Deputies look for clues in deaths of store owner, wife

By Donna Swicegood

A popular store owner and his wife were shot to death in their home sometime Thursday night or Friday morning.

Don Allen Barker Sr., 62, and his wife, Sue Jenkins Barker, 63, were found dead inside their home at 828 White's Farm Road, less than two miles from the store he operated for many years.

George Mooe, an employee of the store, called 911 just before 7 a.m. Friday after going to check on Barker, who should have arrived to open Barker's Grocery at 6 a.m.

Mooe said he went to the house, but it was dark and he couldn't see anything. He called Barker's son, Allen, and asked him if he had a key to the house.

"I told him his dad wasn't at work and his parents weren't answering the door," Mooe said.

Mooe went back to the store and returned to the house with Barker's niece. Then, he said, "I saw Don laying in there."

The Iredell County Sheriff's Office responded to find both of the Barkers dead.

Chief Rick Dowdle said Don Barker was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Thursday when he left his store, headed for home.

He said that he wasn't sure when Sue Barker, a retired teacher, was last seen alive. Sonny Davis, who attends church with the Barkers, said Sue had been at Rose Chapel United Methodist Church on Thursday, helping prepare for a yard sale.

Dowdle said early indications are that the Barkers were each shot once, probably with a handgun. An autopsy is scheduled today at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

"There's no signs of forced entry," Dowdle said. "There's nothing that jumped out at us that was missing; no signs of ransacking."

Authorities roped off the area around Barker's store. Deputies are seeking evidence that might be connected to the murder.

"It was his place of business, and we're preserving the scene in case there is evidence that might lead us to what happened," he said.

There had been reports that Barker had an altercation with someon at the store Thursday after some cigarettes were stolen.

Dowdle said detectives have not been able to confirm that.

"It wasn't reported to us," he said.

This was not the first time Barker had been the victim of violence. On Nov. 14, 2002, he was shot during a robbery at his store, and in March 2003, he was robbed at his home.

Mooe said the previous shooting was one of hte reasons he felt uneasy when Barker didn't arrive at work Friday morning.

"After he got shot, we all started keeping an eye on him," Mooe said.

He said that he had worked for Barker for about a year, managing a mobile-home park near the store.

"He was like a father to a lot of people," he said.

Lowell Harmon, who is married to Sue Barker's sister, Shirley, said he was privileged to have known the couple.

"We were truly blessed," he said Friday afternoon as he came by the store. "They will be missed."

Barbara Taylor, whose son Robert helped Barker in the store, said she spent a lot of time at the store, lending support to her son.

"They were good people," she said. "We loved Don and Sue."