Barry Seal was one of the most notorious drug smugglers and traffickers of the 1980s, known for running cocaine and other contraband for the Medellín Cartel. But while Seal met a violent end in 1986, gunned down by contract killers at age 46, less is known about what became of his wife, Debbie Seal, and their three children after his death.
Background on Barry Seal’s Smuggling Career
Barry Seal’s life was shrouded in crime, intrigue, and deception. He began smuggling as a commercial airline pilot in the 1960s, secretly transporting Cuban cigars before expanding into more illicit cargo like marijuana and cocaine. By the early 1980s, Seal was a top operative for the Medellín Cartel, using his flying skills to traffic billions of dollars worth of drugs into the United States.
Seal’s undercover exploits included:
- Smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Florida, Louisiana, and Arkansas
- Running guns for the Contras rebel groups in Nicaragua
- Acting as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Getting embroiled in the Iran-Contra scandal due to his role in the arms-for-drugs trade
The law eventually caught up with Seal in 1984 when he was indicted for smuggling charges. Facing 10 years in prison, Seal made a deal to become an official DEA informant, helping bring down top cartel leaders and even testifying in several major drug trials. But his cooperation with authorities angered his Colombian bosses.
The Assassination of Barry Seal
On February 19, 1986, Barry Seal arrived at the Salvation Army halfway house he was staying at in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As he parked his white Cadillac, several Colombian hitmen approached and opened fire with automatic weapons and a MAC-10 submachine gun. Seal was struck multiple times and died on the scene.
The brazen murder was ordered by Medellín kingpin Pablo Escobar as retaliation against Seal for informing on the cartel’s operations. Colombian assassins had stalked Seal across multiple states before finally catching up with him in Baton Rouge.
Seal’s high-profile career and killing made him legendary in smuggling lore. But his lavish criminal lifestyle had severe consequences for those closest to him.
Barry Seal’s Wife and Family
Barry Seal married his wife Debbie in the 1960s, and the couple had three children together – Aaron, Dean, and Christina. On the surface they lived an average middle-class life in Louisiana, but behind the scenes, Seal’s drug riches supported them in luxury.
When Seal became a DEA informant in 1984, he, Debbie, and their kids were relocated to Mena, Arkansas for protection. But after Barry’s murder in 1986, the tragic realities came crashing down on his family.
Despite her husband’s illegal fortune, Debbie struggled to access assets and cash after his death. She sued Seal’s employer, the DEA regional office, for negligence in allowing the hit on their informant. The case was settled in 1989, with Debbie receiving a reported $350,000 payout.
What Happened to Barry Seal’s Wife Debbie?
For Debbie Seal, the years after her husband’s death were filled with both grief and fear. She changed her name to Deborah Dubois and moved her family out of Louisiana to escape any potential threats from Seal’s powerful Colombian enemies.
Debbie remarried twice in the 1990s, finding comfort in starting a new life away from the trauma and stigma. But the strain of her experiences ultimately took a toll. Debbie Dubois died in 2007 at the age of 60 from lupus and kidney disease.
Where Are Barry Seal’s Children Today?
For Barry and Debbie Seal’s three children, picking up the pieces after their father’s murder wasn’t easy.
- Aaron Seal – The eldest son became a commercial airline pilot, following in his dad’s aviation footsteps. He changed his name to Aaron Barr and currently flies for a major US carrier.
- Dean Seal – The middle child has reportedly changed his name and started over with a new identity, keeping a very low profile. His current whereabouts are unknown.
- Christina Seal – Barry’s only daughter also retreated from public life after the upheaval of her childhood. She eventually moved to the Northwest U.S. and raised a family.
For all three Seal kids, the legacy of their notorious father continues to haunt them decades later. The family’s story is both tragic and cautionary as a consequence of Seal’s dangerous criminal misdeeds.
The Broader Impact on the Seal Family
Beyond his widow and kids, Barry Seal’s exploits reverberated through his extended family as well. The stigma and notoriety made life difficult for many relatives:
- Some changed their last names to distance themselves from the connection.
- Seal’s parents moved to a remote town and lived reclusively.
- Family members were subject to harassment, media scrutiny, and ugly allegations.
- The thriving family business, Seal Aviation, collapsed after Barry’s murder.
Debbie Seal summed it up after Barry’s death, stating “Every single member of his family was affected by this case […] Our lives will never be the same.”
Lessons from Debbie Seal’s Journey
Debbie Seal’s experience stands as a cautionary tale on the steep price paid by the families of criminals like Barry Seal. As his wife, she lived a dichotomy between a seemingly normal domestic life and the deadly consequences of her husband’s international drug trafficking.
After Seal’s murder, Debbie was left to grapple with:
- Raising and supporting three young children alone
- Protecting them from potential harm or stigma
- Coping with grief, fear, and the traumatic loss of her husband
- Fighting for some measure of financial security
- Starting a new life under the shadow of Barry’s legacy
Debbie Seal’s story highlights the innocent toll that high-level criminal activities can take, rippling out in ways unforeseen. For the wife of a notorious smuggler, her road after Barry’s death was filled with difficulties most of us will thankfully never encounter.
Conclusion
The life and exploits of drug smuggler Barry Seal have become the stuff of legend. But while Seal met a violent end, the untold story is the aftermath suffered by his family. For his widow Debbie and their three children, Seal’s murder was a tragedy from which they never fully recovered. Debbie Seal’s journey as the wife of an infamous kingpin serves as a stark reminder that crime and deception inevitably claim many more victims than just the perpetrator.
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