Reason First: The Route 40 Killer Part III- A Dedicated Step-father

Amateur sleuthing is frowned upon by professional law enforcement, and for good reason. Anything could turn deadly for the good guys. A wannabe investigator could be caught in a shootout and have to prove later they were acting in self-defense. Even if no bullets fly, an extremely concerned step-parent could get himself into trouble by inserting himself into the middle of an ongoing murder investigation.

Such was the case for Robert Barlow, whose on-again, off-again sex-worker step-daughter Margaret Lynn Finner had gone missing. Barlow just wanted to find her, so he went to Detective Jim Hedrick's office to find out if he was working the case. Hedrick was diligently working the case, but apparently Barlow felt the need to help. He continued his unofficial police work, at one point coming upon police officer Renee Lano working undercover and using a listening device to send audio messages back to another police officer.

Lano had trekked to the same location frequented by Ellis, DiMauro and Finner, and Barlow -- acting out of profound concern for his loved-one, and a hunch about where she might be -- almost blew her cover, and put his own life on the line in the process.

Thankfully, Barlow retired from his unauthorized undercover detective work when police developed a new lead pointing to a man driving a blue van, and reassured him they were hot on the trail.

It's easy to understand how Barlow could feel compelled to do what he'd done. Despite being her step-parent, he'd known Finner nearly her whole life, and he felt it was his responsibility to do whatever he could to ensure her safety or, failing that, see to it her body was found, and that her killer received justice.

Despite her waywardness, Barlow cared deeply about the girl, and believed she was just as deserving as anyone of second chances. However, despite being understandable, and admirable, his behavior almost thwarted his own objectives, and is not recommended in general.

Sadly, Finner's story does not have a happy ending. Despite her step-father's, and Hedrick's best efforts, she was not found alive. Still, Barlow's story is worth retelling because he exemplifies the rationally-selfish person willing to do everything in his power to take care of someone he cares about. Though he may have gone about it the wrong way, his mind was in the right place. He considered the risks, and chose to face them because that's what it took to defend his highest value: his family.

What makes his actions so heroic remain the fact that he possessed the impetus to go forward. He didn’t just sit back and twiddle his thumbs whistling Dixie. He could have just been passive and waited for the authorities to send him messages. No. He headed towards the department and demanded that Hedrick do his job because he knew that he was the key ingredient in the investigation. Though he may have been headstrong, his mind was in the right place. In such heinous cases that he had to be privy of prior to Finner’s disappearance, his thoughts had to be with her. Barlow did everything that he could to safeguard his step-daughter. This utter selfishness ought to be applauded. With his ability to overcome the fear of possibly being tracked by Pennell himself, Barlow stepped out on reason. His sense of protection went far beyond some fathers with their own flesh and blood children. So for him to go out and look for Finner, spend his time and gas money so that he could have his own peace of mind exemplifies a man undeterred by fear. By being so egoistic, Barlow went out of his way to be the man who sought to defend his family from the brutes of the world like Pennell.