The morning began with company and ended with a creek. That’s the narrow corridor where the truth about Barbara Crenshaw vanished.
She was 39. In the early hours of March 19, 1996, someone saw her with a man no one seems to know. By the end of that day, deputies found her in the creek. The death was ruled a homicide. The investigation stretched on. The years did, too.
No arrests. No closure. Just a case file that refuses to shut.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help again, not as a formality but as a last, stubborn bet on memory. Investigators believe someone in the community knows something— who that unknown man was, what happened between those early morning hours and the discovery in South Bibb County, why Barbara Crenshaw became a victim.
Nearly three decades is a hard measure for any family. It’s a measure of birthdays missed and questions repeated. It’s also long enough for secrets to feel like fixtures. The sheriff’s office is betting they aren’t.
If you know anything about the homicide of Barbara Crenshaw—seen the morning of March 19, 1996, with an unidentified man, found later that day in Echeconee Creek—call Investigator Tench at the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office at 478-310-5414. You can also reach Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68CRIME. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
Sometimes a case turns because a detail finally finds daylight. Sometimes it’s a phone call. For Barbara Crenshaw’s family, the creek has held this story long enough.
How to Read and Understand The News
When reading news, remember:
- Truth doesn’t change because we dislike it
- Facts remain facts even when they make us uncomfortable
- Events happen whether we accept them or not
- Good reporting often challenges us
- The news isn’t choosing a position — it is relaying what official, verified sources have said.
- Blaming the press for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Before dismissing news that bothers you, ask:
- What evidence supports this story?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I “shooting the messenger” because I don’t like what is happening?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not just comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
