North Carolina police arrest suspect in nearly 20-year-old double killing at a beverage distribution company
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Johnny Steven Talbert, 43, was arrested in Washington state for the 2008 double murder and robbery at Sun Drop Bottling Co. in Concord, North Carolina, nearly 20 years after the crime.
- Talbert faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a firearm related to the killing of Donna Barnhardt, the office manager, and Darrell Noles, a job applicant.
- The case went cold for years despite hundreds of community tips, but a reexamination of evidence and new leads led to Talbert’s arrest in May 2025.
- Talbert was taken into custody without incident and is awaiting extradition to North Carolina, where he will face trial; the investigation remains ongoing with police seeking additional information.
- Concord Police thanked the Port Angeles Police Department and the community for their support and have informed the victims’ families of the arrest and charges.