February 19, 1986

Barry Seal, who had been accused of smuggling the drug methaqualone in 1985 and had moved his fleet of airplanes from Louisiana to Mena (Polk County), was murdered by three Colombians in the parking lot of a Salvation Army halfway house in Baton Rouge, where he was serving a probation sentence. After his drug conviction, he had cooperated with authorities by photographing members of the Medillin Cartel loading cocaine onto his plane. His cover was blown by an article in the Washington Times, most likely leading to his death. His cargo plane, The Fat Lady, which was serviced in Mena, had been shot down in Nicaragua while delivering ammunition and supplies to the Contras for Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, who had known Seal.