She began a relationship with Church of Satan leader Anton LaVey in 1984 after he had separated from his companion of twenty-five years, Diane Hegarty.
It was at this time that Barton and Karla LaVey announced that they would run the Church of Satan as co-High Priestesses.
[5] Several days later Barton produced a hand written will claiming that LaVey had left all of his belongings, property, writings, and royalties, including the Church of Satan to be put in a trust, exclusively for Barton's son Satan Xerxes Carnacki LaVey (a.k.a.
Karla contested this will in San Francisco County Superior Court and it was judged to be invalid.
[8] In 1999 Barton led an unsuccessful campaign to raise $400,000 with which to repurchase the Black House, where many of the church's rites were performed.