A Friday night in Ponte Vedra Beach turned into a nightmare last week when a shooting in a Walgreens parking lot left two people dead, including a woman who had recently celebrated becoming a grandmother.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to the store on A1A North around 10:30 p.m. on March 13. When they arrived, they found two people—a man and a woman—clinging to life with multiple gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to local hospitals, but neither survived.
One of the victims has been identified as Melissa Wood. Her brother, who is raising money for her funeral through a GoFundMe, described her as an “amazing, outgoing, and compassionate” person who had just become a grandmother about a year ago. According to her family, Melissa was someone who would help a stranger even when she was struggling herself.
“Melissa was gunned down and shot to death by an insecure, jealous ex-boyfriend,” her brother wrote, adding that the family is now left grieving a woman who “never judged anyone.”
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The man police say is responsible, 32-year-old Christian Barrios, didn’t stay at the scene. His escape triggered a massive manhunt that kept residents on edge across Northeast Florida. Investigators say Barrios specifically went to the Walgreens to confront the victims.
The search lasted until the early hours of Saturday morning. Around 4 a.m., a homeowner in Ponte Vedra Beach reported a burglary and a stolen dark-colored BMW. Deputies eventually spotted the car in Nassau County and gave chase. After a pursuit, Barrios allegedly ditched the car and ran into the woods near Callahan. It wasn’t until 8 a.m., with the help of K9 units from several agencies, that he was finally caught hiding in the brush.
Barrios is now facing charges, including two counts of first-degree murder. He’s also being charged with burglary, grand theft of a vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently being held without bond.
As the legal case begins, Melissa’s family says they want to keep her generous spirit alive by helping others in her name, making sure that the “new grandma” is remembered for the way she lived, rather than the way she died.
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