By By Adam Prestridge – special to the standard
Patricia Burkes sat quietly on the front porch of her Golden Road home Monday afternoon still in shock following the murder of her son, Barrett Finney.
Two deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office had just finished updating her on the investigation behind the Saturday night stabbing that claimed her son's life.
&#8220It's pure hate,” she said. &#8220It was just meanness, malicious. Very seldom did he leave this house. He was a nice guy and so respectful.”
Sunday afternoon, friends and family gathered in Burkes' front yard paying their respects and reminiscing about their loved one whose life was taken all too soon.
Finney's friends best described him as the life of the crowd - someone who enjoyed life and loved his family. Burkes agreed.
Finney was stabbed in the chest around 9:48 p.m. Saturday night following an altercation in front off his mother's home, located at 145 Golden Road, where he resided. According to Burkes, her son approached a group of people attempting to park in his front yard and asked them not to. That's when she said her son was stabbed.
Finney was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In the aftermath of her son's murder, Burkes said she is relying on the Lord to pull her make it through the heartache. She shared many stories about her son with family and friends some that made her laugh and other that made her cry.
Finney graduated from Escambia County High School in 2002. He played tuba in the marching band and played center on the Blue Devils' basketball team. &#8220He was one of the best,” Burkes said.
Finney's body has been transported to the state Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile for an autopsy.
Johnson is requesting that anyone with information regarding this case contact the Sheriff's Office at 251-368-4779.