Man Charged with First-Degree Murder in 2004 Cold Case
A 68-year-old man, David Barklow, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the 2004 shooting death of Kent Projansky, a Gold Coast resident. The incident took place inside Projansky’s apartment on December 18, 2004, on the 1100 block of North Dearborn Street. Barklow, who resided on the 400 block of North Lake Shore Drive, was extradited from Peru to Chicago after authorities tracked him down in South America.
Projansky was found deceased with gunshot wounds inside his apartment, with two shell casings recovered at the scene. Following the discovery, a duffel bag containing bloody clothing and a handgun matching the murder weapon was found on the Northwest Side of Chicago. This evidence was initially linked to the crime scene, but no suspect was identified at the time, leading the case to go cold for over a decade.
Retired Detective James Browne reopened the investigation in 2017, leveraging advancements in forensic technology to reanalyze the evidence collected from both locations. This led to a match to Barklow, who was living across the street from Projansky at the time of the incident. Despite being arrested by U.S. Marshals in October 2019, Barklow was released pending further forensic testing. Subsequent analysis confirmed Barklow’s DNA and fingerprints matched those found on the gun and clothing in the duffel bag, which also contained Projansky’s blood.
After fleeing the United States two months post-arrest, Barklow was traced to Ecuador in early 2022. With the cooperation of federal and Peruvian officials, Chicago detectives coordinated his detention in Lima. Barklow is scheduled for a detention hearing following his extradition from Peru.
The case highlights the importance of persistence in cold case investigations and the impact of technological advancements in forensic analysis. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across borders have resulted in a breakthrough in a long-standing unsolved murder case.
