Eagle Mountain, Utah – The small community of Eagle Mountain was shaken when two young children were tragically killed during a horrific crash at Cedar Valley Stables over a year ago. Testimony continued Wednesday in the emotionally charged trial of Kent Cody Barlow, charged with first-degree felony murder in the deaths of 3-year-olds Odin Jeffrey Ratliff and Hunter Charlie Jackson.
On the evening of May 2, 2022, chaos erupted at the rural stable when Barlow’s vehicle, traveling at speeds exceeding 100 mph, careered off the road, demolishing multiple horse stalls and layers of fencing before finally coming to a halt. The impact of the crash claimed the lives of the two young boys who were playing in the corral at the time.
Digital forensics analyst Travis Ashdown provided expert testimony on Wednesday, detailing the staggering speeds of Barlow’s vehicle, calculated using GPS data from his and his passengers’ cellphones. Ashdown reported the vehicle hit 122 mph at an intersection shortly before the crash and was still going 117 mph when it left the roadway.
Utah County Sheriff’s detective Jake Hall, the lead investigator, described the extensive damage at the scene. “The vinyl fence exploded all over the road,” Hall noted, adding that he had never seen a vehicle as mangled as Barlow’s in his years of service. The severity of the crash was such that Hall had to take a break from the investigation to manage his emotional response to the tragic scene.
Assistant Medical Examiner for Utah, Brent Davis, asserted the deaths were accidental, resulting from blunt force injuries consistent with auto-pedestrian collisions. Both boys suffered severe head and brain trauma, indicative of a high-impact force. Davis noted discrepancies in the lacerations and injuries, which led to some confusion about whether a fallen support beam from the roof or the vehicle itself delivered the fatal blows.
In a conflicting testimony, Lt. Chris Chambers from the Provo Police Department suggested that the nature of the injuries and the location of the boys’ shoes—found intact next to their bodies—indicated that the collapse of structural beams, not the vehicle, might be responsible for the fatalities. Chambers helped reconstruct the accident, noting the different textures the car moved through, which he believes absorbed much of the energy from the vehicle.
During the trial, the devastation extended beyond the physical evidence as family members of the young victims were visibly distraught. Odin’s father, Robert Ratliff, recounted the heart-wrenching night he learned of his son’s death, describing how he ran past law enforcement and climbed over fences to reach the site, desperate to find his wife and confront the reality of his son’s passing.
The case also touched on Barlow’s substance use, with forensic toxicologist Nghia Nguyen revealing that Barlow had a high level of methamphetamine in his system at the time of the accident. This evidence potentially ties into Barlow’s risky behavior on the road, although Nguyen noted that long-term users can sometimes function while under the influence.
In closing arguments, defense attorney Justin Morrison urged the jury to consider lesser charges of manslaughter or automobile homicide against Barlow, emphasizing the complexity of the incident and the various factors that contributed to the tragic outcome.
As the community of Eagle Mountain waits for the jury’s decision, the trial serves as a painful reminder of the unpredictability of life and the profound grief that can result from a moment of recklessness.