Crime & Safety

Human Remains Found in Glastonbury Belong to Jini Barnum of East Hampton

The investigation into the death of the 30-year-old East Hampton woman, who went missing on July 28, is now being investigated as a homicide, police said.

 

The human remains found in a shallow grave off Windham Road in Glastonbury have been identified as those of Jini Barnum of East Hampton, who has been missing since July. Examiners ruled the cause of death as homicide.

. The woman told police that her dog found Barnum’s shallow grave; she returned home immediately and notified the police.

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The investigation into the grave continued Monday morning, when police dogs and the state police major crime squad searched the scene.

Barnum’s body was brought to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for inspection, where her cause of death was ruled a homicide.

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. Garofalo was the last person known to have spoken to her, following an argument that day. Barnum’s child was six weeks old at the time.

Garofalo is currently being held by the Department of Corrections on charges of violating his parole. The nature of those charges was withheld due to the ongoing investigation into Barnum’s disappearance, Department of Corrections spokesman Brian Garnett told Patch.

The Glastonbury and East Hampton Police Departments are currently working together on the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Monday morning, a woman identified only as “Jini’s sister” left a message on the Fraternal Order of the Eagles’ Facebook page announcing that Barnum’s body was recovered.

“We pray that she is in a better place now, happy, and with our Dad,” the message read. “I know she will watch her children grow up to have her best qualities. Her amazing heart, and passion and her love. Jini you will forever be missed, and never forgotten.”

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