Suspect in killing of Wintergreen cop was naked, ate gravel, court records state
CHARLOTTESVILLE — A Maryland man suspected in the June killing of a Wintergreen police officer was naked and allegedly high on drugs when he reportedly shot and killed the officer.
He also ate gravel, police said.
The suspect, Daniel A. Barmak, 23, of Owings Mills, Maryland, is charged with aggravated murder of a law enforcement officer, malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a Schedule I or II drug.
Barmak's preliminary hearing on the felony charges is scheduled to be held Wednesday in Nelson County General District Court.
Christopher Wagner II, 31, of Stuarts Draft, was slain with his department-issued handgun at 80 Arrowwood Lane at the Wintergreen Resort, authorities said. He was an officer with the Wintergreen Police Department and the first to arrive at the scene.
On the night of June 16, an affidavit to a search warrant filed in Albemarle County Circuit Court said Barmak was "behaving in a highly unusual manner" the night Wagner was killed. Two witnesses told investigators Barmak was attempting to kill himself and others, and said he "wanted to die and jump off the balcony."
Images obtained from Wagner's body-worn video camera showed a naked Barmak allegedly initiating the attack outside of the residence, the affidavit said. During the struggle, a gunshot was heard and Wagner screamed, "He's trying to get my gun!" The officer also yelled for help numerous times.
Additional camera footage from other officers showed Barmak eating gravel, the affidavit said, leading authorities to believe he was suffering from a mental health crisis or intoxicated. Psychedelic mushrooms were found near his "area of control," according to the affidavit. The two witness said Barmak reportedly consumed alcohol, marijuana and illegal mushrooms before allegedly killing Wagner. They said he also used the drug ketamine, which was found in his system, toxicology tests showed.
Barmak was shot in the leg during the incident. The bullet was recovered and seized, a search warrant said.
Police were initially called to the property on Arrowwood Lane following a report of a physical altercation. After alerting authorities, two injured men, both 23, fled the residence on foot. They were taken to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, according to an earlier report.
A special agent with Virginia State Police said in an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Nelson County Circuit Court that numerous "red stains" were found in the residence and outside, as well as broken bottles in a living room. An overturned bed in the basement also had red stains.
Wagner's handgun and spent ammunition casings were found in the woods behind the two-story residence. The officer's body was also discovered in the same area.
Police arrested Barmak at the scene.
A search warrant showed that investigators collected numerous pieces of evidence, including: three knives, a 9mm pistol, three Glock magazines, nearly four dozen 9mm cartridges, four spent shell casings, a Taser, a bulletproof vest, a police radio, an ASP baton, miscellaneous drugs, and a BolaWrap (a non-lethal restraint).
Prior to his arrest, court records show that Barmak, a college graduate, worked in the insurance field earning between $50,000 and $70,000 per year. He is listed at six feet, four inches tall and weighs 220 pounds.
Barmak is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Suspect in killing of Wintergreen cop was naked, allegedly on drugs
