The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter

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Lester Holt (1:02)

Tonight on Dateline.

Casey Barnes (1:04)

He said there has been a deceased male found. I could hear my mom screaming, my baby, my baby.

I knew it was Kirby.

Andrea Canning (1:16)

He was an entrepreneur?

Caitlin Spence (1:18)

Yes, he did a gold and silver business.

Andrea Canning (1:21)

When we say that he would carry cash around, this is not your average amount of cash?

Chris McAllister (1:26)

No. Several hundred thousand dollars is what I've been told.

Casey Barnes (1:30)

I do believe that his business could have made him a target.

Andrea Canning (1:34)

You two put up cameras.

Gio Awayam (1:36)

And we caught him cutting one of the camera cables.

Jeff Spence (1:40)

David Barnes was a petty thief who had worked for Kirby.

Chris McAllister (1:45)

We could clearly tell that he knew more than he was telling us.

Jeff Spence (1:48)

Okay, please don't do this.

Carolyn Awayo (1:51)

There was a lot more secrets in my home than I realized.

Andrea Canning (1:54)

You think it's the entire family who are all involved?

Chris McAllister (1:56)

Yes.

Gio Awayam (1:57)

I felt my life was in danger.

Andrea Canning (2:00)

The Betrayal would be incredible.

Casey Barnes (2:03)

The Betrayal is incredible.

Lester Holt (2:04)

He had a great eye for gold and antiques, but did he miss the killer right under his nose? I'm Lester Holt, and this is Dateline.

Here's Andrea Canning with The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter.

Andrea Canning (2:32)

At the northernmost edge of Mississippi, you'll find Tippa County, where rolling hills melt into lush forests and green pastures.

At its heart, the county seat of Ripley, home to just over 5,000 people. One of those people who always stood out was entrepreneur Kirby Carpenter.

Casey Barnes (2:50)

Kirby, he lived so big. He dreamed big.

Andrea Canning (2:53)

Taken the world by the horns.

Casey Barnes (2:55)

Yes, the world was his. You know, that's how he lived.

Andrea Canning (2:59)

His store, Mississippi Gold, Silver and Coin Exchange, like its owner, drew a lot of attention.

At just 36 years old, Kirby was a self-made millionaire, an extraordinary achievement in this modest Mississippi town. Casey Barnes is Kirby's sister.

Casey Barnes (3:16)

He was one of those people that if you were out and about in town, you're going to run into him.

Andrea Canning (3:19)

Well liked?

Casey Barnes (3:20)

Very well.

Andrea Canning (3:21)

Casey says the family was proud of Kirby's success and he often shared it with them. On Thanksgiving Day, 2022, he hosted them at his sprawling country home.

Kirby's mom, Maddie Jane Jones, lived a few miles away.

Maddie Jane Jones (3:35)

It was great that day. Everybody was just happy to be together.

Casey Barnes (3:38)

We had traditionally always had Thanksgiving at mom's, but Kirby and Caitlin were adamant that we have it at his house.

Andrea Canning (3:44)

Caitlin Spence was Kirby's girlfriend. They lived together and had just welcomed a newborn baby named Enola.

Caitlin's parents, Jeff and Karen, were staying with them to help out. And the two families celebrated the holiday together.

Caitlin Spence (3:58)

It was warm enough for us to eat outside. We smoked a turkey. We baked a turkey. Maddie Jane brought the cornbread dressing over.

Andrea Canning (4:07)

Then it was time to say good night. Did everything seem fine?

Casey Barnes (4:11)

It did seem fine.

Andrea Canning (4:12)

Casey remembers her brother looking happy as they headed out to their cars.

Casey Barnes (4:16)

Waving to me from the garage, his hair just so, you know, in the nice outfits that he always wore.

Andrea Canning (4:27)

Just eight days later, a Friday afternoon, Caitlin was outside with baby Enola when she made a terrible discovery.