WAKE FOREST, N.C. – A Raleigh man who is a member of the U.S. National Guard has been accused of attempting to hire someone to kill the man responsible for the death of his mother, according to the Wake Forest Police Department.
Rhett Michael Barlow, the son of Michelle Barlow, allegedly tried to hire a hitman to take out the individual who was involved in the car crash that claimed his mother’s life. Michelle Barlow was an English teacher at Wake Forest High School and tragically died in a car accident on March 22, 2016.
The fatal crash occurred on Capital Boulevard near Burlington Mills Road when a dump truck, driven by Donald Caulder Jr., collided with the back of Barlow’s minivan. Caulder was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and later pleaded guilty to the charge, receiving a suspended sentence and 12 months probation. Despite a misdemeanor probation violation in Johnston County, Caulder had no other run-ins with the law since the accident.
Six years after Caulder’s guilty plea, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division arrested Rhett Barlow at Fort Liberty, where he was undergoing training as a member of the National Guard. Barlow has been transferred to Wake Forest, where he is being held under a $1 million secured bond.
According to the Wake Forest Police Department, Barlow allegedly attempted to hire a hitman on Nov. 28, 2023, to take out Caulder. The allegations have stunned the community and added a new layer of tragedy to the already devastating loss of Michelle Barlow.
The case continues to develop as authorities investigate the attempt to hire a hitman. The Wake Forest Police Department, the U.S. Army, and other relevant agencies are working together to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved parties.