Police have arrested a suspect in the 2008 double murder at a North Carolina beverage distribution company, nearly two decades after the killings. Johnny Steven Talbert, 43, was taken into custody in Port Angeles, Washington, on Thursday and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a firearm. The case involves the deaths of Donna Barnhardt, 59, and Darrell Noles, 44, who were shot at the Sun Drop Bottling Co. in Concord on June 13, 2008. Barnhardt was the company’s office manager, while Noles was applying for work at the time. The suspect allegedly stole money from the office before fleeing the scene.
The Concord Police Department described the arrest as a major cold case breakthrough, noting that investigators had pursued hundreds of tips over the years. Detectives reexamined evidence and pursued previously undeveloped leads, leading to Talbert’s identification. Concord police collaborated with the Port Angeles Police Department, which assisted in the arrest. Talbert is currently jailed without bond in Washington and awaits extradition to North Carolina.
The case had remained unsolved for years, with police releasing a composite sketch of a possible suspect in 2008. Investigators continued to submit evidence for testing as new technology became available. The Concord Police Department credited the arrest to meticulous reexamination of evidence and the pursuit of new leads. Talbert was arrested without incident and is now awaiting trial in North Carolina.