James Barnes-Morris Convicted in the Killing of Brooke Strattan
Share
24-year-old Brooke L. Strattan of McFarland, Wisconsin, was last seen walking with a male on September 30, 2024, at around 7 a.m., near Odana Road and Whitney Way in Madison.
After repeated failed attempts to contact her, Brooke’s father reported her missing the following day, October 1, 2024.
On October 3, a young woman’s body was discovered in a retention pond near the 3500 block of Monroe Street in Madison. The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office soon identified the body as Brooke Strattan.
The Wisconsin State Journal reported that, according to a relative, Brooke had recently come out of rehab and was living with “the convicted felon police were investigating in connection with her disappearance.”
Police questioned those close to her, including the last person she was known to be with before her death — her boyfriend, James Barnes-Morris, who was in his mid-twenties at the time. Brooke and Barnes-Morris had known each other since middle school and had been dating for several months, since the fall of 2023.
According to Brooke’s paternal grandmother, Ann Strattan, Brooke had been “squatting in an empty West Side Madison townhouse” with the suspect prior to her disappearance.
At a gathering held at a friend’s home on September 29, the couple got into a heated argument. The confrontation ended with one of the male attendees taking Brooke to his home so she could stay there that night. While there, Brooke reportedly told another individual at the residence that she was afraid Barnes-Morris was “going to kill her.” Brooke left the residence on the morning of September 30, where she was seen alive for the last time at around 7 a.m., walking with a man later identified as Barnes-Morris.
James Barnes-Morris was taken into custody on October 3, 2024, the same day Brooke’s body was found. Officers located him hiding in a friend’s home, and media outlets reported that he allegedly had Brooke’s cell phone and credit cards in his possession.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Barnes-Morris had been convicted of multiple drug-related charges in 2020 and robbery-related charges in 2019. He was on probation at the time Brooke went missing and was booked into the Dane County Jail on a DOC hold.
Detectives learned that the couple had been in an argument around the time Brooke went missing. After reviewing the victim’s journals, investigators uncovered a history of verbal and physical abuse, including incidents Brooke wrote about in which she believed she was nearly killed prior to her death.
WMTV reported that, according to a criminal complaint, Brooke began writing journal entries in August 2024, documenting several beatings in which she stated she felt she was almost killed.
Investigators also discovered a text message exchange between the victim and the suspect the night before her death, in which Brooke told Barnes-Morris she was afraid of him and scared that he would kill her. Those who knew the couple later said they had witnessed the pair engaged in heated arguments before.
A criminal complaint states that on the day Brooke went missing, Barnes-Morris was seen by two people with scratches on both his face and legs. One person described him as wearing wet clothing. When asked about Brooke’s whereabouts, Barnes-Morris allegedly did not answer and explained the scratches by saying he had been in a fight earlier that day.
WMTV also reported that an individual interviewed by police stated Barnes-Morris made comments indicating Brooke was dead. The individual alleged Barnes-Morris said: “I had to get rid of her, she knew too much,” “I need another brick and a rope,” and “the weeds made it hard.”
When questioned by police about these statements, Barnes-Morris allegedly laughed, refused to answer, and requested a lawyer.
According to the complaint, the tentative cause of death was ruled as drowning, with autopsy reports noting bruising to Brooke’s left temple and cheek, as well as injuries to the small finger and ring finger of her right hand.
Barnes-Morris initially pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional homicide with a domestic abuse enhancer. However, he later changed his plea to guilty of first-degree reckless homicide as part of a plea agreement.
Brooke was described in her obituary as kind and devoted to helping others, with aspirations of becoming a psychologist. She worked at St. Vinny’s and later as a phlebotomist with the American Red Cross. Brooke loved nature, camping, and traveling with her grandparents every summer. She played the piano and oboe and been part of a high school marching band.
Brooke Strattan's murder at the hands of an intimate partner is one of over 2,300 domestic violence–related deaths in the United States in 2024.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will experience intimate partner violence or stalking in their lifetime.
Around 10 million people every year, both men and women, experience intimate partner violence in the United States.
If you or someone you know needs help please do not hesitate to contact:
National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1‑800‑799‑SAFE (7233)
Or visit their website at www.thehotline.org which offers 24/7 for confidential support via phone, chat button, and text message.