Florida criminal defense attorney and Past-President of The Florida Bar, Michelle Suskauer, spoke with Action News Jax following a double homicide in St. Johns County involving a suspect with a documented history of violence.
Investigators say 32-year-old Christian Barrios is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend outside a Walgreens near TPC Sawgrass. Court records show Barrios had prior domestic violence incidents, including an injunction issued in 2025 and a 2020 arrest involving a violent assault on a pregnant woman. At the time of the shooting, he was reportedly out on probation.
Legal experts say cases like this highlight the difficult balance courts face when determining pretrial release and supervision.
“His record is significant, and it’s every court’s worst nightmare that he’s out and about and then gets charged with multiple homicides,” Suskauer said.
Suskauer noted that while the justice system must hold individuals accountable, it also needs to focus on reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses after release.
“It’s very important that there is more of an approach to make sure that it’s not just someone going in and doing time because eventually, as we see, people are going to come out again,” she said.
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Man Accused of Killing Ex-Girlfriend, Her Boyfriend Near TPC Sawgrass Has Violent Past, Records Show (Action News Jax)
