What Happened To Meghan Landowski?
UPDATE 10/24/08 - Police have arrested 17-year-old Robert Lee Barnes (Myspace) and charged him with killing Meghan Landowski. He was arrested last night after being interviewed by detectives at Portsmouth police headquarters. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
Portsmouth, VA (April 11, 2008) - Something happened to Meghan Landowski on Thursday, but police aren’t sure what. The 16-year-old sophomore at Portsmouth’s Woodrow Wilson High was seen at school yesterday, but asked at least one friend if she could go to the friend’s house after school. That was odd, said the girl, because usually Meghan wanted her friends to walk home with her, not the other way around.
At about 4:00 p.m. , Meghan’s stepfather arrived home and found Meghan’s body. He called police at 4:09. A neighbor says he watched the stepfather pull in, and that moments later, “there were police cars all over.†Police aren’t releasing the cause of death at this time, but have said that Meghan Landowski was found dead in her home, and that she was murdered.
Police staked out one Portsmouth home for part of Thursday evening. One person identified only as “a witness” spent several hours being questioned Thursday night, but left “on his own” and was never in custody, police say.
Meghan lived in a two-story gray Cape Cod-style home in the city’s Simonsdale section with her mother, her stepfather, and her sister. Her Myspace page is covered in hearts and has pictures of a sweet-looking girl with her little sister, her mother, and her pets. It’s the kind of page parents could see and think, “What a sweet girl.”
With no cause of death yet and no clear suspect, police are going to be busy while Meghan’s family and friends mourn. I’ll update with new information as it becomes available.
UPDATE 5/12/08 - A person of interest is being investigated in the murder of Meghan Landowski. Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Robert Allen Hicke was questioned by police in the hours after Meghan’s death on April 10. Authorities have now found child pornography on Hicke’s computer, and police documents say that there has been a “prior NCIS investigation involving both LTJG Hicke and the victim.”
I’ll continue to update as more information comes in.
UPDATE 10/24/08 - It now appears that LTJG Hicke is off the hook. It is alleged that Robert Barnes, 16 at the time of the crime, climbed through a bedroom window of the Landowski home. The Churchland High School student then bound Meghan and then stabbed her repeatedly before fleeing on foot. It was also revealed that blood was found at the scene that did not belong to Meghan. He is currently being held without bond in juvenile custody. Prosecutors want him charged as an adult.
I no robert either. Yikes kiddo, less time at the computer and texting, more time in English class.
Oh, and hi Megadeth, long time no see.
And they all make cow eyes at Robert and call him “Esméralda.”
You know, I’ve been in the condescention business myself for quite some time, Morbid. Being the seasoned professional that I am, I thought this greenhorn could use a couple of tips. I mean, blowing your wad right out of the gate like that is a rookie mistake, but being wrong to boot? Man…that ought to be humbling.
It’s a DAMN good thing I drink unsweetened iced tea, or else my keys would be sticky right now.
For everyone’s information, CHS is a magnet school that focuses specifically on “the arts”. That means they use, you know…that other side of the brain. I’m not surprised by the lack of intelligible structure in those sentences.
Okay-I don’t feel so bad about our sparring in the evil stepmom bitch post! Whew! Thanks lack of intelligence kid from the magnet intelligent school!
lol!
Governor’s School Program began in 1973 when Governor Linwood Holton established the first summer residential programs for 400 gifted students …
i guess they tossed proper spelling out the window
My prayers are with the family. No one should ever have to have this happen to their child. I hope the bastard that did this does get charged as an adult. Im not always a fan of the death penalty. This is one of those cases where I think he needs to face death.
im sorry just because you know “no” him and have his number and play violin with him ,please dont think hes not capable of murder,our best friend from grade 2 (my husband and i both) bestman at our wedding,babysat our kids faithfully and was fantastic with them committed a brutal murder that would make your head spin and we also sat and said”no way in hell” after the shock wears off and your head stops spinning enough to think you begin remembering little bits and pieces of events,conversations etc and it will sink in that you really didnt know a side of him that he didnt want you to know and im sure as time goes on and trial starts etc you will begin to chip away at the bits and pieces and realize people who murder show what they want you to see and are very crafty except that they seem to forget now a days you cant get away with murder,,you will always get caught,,with forensics,D.N.A,all the little tools they have it may take awhile but they will catch you
Athena, You need to get something straight. I don’t need someone like you “berating” me because you think I was rude to someone. You should also invest in a thesaurus so that you don’t have to use vulgar language. I never cursed at PenelopeJo and I find it disheartening to see that as a College Sophmore, I can speak without saying someone is a “little shit.”
