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Original Cold As Life Vocalist Murder Suspect Arrested In Panama

After decades on the run, a suspect has been arrested in Panama for the 1993 murder of Rodney Barner, also known as Rawn Beauty, the original frontman for the Detroit hardcore band Cold As Life. Barner was a prominent figure in the Detroit

·May 14, 2026·via Stereogum
Original Cold As Life Vocalist Murder Suspect Arrested In Panama

Rodney Barner, who went by the stage name Rawn Beauty, was the original frontman for Cold As Life, the legendarily chaotic and tough Detroit hardcore band. In the late '80s and early '90s, Barner was a larger-than-life presence on the Detroit punk scene. In 1993, he was murdered, shot to death in his sleep at the age of 23. Richard Werstine, Barner's friend and roommate, was arrested for the murder, and he failed to appear for his trial. For decades, Werstine lived as a fugitive, evading authorities. Now, Werstine has finally been taken into custody after being arrested at a dog park in Panama City, Panama.

The post Man Arrested In Panama For Cold As Life Vocalist’s Murder After Decades On The Run appeared first on Stereogum .

_Originally reported by [Stereogum](https://stereogum.com/2498995/man-arrested-in-panama-for-cold-as-life-vocalists-murder-after-decades-on-the-run/news/)._

Source Attribution

This story is summarized from coverage by Stereogum.

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