In the “Dateline NBC” episode “Buried Secrets,” a Florida man named David Jackson who disappeared in June 1988 is the subject of a case study. The top detective unearths some significant connections between the victim’s murder, his ex-wife Barbara Britton, and her ex-husband Michael Wolfe when his bones are identified more than ten years later. The programme also features real-life footage and interviews linked to the case. We have all the information you need if you’re curious about Barbara and Michael, including their present whereabouts.
Who Are Barbara Britton and Michael Wolfe?
Harry Britton and his wife had Barbara Britton in the 1960s. Barbara spent her childhood moving from one country to another because Harry was in the military, with little sense of permanence. She claims that before her family finally relocated to Hollywood, Florida, she spent her formative years in both Germany and Oregon. She started working at a Burger King in Pembroke Pines in 1982 when she was 17 years old to help pay for her tuition so she could attend McArthur High School.
Barbara reportedly lived under the watchful supervision of her father, a former Marine. She first encountered David Jackson, a restaurant washer supervisor who was two years her senior, at the neighbourhood Burger King. As their chemistry grew, they began dating and got pregnant around Christmas 1982. They exchanged vows on April 2, 1983, a short time after, and welcomed their son John into the world in August of that same year. However,
However, the 1940s-born Michael Wolfe entered the scene much later after meeting Barbara in Arizona in late 1986. Like Barbara’s father, the tall and charming man was already married, had served in Germany during his time in the service, and was also twice Barbara’s age at the time. Soon after her divorce from David, the two got to know one another and wed in June 1987 in Florida.
Shortly after getting married, Barbara and Michael moved to Arizona with John and gave David only a few hours’ notice before leaving. After that, David requested in court long-term visitation with John once a year, with the first visit scheduled for July 1988. Still living in Florida, Barbara’s father, who detested David, allegedly came up with a scheme to get rid of him with the aid of Barbara and Michael.
In his admission to the murder, Michael said, “Harry said, ‘The only way I wanna see David is face up in a box at Fred Hunters,'” which is a funeral home. This is how he learned about the crime and how he got involved. He said that several times. He wants to do something to David, Barbara continued. David is someone he wants to get rid of. He had requested Barbara to inquire if I knew somebody who could carry it out, such as a hitman or a murderer. Finally, I assured him that I would handle the situation.
Since things had been considerably calmer and amicable between them, Barbara allegedly then gave David false optimism that there might be a chance of them reconciling. So, she and Michael took a flight to Florida, and on the fateful day of June 25, 1988, Barbara convinced his ex-husband to meet them at a motel for a discussion about their future. David was hiding in the toilet with a loaded gun when he entered the motel room, according to many witnesses and Michael’s confession.
He appeared out of nowhere, shot David dead, and all three of those involved in the crime—directly or indirectly—disposed of the body and buried it in a remote location. In October 2004, Michael Wolfe was arrested for the murder of David Jackson when the police discovered some specific, incriminating evidence against him, including confessions from his ex-wives. After being detained, he subsequently admitted to his crimes and named Barbara and Harry Britton as co-conspirators, albeit they were already dead by that point. Based on Michael’s testimony, the authorities finally found Barbara more than a month later.
Where Are Barbara Britton and Michael Wolfe Now?
Beginning in November 2007, Michael Wolfe was on trial for the first-degree murder of David Jackson. After just one week of testimony, the jury found him guilty and gave him a life sentence. Attorneys for Barbara had the opinion that after his conviction, he would want to ensure that he brought charges against everyone else connected to the murder, mostly in the hopes of receiving a lighter sentence. Michael’s evidence led to Barbara’s detention in the middle of December 2007, although she vowed to be innocent. However, the case changed in December 2010 after spending over three years in a Broward County jail while awaiting trial.
Authorities were notified by a prisoner that Michael had admitted to him that he had falsely accused Barbara of “running her mouth.” As a result of these events, she was given a $5,000 bond and put under house arrest before being freed. Barbara took a deal to avoid going to jail and pled guilty in 2012 to being an accessory after the fact to the first-degree murder of David after spending more than two years on home arrest. She was then given a sentence of eight years of probation and two more years of home arrest.
Barbara’s attorney asked the judge to give her freedom to look for work “across the tricounty area” to make the transition into daily life easier. According to the attorney, she had plans to apply for a job at a Walmart in Miami-Dade County at the time. Barbara entered a guilty plea in a court of law more than ten years ago. Barbara, who has sensibly embraced a life of secrecy, is most likely 57 years old as of today, according to what we can deduce. She probably still communicates with her son John. According to reports, Michael, 76, is currently incarcerated at the Zephyrhills Correctional Institution, located at 2739 Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills, Florida, serving a life sentence.
