What to Know
Police in Colorado arrived at a home in Lakeland on August 13, 2026, following a call about an unresponsive woman. When they arrived, they found 37-year-old Lindsey Barnett deceased. The woman’s husband, Patrick “Ted” Barnett, allegedly told police that his wife took her own life by cutting her throat in the shower.
But as law enforcement began to examine the scene, they quickly found inconsistencies with Ted Barnett’s story, leading to his arrest. He now faces murder charges.
Emergency responders found a large amount of blood.
According to court documents obtained by CBS News, Ted Barnett called police just after 6 a.m., and officers arrived on the scene at the 1700 block of South Welch Circle. He reportedly told dispatchers his wife was not breathing and that he found a knife in the shower.
West Metro Fire Rescue crews reportedly moved Lindsey Barnett’s body to perform life-saving measures but could not revive her. Police noticed large amounts of blood in the couple’s bedroom, but very little in the bathroom. The husband’s story didn’t match the evidence.
Ted Barnett had a strange story for the police.
Ted Barnett allegedly told police that he and his wife had troubles in their relationship during the last several months and he’d been sleeping away from her in the basement. Per the affidavit, he told investigators that he went to check on his wife and their two young children that morning and saw a lot of blood.
When he looked in the bathroom, he “noticed the shower in the master bedroom running and saw Lindsey in the shower with a cut to her throat.” Police reportedly found a small, serrated knife nearby.
Ted Barnett told investigators his wife had depression.
He allegedly claimed that he and his wife had hit some hard times in their 5-year-marriage but recently went to Scotland to “rekindle” the romance. He claimed his wife had prepartum and postpartum depression but didn’t know if she took any medication.
Investigators reportedly noticed a fresh cut on Ted Barnett’s thumb that he chalked up to an Ultimate Frisbee injury. He also apparently had scratches on his body “consistent with fingernail scratches that are consistent with being defensive wounds.”
Later that afternoon, a woman who called herself Patrick’s girlfriend reportedly asked police to perform a wellness check because she hadn’t heard from him since the night before. The woman claimed Lindsey Barnett attempted suicide the weekend before by overdosing on melatonin.
When police caught up with Ted Barnett at a traffic stop around 7 p.m., he allegedly said his wife knew about the girlfriend and “was fine with it.” This time, police arrested Ted Barnett and asked him about bruising on his wife’s arms, legs, back, hips, and hands; he claimed he’d never noticed them. Prosecutors charged him with murder in his wife’s death.
Loved ones created a GoFundMe in Lindsey Barnett’s memory.
Lindsey Barnett leaves behind two young children. Loved ones created a GoFundMe to help ease the financial burden on her family.
“Lindsey was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and teacher whose kindness and warmth touched countless lives. We find comfort in remembering her beautiful spirit, her love of nature and art, and her unwavering devotion to her children,” her family shared in a statement with CBS News.
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