Second, why would it be so hard to think that there could be more than one Robert Barnes in a school? Before I graduated from Churchland, I had been in classes with four different students; all the same names. However, when Pilotonline.com put the middle initial in the report, I knew then that it was my friend who had been charged. Before that happened however, I looked in my yearbook and sure enough there were two boys named Robert Barnes in it. So when I logged on here and found a link to his profile, I was enraged because nothing had been stated that this was in fact the one being charged. Anyone who read that would assume that she was right and inappropriate actions may have been taken towards his family or him. That is what my “beef” was with her. I didn’t mean to “attack” her in any way just get her to correct/remedy a possible mistake.
To those of you discussing his innocence: I can neither confirm or deny his guilt in this manner. I was friends with both the victim and the alleged criminal. She, a fun-loving caring soul and him, a wonderful musician and great listener as well. They both had amazing qualities and something like this has effectively brought their lives to an end. She died before she could live out her life. He is being “thrown into the fire” by television and news reporters. She will be missed. He will receive what he deserves whether that is jail time or a new-lease on life.
well, if he hadn’t of killed Meghan, he wouldn’t be “thrown into the fire” by the media, now would he. still don’t understand how killing someone would allow them a new lease on life. He should be punished if he really did it which, judging by reports, he implicated himself in questioning. Why else would he have been arrested and charged with burglary and murder? So, it’s really his fault he’s in the position he is in. And Athena was saying Robert Barnes is not a common name. Now, Jose Garcia is, so is Juan Rodriguez. But Robert Barnes is not. I have met a few Roberts and I have met a few people with the last name Barnes but not many. Especially not at the same school and being the same age and knowing who Ms. Landowski is.
You WERE rude, and further, you were WRONG. Penelopejo had the link correct to the perpetrator/your friend. If you don’t NEED to be berated (and who does?) maybe you should stay off internet websites devoted to slamming murderers!
Don’t you mean CAN”T speak? I find it disheartening that as a college Sophomore you can’t PROOFREAD or SPELL your own grade level. It is sophOmore. I guess that where the expression “Sophomoric” comes from! Good luck in school!
I find it disheartening that a College Sophomore doesn’t know how to spell Sophomore.
JINX! Morbid owes me a Coke!
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=371747618
Is this the Robert Barnes that is being taken to trial?
His from Portsmouth, VA and he attends Churchland High.
Its just a little surprising that someone who probably could have gone to a good college, a lot of violinists can make it pretty far with a lot less talent than this guy, would ruin their life by killing someone.
Maybe its another Robert Barnes?
Obviously, you never know someone who you think you do..hmmm
I am so glad that they caught the KILLER and does anyone know WHY he would have done this act? That poor poor family
my prayers are with you all, so sad and so unneccessary
Yes, spooky, that’s the one. His myspace was posted earlier in the thread, and I was quite impressed with him based on his myspace. He looked like an interesting and good kid.
That link was redacted because at the time, someone was questioning whether it was the right one, and we didn’t want to stick an innocent into the thick of things. It’s now clear that the young violinist has, in fact, been charged in Meghan’s murder.
RubyLou, I did not misspeak when I said “I can speak without calling someone a little shit.” You should read it again. As for my ONE misspelling…..Yeah I spelled a word wrong. It’s not like I’m the only person in the world who has spelled wrong. Get over yourself.
I was never defending him, by the way. I never said he didn’t do it. You three are pissed off because I called you out on a flaw in your thinking. As for my rudeness in the matter, PenelopeJo accepted my apology. I didn’t want my friend to be misidentified by her and it cause him undue problems. If she had gotten it wrong, what then? All that would be said then would have been “Oops.”
And why is it so hard for you all to believe that there were TWO Robert Barnes’ at the school? Seriously. You all keep jumping me because I “jumped” her for posting it without checking to make sure it was the suspect’s page. Funny how no one seems to believe that two go to that school.
I’m sure that you all are going to have SOMETHING vulgar to say to me about this so go right ahead. I have a valid argument against his profile being put on here in the first place. You can tell me I’m wrong all you like but I stand by my judgment.
Local news coverage of the arrest:
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/17yearold-charged-killing-portsmouth-teen-landowski
Actually, I agree with KiriYukimura on this. His/her approach was a little bit rude, but the point about the myspace was well-taken, which is why I advocated removing the initially posted link to the myspace. If, by some chance, that myspace belonged to a different Rob’t Barnes, it would have been mean to subject him to the angry internet hoardes.
