WASHINGTON — Investigators identified on Monday the victim of a weekend homicide along Green Street Southeast as 32-year-old Cynthia Barringer, who a friend said was a mother and special police officer.
The victim was found around 4:15 pm on Sunday along the 2300 block of Green Street Southeast when firefighters arrived after a resident reported smelling smoke.
A fire was later reported inside an apartment and after extinguishing it, crews found Barringer suffering from "apparent thermal injuries."
However, after an autopsy was performed on Monday, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that she died from a gunshot wound.
Her death was ruled a homicide.
As of Monday night, investigators did not say if the fire was intentionally set.
Sade Wright, who runs the Wright Family Foundation and helps families impacted by violence, knew Barringer and said her children meant so much to her.
"It’s very heartbreaking because she was an excellent mom," Wright said. "She loved to go out but mainly she loved her children. She loved to work and she loved her children.”
After losing a loved one to violence in the past, Wright has focused on helping others by organizing tributes to violence victims and assisting their families in the aftermath of tragedy.
However, she said this most recent crime hit close to her heart.
"This case is kind of different. It hit close to home," she said. "To come to find out she was murdered, that’s unacceptable. To me, the person didn’t have a heart. If you were in her house, then you knew she had children.”
Wright had spoken to Barringer's family members on Monday and said a GoFundMe page to raise donations for Cynthia's funeral was still being put together.
Moving forward, she hoped police could quickly find whoever committed the crime.
"We need justice," Wright said. "Her children need justice.”
Investigators are offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest.
Anyone who may be able to help in the case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information can also be submitted to the department's text tip line by sending a text message to 50411.