Moss Point gathers to honor community leader Eric Barnes

MOSS POINT, Miss. (WLOX) - The Moss Point community gathered at the Riverfront downtown to celebrate the life of Eric Barnes with a candlelight vigil.

Authorities said on August 25, family members found the Trendsetters Barber Shop owner dead in his home.

Barnes’ longtime client Dorris Sylvester said she was just talking with him last Tuesday about future events and ways to uplift the community.

“It’s heart wrenching. I think the legacy of Eric Barnes should be led on with the community because he was love, he was for the community, unity. He was a man for integrity,” said Sylvester.

Sylvester said she still gets chills.

“He was talking about his daughters, about the prom dresses and stuff. He was talking about getting an event together for motivational speaking and he said, ‘I’ll get with you.’”

A sea of red, white and blue surrounded the Riverfront to pay respect to the friend, brother and father.

Friends said people connected from Alabama, Louisiana and more places because of Eric being the mutual friend. Family members said Barnes owned three different barber shops and would use his skills selflessly.

Barnes would take it upon himself to do free back to school haircuts, cut hair for the deceased before funerals and give away food during the holidays.

Sylvester said Barnes didn’t just fix folks’ heads physically, but mentally as well.

“When you sit in his chair, he was all about positive thinking, the positive thing to do in your life. He done his work right here on earth and to be in heaven, he’s doing a big, big work,” said Sylvester.

Moss Point Police said they still haven’t found Barnes’ killer or a motive.

If you know any information, you’re encouraged to contact the Moss Point Police Department at 228-475-1711 or the Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898.

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