As it turns out this IS the right Rob’t Barnes, I think it’s fine to post the myspace.
Thanks Morbid, I was going to say something, but you said it first and better
Holy crow, it scares the hell out of me how stupid most kids sound today
KiriYukimura, if indeed he did murder this young woman, he deserves to be “thrown into the fire”. I too hope they charge him as an adult.
Honey, read your own sentence and tell me again that you did not misspeak:
This sentence states that YOU are “disheartened” by your own ability to converse without swearing. Is that what you meant to say?
I don’t find it at all difficult to believe that there are two Robert Barnes’.
I found it difficult to believe that there would be lasting and permanent damage to a someone whose web page was posted. Are there roving bands of teenage posses in your town that have sworn blood vengeance for this young ladies death? A myspace can be set to private, for the sake of privacy in a case of mistaken identity.
I got over myself in 1992. Kisses!
I find it funny that people can make spelling mistakes on here.. built in spell checker!
Morbid, Imp, I think the spell checker must be broken.
or maybe ya’ll can invent a high tech one that causes a computer to crash after a post like this:
But I do agree, that kid really doesn’t seem like the type to kill a girl.. I know there’s not exactly a type out there.. but I mean.. I don’t know. Seemed like a good kid. I mean, I’m just judging by the myspace, but usually (especially with people featured on D’D) you can tell who the scumbags are.
I have some news about Robert Barnes. I was told by a reliable source that he was held at gunpoint while in the house.
If its from YOUR reliable source… well then geeze, it MUST be true!
What exactly is that supposed to mean? I haven’t said he was guilty nor innocent since I got here. All I wanted to do was tell you what I know. I figured that you all would want an update that the police won’t give you. I’m not telling you who because you all will probably put their MySpace up here.
You can take what I say with a grain of salt but all I am doing now is telling you the latest. The Sheriff said the “primary offender” not “the suspect.” That leads me to believe there was a witness or more than one offender. But again, that’s my deduction from it all.
held in what house at gun point??at megans when she was murdered or house where he was arrested??im sorry i must have missed something
That seems very odd to me. Meghan was murdered in April, right? If Barnes was indeed forced into doing something against his will, he seems to have led a pretty normal, if not happy, life over the last six months (based on his MySpace) and doesn’t appear to have been held hostage. He’s had a lot of time and opportunity to go to authorities.
Held at gunpoint my ass. I know that I would rather be shot than kill someone. At least I’ll know that I made it to heaven. Everyperson has a choice, he made the choice of not telling the cops what happened after he did what he did to her.
Holy Shit! I wouldn’t be boasting that litte diddy of info. You better make sure your windows are locked and all the doors too cause apparently she knew him and had his number. If he gets out of the pokie, he might wanna come for an unannounced visit or something. Oh and WTF is Governor’s school-do you go to 2 different schools or somethin?
Governor’s School is an elite school for Gifted and Talented Students from the Hampton Roads area. Governor’s school is the Juillards of P-Town! Not nearly as upscale but you get the idea.
I’m plenty sesquipedalian, young man, and have myriad words at my disposal. My rhetoric is calculated for maximum accuracy. The phrase I chose carried the desired connotation. If it’s obscenity you take issue with, let me point out that this may not be the site for you.
Your issue, which was understood and quite valid, was packaged sourly. Were you met with much success as a result? Had you politely stated your case like a civil human being, I would have gladly edited out the link until it had been verified one way or the other. But, because your comments were indignant and even a bit derogatory, your request was neglected as your attitude took center stage.
What they say about honey versus vinegar is quite true. If you are requesting something from someone, it would behoove you to conduct yourself in a more reasoned fashion.
Once again, as to the matter of the dueling Robert Barnes - While it is far from impossible that there would be two Robert Barnes of the same age in group of roughly 1,700 students, statistically, it is EXTREMELY unlikely. If there truly are two Robert Barnes of the same age at this school, the proper course of action is to simply bring that to everyone’s attention, sans condescention and the ludicrous notion that this anomaly should have been accounted for by the innocently ignorant Penelope.
In short: Try to be a bit less abbrasive next time, if you would be so kind.
And I’m assuming that “non-abrasive” outlook is a model for us of “lower-intelligence” then? I don’t understand why you feel like you have to have the last word in this trivial matter. You cursed at me as well as a few other people and I simply pointed out that you don’t need to be vulgar to get your point across.
