Barry Seal Death: How Did He Die?

Adler Berriman “Barry” Seal was a commercial airline pilot in the United States who transitioned into a significant drug smuggler working closely with the Medellín Cartel. After Seal faced conviction on smuggling-related charges, he took on a role as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and provided crucial testimony in numerous high-profile drug-related trials.

Seal’s life came to a tragic end through a fatal shooting. On the evening of February 19, 1986, he was gunned down in front of the Salvation Army Center, just three weeks into his probation. To learn more about the intricate details of this incident, and get to know about his married life, we will explore Seal’s story extensively in this article.

Barry Seal: From Drug Smuggling To A Tragic Death

Barry Seal’s life took a dramatic turn when he transitioned from a TWA pilot to a notorious drug smuggler. He began with small-scale cannabis trafficking in 1976 but quickly escalated to cocaine in 1978, eventually becoming a key player in the deadly Medellin Cartel. After his arrest and conviction, Seal struck a deal with the DEA in 1984, becoming an informant and aiding in their fight against the North American drug trade.

However, his role as an informant was compromised due to a White House leak in 1984, endangering his life. He was subsequently assassinated by Medellin Cartel members in 1986, ending a lucrative but perilous life of crime. Seal’s smuggling ventures earned him as much as $1.3 million per flight, and his lifetime earnings were estimated at around $60 million, though much of it was spent on legal battles. Keep reading for more.

Denial Of Clemency For Assassin Who Killed Drug Informer In 1986

Decades have passed since the murder of Barry Seal, who was killed in a hail of machine gun fire outside a halfway house in Baton Rouge. Three Colombian individuals were charged with his murder, and the trial was relocated to Lake Charles due to excessive publicity. Ultimately, all three were convicted of first-degree murder for Seal’s death, as he had ties to the notorious Medellin cartel.

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Recently, in last month of September 2023, one of the convicted individuals, Luis Carlos Quintero-Cruz, also known as the trigger man in Seal’s murder, sought clemency from the Louisiana Pardon and Parole Board. During the hearing, with the assistance of a translator, Quintero-Cruz expressed remorse for taking Barry Seal’s life and emphasized his conduct record in prison as evidence of his rehabilitation.

Barry Seal’s Love Life And Marriages

Barry Seal had a colorful love life with three marriages over the course of his tumultuous career. His second marriage, to Lynn Ross, was short-lived, lasting only from 1971 to 1972, and they did not have any children together. Before Lynn, Barry was married to Barbara Dodson from 1963 to 1971, a union that produced two children, Adler Seal and Lisa Seal Frigon.

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However, details about the reasons for the end of this marriage and Barbara’s subsequent life remain shrouded in mystery. Finally, his third and longest-lasting marriage was to Deborah DuBois, whom he wed in 1973 and remained married to until his murder in 1986. Together, they had three children: Dean, Aaron, and Christina Seal. While details about Deborah and her children’s lives post-Barry Seal’s death are scarce, their marriage was marked by her apparent unawareness of his criminal activities, as Barry presented himself as an airplane broker to her.