𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖓 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍

        October 31st, 1988.
        “A Groovy Kind of Love” by Phil Collins was at the top of the charts. Halloween 4 had just come out. Water beds could be found pretty much everywhere. And perhaps most importantly, the Crosswick football team was throwing a huge party to celebrate their first win of the season.
        Hosted by the school, the Crosswick Halloween Party had become a long-honoured tradition. However, since the school had another tradition of losing football games, the responsibility of the Halloween Party was passed into the hands of quarterback Jeffery Cougar as a show of honour. Former university president Marty Lous described the decision as a “poor choice in judgement”, saying that the party was a “horrific display of human nature”.
        According to partygoers, Cougar did a great job as host. Everyone had a drink in their hands at all times, there was enough food to feed the entire university for a few days, and the music kept everyone dancing. The event was complete with go-go dancers and a warning that “things might get crazy”. From 9pm to 7am, attendees got to let go and do whatever they felt interested in. Most patrons agree that it was “the best night of [their] lives”.
        Excluded from that list of patrons are Jace Hiscock, Cassidy Belle, Parker Rivers, and presumably Avery Barrow.
        Avery Barrow, a humanities student, arrived at the party with friend Cassidy Belle at approximately 11:30pm. Belle told me that Avery was “unusually excited” to be there; stating that Avery previously expressed discontent for the party.
        “I was happy that she wanted to come with me,” Belle said. “I didn’t bother questioning her about the sudden change of mind. She loved partying and clubbing and stuff like that, so I didn’t think anything of it. But thinking about it now, it was weird that she decided to go with me. She told me just that morning that she’d ‘rather die’.”
        When Jace Hiscock was asked about Avery’s attendance, he described something entirely different. He said that he and Avery had numerous conversations that resulted in her being excited about the party. According to Hiscock, they even had matching costumes that they were going to wear.
        After Hiscock’s statement was released to the public, everyone started asking why Avery had gone with Belle if she was supposed to go with Hiscock. For years, no one could figure it out. However, after a deep investigation of my own, I have solved that mystery. That mystery’s name is Jim Morgan.
        Morgan was another patron who was delighted about the party. When questioned previously, he kept a lot of details to himself with a note that “it was a night [he’ll] never forget.” No matter how much he was asked, he would refuse to reveal what was so memorable about it. But then I found the key: A key engraved with the initials J.M.
        When I confronted Morgan about my findings, he agreed to tell me that truth. He went on to describe an affair between him and Avery.
        “I got tired of it pretty quickly,” Morgan told me. “Jace and I were on the team together. We became friends. I started feeling really guilty about seeing her. I almost called it off, but then I realised that I had fallen in love with her. I was hoping that she felt the same, so I told her that I wanted to be the only guy that she saw. She refused, and we broke up. I think that the reason she told Cassidy that she didn’t want to go was because she didn’t want to see me. She must have had a change of heart, though, since she showed up and we ‘reconciled’ in the bathroom.”
        With Morgan’s explanation of the night, things started to become more clear. The investigation was reopened, and people were questioned on if they knew of the affair. Only one person said that they did: June Marsh.
        Marsh went on to say that Avery had confided in her when the affair started and swore her to secrecy. Marsh then told a story about how the affair got leaked at the party by someone who saw the sordid couple stumbling around together. According to her, word got around to Hiscock and a fight broke out.
        Hiscock was questioned again about the evening. In response to the affair and alleged fight, he only had this to say: “It was a night of regrets for many people. But I don’t regret what I did.”
        With nowhere else to turn, the Newham Police Department went back through their list of suspects. Attention was turned to Parker Rivers – the last known person to see Avery alive.
        Rivers was recorded as saying that she heard of the affair, but not the fight. “I was outside smoking when it would have been going on,” She explained. She went on to say that she saw Avery go outside. “She didn’t leave. She just went to the curb and sat down. I tried to talk to her, but she told me to go away. So I did.”
        When asked if she saw anyone else go outside, Rivers described a black Impala that stopped in front of the women before she went back to the house. She said that the owner was Landan Winstead – a former linebacker.
        On May 24th, 2024, police went to Winstead’s house to ask him about the night. Winstead refused to speak to them without a lawyer present and sent them away. On May 27th, with his lawyer, he told police everything they’ve been wanting to know.
        “Jace called me in hysterics about the affair rumours. I’m the one who told him to kick Jim’s ass,” Winstead said. “After he hung up to do it, I drove to the party. I offered Avery a drink and a ride. When she got in my car, I took her to my house. And once she was asleep, I tied her up.”
        According to our sources, Winstead went on to describe a variety of horrific acts he had committed against Avery. He said that he had kept her alive and “healthy enough” up until February when the case got brought back up. Police investigated his property and found Avery dead in his cellar. The autopsy confirmed the stories Winstead told, and he was officially taken into police custody.
        When asked what his motivation was, Winstead explained that he felt he “owed it to Jace”, whom he’s been close friends with since childhood. Winstead told stories of the two agreeing to revenge pacts. “I was just trying to do something right by my brother,” he said. “I would do anything for him.” Winstead then explained that he would have killed Avery sooner if he wasn’t afraid of getting caught.
        Hiscock, when questioned about Winstead’s story, said that he “had no idea” that Avery was being held against her will. With no evidence suggesting otherwise, Hiscock was officially removed as a suspect. He’s been asked to speak at the trial.
        The trail in the case of Avery Barrow, born 1964 and died 2024, is set to start on June 5th, 2025. The family has asked for solitude during this time.