And by the way, the only reason my responses to your comments are “sour” is because of YOUR condescending LECTURES on a comment board. I realize that your obviously my elder, but you don’t have to demand respect on here by being pompous and overly rude to someone with an opinion that differs from yours.
In short: I may be a little shit, but at least I’m young enough to fix it. Oh and P.S. I’m a female. Go somewhere else and have your mood swing.
Your comments were sour and unreasonable from the start. That’s what got my attention. Our opinions don’t differ substantially, so that’s not the reason I took issue. My comments have been directed toward your initial interaction with Penelope. I took issue because you were immediately indignant when there was absolutely no cause for it.
I wouldn’t feel the need to “have the last word” if you had seemed to get it the first time. Still, I’m having to clarify my position for you.
And the non-abrasive demeanor is for anyone of any intellectual capacity that is REQUESTING something from a group of strangers. That falls into the common-sense catagory, I do believe. Instead, you bullied someone who made an honest mistake. Not a great first impression.
Your gender is noted. How old is the standard sophomore, 20? I expect that your demeanor is no less entrenched than my own, being a mere 5 years your senior.
Glad we could get everything worked out, though. Welcome to D’D.
I think Kiri loves you, Athena.
Take it to the Loft!!!
Shit. I thought I had veiled it enough. Let me try again.
Athena, I think Kiri really looks up to you.
Who really gives a fuck about the 2 people with the same name shit at this point-the guy killed the poor girl-so Kiri should just save face and walk away with any bit of dignity she might have left. Jesus criminy girl-do you really want to keep defending a cold blooded muderer any further?
I am not lower intelligence-and I gather Athena is not indicating you are either. You choose your own battles Kiri-and you continue to choose to battle Athena-
She’s the Yoda of this site - don’t (cover your virgin ears) fuck with her, you won’t win…
Lizard - I’m not so sure about that. But hey, since she’s still “young enough to fix it”, perhaps she’ll eventually find it in her to forgive me. Amazingly, I’ve been known to grow on people about as often as I’ve been known to aggravate them.
And, for the record, I’m much taller than Yoda. That said, you got the wrong guy for that label. Our resident Yoda is on a sailboat somewhere, I do believe.
What’s wrong with Athenas ears?
Athena, you might be hotter than Yoda. Nope - You are def hotter than Yoda. And Funny… Athena is funny and hot and not to be fucked with. Yoda is on a sailboat somewhere dreaming of Athena in a Princess Leah bikini putting him in his place. Kiri, don’t fight it girl. You cannot win this round. C’mon over to the darkside. You know you want to.
I have to admit, I had no freakin’ idea what the hell that word meant. I learn something new here everyday.
You have to admit, that was pretty clever.
I am most curious about this, too.
Why are you so convinced he was forced into murder? Just exactly how good is your source? Barnes himself?
Ok, I’ll entertain that idea for a second.
Why didn’t he tell the authorities as soon as mystery person left with the gun? If he went to school, he obviously wasn’t being held hostage. Did mystery person threaten to do something worse if Barnes went to the police?
I can’t even imagine trying to live with myself after taking the life of another human being, gun to my head or not. Fight or flight, I’ve heard. Either way, I’d either be dead or in a looney bin…not going about life as if nothing had ever happened. So much so, that my closest friends had no idea that was something was wrong.
I knew Meghan and have been devastated by her death. I still can’t believe that it happened. On Friday morning when I got the call to watch the news but I got goosebumps. And when I heard the Chief say that it was a 17 year old boy I couldn’t believe it. I had it in my head that it was the jerk that molested her. I still can’t believe that a child could do something so horrible. I have looked at his myspace and the only thing that I found disturbing was the picture of a news cast in which Robert Barnes superimposed his own pic in the small monitor that had the caption rape suspect under it. Why would anyone do that? And to the young lady from Churchland-good try but it’s the correct Robert Barnes. I understand that you believe that your friend could do such a thing but he had things in his home that where taken out of her house.
Last night the news reported that someone placed letters to the residents of Roberts Ct. telling them that Robert was in the house and did enter through the window but only because Meghan called him and ask him to. And when he came through the window he saw Meggy bound up and a marked man was there stabbing her. The man also stabbed Robert but not bad and let him live. WHAT BS! If that happened why didn’t the kid tell the cops sooner than now and why did he take a souviener? the truth will come out and I will be at the trail when it happens.
Sorry for your loss, PtownGirl. It is quite shocking when young people are accused of crimes this heinous, especially when the young man in question seems to have been a rather upstanding citizen. Still, I don’t buy that he was forced to do it, nor do I buy that he simply stumbled upon it. Hopefully, as details are made available, we’ll be updated. I’d like to know what’s determined in this case.
