‘The signs of life were ignored’: Driver slammed car into horse stables at 120 mph, killing 2 boys playing with toy trucks

A Utah assemblage determined a 28-year-old antheral acted with “depraved indifference” erstwhile helium drove 120 mph portion precocious connected methamphetamine and plowed done equine stables wherever helium deed and killed 2 toddlers who were playing with artifact trucks.

Kent Cody Barlow was convicted Friday of depraved indifference homicide successful the deaths of 3-year-olds Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson. Barlow connected May 2, 2022, was driving recklessly and ignoring his passengers’ repeated pleas for him to dilatory down arsenic helium was sped on Tiffany Lane successful Eagle Mountain, which is astir 30 miles northwest of Provo. He mislaid power and crashed into the Cedar Valley Stables, the Utah County Attorney’s Office said successful a press release.

More from Law&Crime: ‘I americium going to ticker you die’: Woman who fatally ran implicit the begetter of her 3 children connected an interstate road learns her fate

Michael Starrs, lawman Utah County attorney, told jurors successful his closing statement the boys were having a large clip playing with each other, picking up chickenhearted eggs and chasing cats, according to a courtroom study from local NBC affiliate KSL. But that amusive turned into calamity erstwhile Barlow floored the accelerator, traveling 120 mph successful a 45 mph portion and headed toward the stables contempt seeing each the enactment there.

“The signs of beingness were there,” Starrs said. “The signs of beingness were ignored. The signs of beingness were obvious. They weren’t hidden, they weren’t concealed. We cognize that Kent Barlow would person seen each those cars.”

Prosecutors besides pointed retired helium had antecedently been convicted of driving implicit 100 mph immoderate 3 years earlier the fatal clang and ignored a judge’s informing that his speeding could beryllium deadly.

Barlow’s lawyer Justin Morrison conceded that his lawsuit was precocious and down the wheel, but argued helium did not mean to suffer power of the car and surely had nary volition of hitting the boys. Barlow is not “a cold-blooded killer,” Morrison said.

But for the families of Odin and Hunter, determination was ne'er a question of the defendant’s guilt.

“Hearing the words blameworthy of depraved indifference execution is what we’ve been warring for,” Odin’s parent Theresa Ratliff told KSL aft the verdict. “That’s what we got due to the fact that that is what helium is blameworthy of.”

Barlow is slated to beryllium sentenced connected June 30. He faces 15 years to beingness successful prison.

Love existent crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life transgression stories delivered close to your inbox.