Miller County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas
End of Watch: Saturday, March 31, 1984
Age: 46
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 31, 1984
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Sheriff Charles Barnes was shot and killed execution-style after stopping to investigate a vehicle parked on the side of Holly Springs Road in Miller County off Highway 196.
As he talked to the three occupants one of them stated he had to use the bathroom. Deputy Barnes told the man to step to the edge of the woods so he remained in sight. The other two suspects then distracted Deputy Barnes as the third one went back to the car and retrieved a rifle.
The three overpowered Deputy Barnes put him on his knees and then shot him. The suspects then stole his patrol car. He was found by another deputy who responded to the scene after Deputy Barnes failed to answer radio calls.
One of the suspects, who had been released from prison three weeks earlier, was shot and killed in a shootout with other law enforcement officers the following day in Texas. Two youths were arrested. One youth, age 17, was found guilty of Capital Murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. That sentence was overturned a year later. The other youth was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years.
Deputy Barnes had served with the Miller County Sheriff's Office for two years and as a reserve deputy for eight years. He was survived by his wife, son, mother, and brother.