Absolutly! I have become obsessed with the case. Watching and reading everything as well as talking to the Dectectives and other officers who were there. I just feel like I need answers as a mother, lifelong resident, and mourner. IT WILL ALL COME OUT but I just don’t know when. Also I wanted to correct something I said the the “masked man” cut Robert but actually according to the letter he made Robert cut himself and that is why Robert’s fingerprints are on the knife. It makes me sick! It actually is starting to add up for me because about 10 days after Meghan was killed the detectives were all over the neighborhhood. The were focusing on a ditch that is about 4 blocks away from her house and were going through the storm drain. Well the street is a direct path towards his house and I know that something was recovered but at the time that was all the detectives could say. I spectulate that it was the knife.
I dont know if I am the only one that noticed this or if I am a little myspace stalkerish… but I was looking at his myspace and even though he looks like such a great high school student/musician I figured there had to be something there if he was really a 17 year old that had murdered a girl just 6 months ago… ya know something unusual especially back in april. Well I looked at his comments to see if anything wierd was said around the time that Meghan was murdered and his first comment was made on his page on April 20th, just 10 days after the murder. He has been pretty active on there since with comments at least (almost 400 in 6 months) so most likely that page was made RIGHT after the murder. If he murdered her, or (even worse for his mental state) was forced to watch a friend of his die and then keep it a secret why would he turn around and start this page and act like everything is great and normal… I found that really odd.
Also the picture that someone mentioned before with the news picture where he pasted his picture on it… now thats just strange especially since the page was most likely made after he commited/witnessed this horrible act.
KKMAMA, i noticed that too. I was thinking maybe he did have it before and he deleted everything before the day, but then again i may be wrong. He may have just created it afterwards. To me, it’s just odd. I noticed someone mentioned earlier about the pasted picture in the newscast and thought it was just creeeeeepy!!! It’s so sad that it was one of her own friends. I read in some other forum that they dated for a while and it may just be the case of jealousy since no one really has any idea about a motive. But that’s just heresay. Don’t know if it’s true for sure. Just needed to say that before Ms. Yukimura starts jumping down my throat and calling me stupid for not saying the truth. LOL.
Alright, so I didn’t read every comment posted because there are a lot, but I read quite a bit of them and there are some things I want to clear up. If they were cleared up in later posts, sorry, but I felt that I had to say something.
Churchland is a magnet school, yes, but not everyone in the school is in the magnet program. Only certain students who auditioned to be in the magnet program and a few others were able to be in it. For the music portion (which Robert Barnes was in), the students had to stay after school for another class. For the dance and visual arts, there were classes held during school.
There are people in the magnet program who weren’t very smart and didn’t do too well in English, but don’t think that people in the magnet program aren’t smart. I take offense to what was said about the students in the magnet program. I was in the magnet program when I went to Churchland. If you think you’re smart enough to make fun of magnet students for not being smart, I’d suggest you take the tests that we took. I bet you wouldn’t pass. There are very bright people in magnet.
I know Robert Barnes. I don’t believe he did it. Let’s try to remember that he has not been found guilty. Not yet, at least. So at this moment, he’s innocent.
Robert had a MySpace and then made a new one. Teenagers do that all the time. He made that picture of himself on the news over a year ago, I believe. It was just supposed to be something funny. His old MySpace is still up. He didn’t delete it or anything.
Meghan and Robert didn’t date.
I might have more to say later, but this is all I have for now.
If the person who stated that they “no” Robert, then the school wouldn’t have been made fun of. Even if the school did poor in English, know is one of the basic words you learn when you are growing up.
Of course we’re saying he is guilty, he’s on this site, DUH!!! Almost everyone on here is. And when he is found guilty in the court of law, which all you supporters of Robert do, I will point and laugh because the police wouldn’t arrest just anybody after 6 months of nothing. They performed a thorough investigation. He was arrested after being questioned. Now, since you are saying that Robert is really smart then you cannot say that he was coerced into saying he was there in the room and tied her up and left her there to die. Being as smart as he is, as stated in previous posts, he would not have to believe the whole “why don’t you just say it so you can go home to your family”.
The whole myspace thing, yeah, I do believe that posting of his picture on the newcast was just a joke. Who hasn’t done a stupid picture like that, we were just saying it is creeeeepyyy!! I was not saying he did it purposefully as if telling his future. And with the whole dating Meghan thing, thanks for clearing that up, it’s nice to know that she didn’t date the man that killed her.