The Marriage
Don and Sherry married young and built a life together in Woodbridge, Virginia, raising two daughters, Lauren and Heather. They owned a townhouse in the community and, for a time, seemed like an ordinary family. But the marriage soured. Friends later described troubling incidents, including physical abuse and moments when Sherry suspected Don was trying to poison her.

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The Chemist
By trade, Don was a chemist. He reportedly bragged, even to his daughters’ boyfriends that he had a “drug recipe book” and knew how to make cocaine. At one point, he worked alongside Al Barnett selling water purification systems, a connection that eventually brought Al and Sherry together. Their affair would ultimately reshape everyone’s lives.

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The Divorce
When the marriage ended, Don was firmly in the driver’s seat. He gained custody of his daughters, and Sherry was required to pay support. Don quickly moved on, beginning a new relationship with Toni Storey of Woodbridge. The two later married and bought a home in Stafford, not far from Sherry and Al’s place.

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Toni’s Role
Toni herself was a contentious figure. In one instance, she had Lauren and Heather’s grandmother arrested after being called a name. She also returned letters and birthday cards from Sherry’s side of the family, torn up and laced with hateful notes. Together, Don and Toni moved the girls to Ohio shortly after Sherry’s murder, cutting off nearly all communication with their mother’s side of the family.

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After the Murder
Unlike Al, Don never sat down formally with investigators to help advance the case. Years later, when confronted by his daughters as adults, he responded with anger and defensiveness, unable or unwilling to engage with their questions.

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The Present
Don and Toni eventually divorced. Today, Don resides in Florida. Despite the passage of decades, he has not publicly worked toward finding justice for the mother of his children.