What did Gary Barnett do? Tennessee man's cryptic Facebook posts explored as six killed in domestic murder-suicide incident

Gary Barnett, a 48-year-old Tennessee man, who worked in the machine tool industry, killed five people before fatally shooting himself on Thursday, June 15. The victims included Barnett's estranged wife Regina, daughter Brittnee, and three kids who were found dead alongside the gunman inside a burning home in Sequatchie, 30 miles west of Chattanooga. The home was supposedly owned by the suspect.

Authorities said that on Thursday night, police responded to reports of gunfire at a home on Pine Street, located in the Sequatchie area. Upon their arrival, police reportedly found the home ablaze. Shortly after putting out the fire, authorities discovered six people, including three children, dead in what they described as a domestic murder-suicide incident.

A seventh person, who was found injured after being shot at the home, was transported to a hospital for treatment and was expected to recover from the gunshot wound.

On Friday, authorities confirmed that Gary Barnett shot and killed his wife, Regina, her daughter Brittnee and three children before turning the gun on himself. Authorities said that two of the minors, who were found dead, were Regina's grandchildren. The identity of the third slain child is currently unknown.

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Gary Barnett's cryptic Facebook posts indicate he was nursing a grudge against his estranged wife

While the motive for the shooting remains unclear, authorities revealed that shortly before the killings, Gary's estranged wife obtained a restraining order against him. As per the New York Post, she stated that he had "50 to 60 guns" and she was terrified that he would "get drunk and shoot me."

Regina and Gary Barnett (Image via Facebook)

Regina told the court that Gary Barnett was verbally abusive and had physically threatened her on several occasions, prompting her to obtain a restraining order. Court documents cited by the New York Post read:

“My soon-to-be (ex) husband threatened to shoot me and he verbally abuses me every day. He also threatened to shoot my dog.”

As authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led Gary Barnett to commit the atrocities against his family, the suspect's Facebook account revealed several cryptic messages, which were posted in the days leading up to the horrifying murder-suicide incident. The posts provided brief insights into the suspect's frame of mind before he went on a violent rampage.

Gary's Facebook post (Image via Gary Barnett/Facebook)

A seemingly threatening meme posted five days before the shooting cited a quote from Marvin Heemeyer, a man dubbed "Killdozer," who went on a rampage, knocking down 13 buildings before shooting himself in 2004.

“I was willing to be reasonable until I had to be unreasonable. Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things,” the quote read.

Gary's Facebook post (Image via Gary Barnett/Facebook)

Authorities revealed that before the tragic attacks took place, a judge approved the restraining order against the suspect. Officers also stated that four people died after sustaining gunshot wounds during Thursday's massacre. Two victims reportedly died of smoke inhalation after the house caught fire during the violent rampage.

Police have not disclosed additional information about the case, including the names of the victims, as the investigation is currently ongoing.