By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-05-31 12:55:46 | Updated at 2026-06-08 23:00:50
1 week ago
An alleged double murderer hid in plain sight for more than 18 years despite being arrested 14 times and having 288 interactions with cops.
The 2008 murders of Donna Barnhardt, 59, and Darrell Noles, 44, at the Sun Drop Bottling Company has haunted the city of Concord in North Carolina as the killer remained at large.
But finally there has been a breakthrough as Concord Police announced this week that 43-year-old homeless man Johnny Steven Talbert was arrested 3,000 miles away in Port Angeles, Washington state, after investigators issued a warrant for his arrest on two counts of first-degree murder.
The city of Concord said in a statement that the break in the case, commonly known as the Sun Drop Murders, came after 'a meticulous reexamination of evidence and the pursuit of previously undeveloped leads, detectives uncovered critical information.' They did not elaborate further.
The Port Angeles Police Department wrote in a statement that the suspect's record showed approximately 288 contacts with Talbert officers since November 2011, including 14 arrests – two of which were felonies.
Talbert’s criminal history includes a conviction for harassment with threats to kill and harassment with a threat to bodily injury.
The felony harassment incident occurred at a coffee shop in Port Angeles. According to court documents viewed by Peninsula Daily News, a barista had given him water but then asked him to leave.
Talbert made a gun gesture with his hand and threatened to kill the barista and their family. He pleaded guilty on June 29, 2023, and was sentenced to three months in jail.
Johnny Steven Talbert is pictured in a mugshot. The Port Angeles Police Department said that Talbert's record showed approximately 288 contacts with him since November 2011, including 14 arrests
Talbert, 43, (pictured in a previous mugshot left) was arrested in connection with the 2008 murders at the Sundrop factory in Concord. A sketch (right) of the killer was widely circulated in September 2008
Talbert was arrested in connection with the deaths of 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt (right) and 44-year-old Darrell Noles (left)
On another occasion, on February 5, 2022, a Port Angeles Post Office employee reported a belligerent man who was threatening customers.
Police responded but could not find him. Then a little later a woman who was later identified as Talbert said he jumped in front of her, swore at her and threatened to rip out her throat and punch her. Talbert was arrested a short time later for felony harassment, according to court records.
In several cases, including as recently as January 16, 2025, forensic psychological evaluations state Talbert doesn’t possess the capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings against him, nor does he have the capacity to assist in his defense, the Peninsula Daily News reported.
The Sun Drop murders made national headlines after office manager Barnhardt and Noles, who was at the factory applying for a job, were shot in broad daylight around 10am on June 13, 2008. The gunman made off with just under $10,000 in the deadly robbery.
A composite sketch of the suspect was released in September 2008 and in May 2009 the murders featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted. An $85,000 cash reward was eventually offered to find the murderer.
News of the arrest brought back a 'rush of memories' for Errol Cooper, who told the Daily Mail he had been Noles' best friend since they were born.
'I was excited when I heard [news of the arrest]. It's something that we've prayed over a lot over the last 18 years.'
However, Cooper, a devout Christian, was not angry at Talbert and even empathized with the alleged killer.
Concord (pictured) has been rocked by the murders as cops failed to catch the killer for 18 years
A general view of the town of Concord shows government buildings
Talbert was placed into custody across the country in Port Angeles, Washington State, after investigators issued a warrant for his arrest on two counts of first-degree murder
'I was talking to a friend the other day about it. I can't imagine the way that man had to carry for those 18 years,' Cooper said.
'As a Christian, I believe our God has grace and mercy and redemption and justice. And it's our prayer that this young man experiences all four of those.'
Noles, who was a father of two and had two grandchildren, had recently been laid off from his job at a cable company and was looking for work at the plant when he was killed.
Errol described his friend as 'the prototypical country boy.'
'[Noles] loved hunting and fishing, spending time with friends,' added Cooper. 'Just a good man.'
'I was thinking about the last conversation I had with him. The last thing we told each other was that we loved each other. And that was just kind of, man, he was just a good man, a good friend.'
Officials said the suspect entered the factory and was only inside for a few minutes carrying out the rampage and stealing $9,905.42 in total from vending machine change and cash from the front office.
He reportedly stuffed money into a box, ran out, and was seen by several witnesses, including Noles' wife, who was waiting for him in the parking lot.
Police officers outside the Sun Drop factory in Concord where the murders took place is pictured
A cash reward of $85,000 was offered to find the murderer and the case was featured on the program America's Most Wanted in May 2009
Two unidentified people embrace outside the bottling plant on the day of the double murder
Concord Police this week said they had contacted Talbert shortly after the killings in 2008 but he then fled the state.
The breakthrough in the case came when Concord detective Jason Higgins was re-examining evidence in December and wrote to Port Angeles detective sergeant Joshua Powless asking if he was familiar with Talbert.
Powless wrote that he was through his own patrol encounters and because Talbert was frequently contacted by Port Angeles police.
'I checked local police records, which indicated Talbert was first contacted by Port Angeles Police in November 2011,' Powless wrote.
He later added: 'We see him daily. He’s part of the transient community here. Our patrol people are very familiar with him.'
Eventually Concord Police felt they had enough evidence to arrest him for murder and flew to Port Angeles on May 18. Talbert was arrested three days later.
Talbert made a court appearance on May 22 and has been held without bail in the Clallam County Jail in Washington. An extradition hearing has been set for June 12.
Victim Barnhardt had three children and five grandchildren and had been due to leave work at lunchtime on the day she was murdered to go to the beach with her family.
An aerial view of Concord in North Carolina shows the residential neighborhoods in the lush green area
Barnhardt (pictured right) was the office manager at the bottling company, and Noles was at the factory applying for a job when they were killed
The CEO of Sun Drop Bottling Company, John King, was at the beach already with his wife Connie when the shooting happened. The King family founded the company in 1954.
Barnhardt's granddaughter, Avery Valentine, spoke to WBTV on the 15th anniversary of her grandmother's killing.
'It's been 15 years this year, so it's been a long time without her,' said Valentine. 'It made it a little extra hard this year because I graduated from college, so not having her there for that made it a lot harder.
'Just realizing all the things she's going to miss and she already has missed makes it super hard. She's here in spirit, but she's not here physically, which makes it super hard.'
