shop, expressing concern as he had never missed a day of work in four years.
Monique recalled her last interaction with Warren: "I'll see you tomorrow," she had said, to which he replied, "I'll be here." His unexpected disappearance prompted Monique to begin her own search efforts, posting his photo on social media and asking the community to watch for him.
Background and Lifestyle
Despite appearances that might suggest otherwise, Warren was not homeless. He maintained a room he paid for daily and held steady employment through a temporary staffing agency. His daily routine was remarkably consistent:
Arrived behind Monique's shop by 6:00 AM, seven days a week
Purchased Pall Mall Red 100s cigarettes and a donut daily
Spent hours reading books (earning him the local nickname "the reading man")
Frequently visited the local library
Worked reliably at his job
Warren wore the same clothes daily, which sometimes led strangers to misunderstand his situation. However, those who knew him recognized his intelligence and gentle nature. "He's the nicest guy ever," Monique explained to authorities. "Rough looking, but he is the nicest guy."
Community Connections
Warren's social circle was limited but meaningful. He avoided associating with transient individuals and instead formed connections with local business owners like Monique, who kept a special chair inside her shop specifically for him. This chair was stored indoors when not in use to prevent others from claiming it.
His family relationships were distant. According to Monique, Warren had mentioned having at least one child, but they spoke only "once every three or four years on a holiday." When asked if Warren might have gone to visit family, Monique was confident this wasn't the case, noting he would have informed his employer about any planned absence.
Warren's consistent presence made him a recognizable figure in downtown Grand Junction. "If you've ever been downtown, you probably know him," Monique told police. "He's always on Main Street, just with his backpack, walking and coming down to the shop to sit in his chair."
Inquiry Progression
The case began to unfold on March 1, 2021, when concerns arose about Warren Barnes, a 69-year-old man who frequented Main Street in downtown Grand Junction, Colorado. Warren, known locally as "the reading man," had not been seen since February 27th.
Monique's Connection
Monique Lenat, owner of Monique's Bridal downtown since 1995, maintained a special relationship with Warren. She provided him with a chair to sit and read outside her shop, keeping it inside when not in use.
"He's the nicest guy ever," Monique told police when reporting his disappearance. "He reads books, feeds birds, and buys Pall Mall Red 100s and a donut every day."
Warren was not homeless as some might assume from his appearance. He:
Worked for a temp agency
Paid for his own room
Had an unwavering daily routine
Was described as very intelligent
What triggered alarm was his unprecedented absence from work. The temp agency contacted Monique because Warren had never missed a day in four years. Their last interaction ended with a promise: "I'll see you tomorrow."
Brian Kohe's Troubling Circumstances
Five miles away, a seemingly unrelated incident occurred at the Blue Heron boat launch. On February 27-28, 19-year-old Brian Kohe called his parents after accidentally driving his 2007 Ford 500 into the Colorado River.
The initial scene appeared lighthearted:
Brian and his parents joked about the situation
Police treated it as a minor mishap
Brian claimed he had parked to "relax and think"
He had attempted to back up the boat ramp but lost traction
When asked why he was there, Brian explained, "I felt like I needed to get out... and I figured why not park here and just relax a little bit."
The situation darkened dramatically when recovery crews noticed something disturbing on the vehicle around 3:00 a.m. – red substance resembling blood on the rear bumper beneath the license plate. This discovery prompted immediate concern from officials at the scene, who questioned whether Brian might have injured himself while exiting the vehicle.
Car Retrieval from the Colorado River
Emergency Response
On March 1, 2021, a vehicle recovery operation took place at the Blue Heron boat launch area of the Colorado River in Grand Junction. A 19-year-old driver named Brian Kohe had accidentally driven his 2007 Ford 500 into the river. Unable to extract the vehicle himself, Brian called his parents, Brian Senior and Terry Kohe, who subsequently contacted authorities for assistance.
The initial atmosphere at the scene was surprisingly lighthearted despite the late hour and cold conditions. Brian explained to officers that he had parked at the boat ramp to "relax and think" but encountered difficulties when trying to leave. He had attempted to drive uphill after backing down the ramp, but the vehicle lost traction and slid into the water.
Officers assessed that Brian was unharmed, just cold and embarrassed. After determining this wasn't a crash but rather a simple mishap, they allowed Brian to return home with his parents to warm up and change into dry clothes, planning to continue the vehicle recovery afterward.
Disturbing Discovery
When the Kohe family returned to the scene around 3:00 AM, recovery crew members made a troubling observation. They noticed significant red staining on the vehicle's rear bumper, particularly concentrated underneath the license plate area. The substance appeared to be blood dripping down the back of the car.
Recovery personnel immediately alerted the officers present, questioning whether Brian might have injured himself while exiting the partially submerged vehicle. This discovery markedly changed the tone of what had initially seemed like a routine vehicle recovery operation.
The timing of this discovery was particularly concerning as it coincided with the disappearance of Warren Barnes, a 69-year-old man well-known in downtown Grand Junction. Warren, often called "the reading man" by locals, had been missing since February 27th—just days before the car recovery operation. Known for his reliability and consistent daily routine, Warren's absence had already prompted concern from his employer and local business owner Monique Lenat.
