Cold case suspects to appear in court
Published 1:20 am Saturday, September 27, 2014
Three of four suspects in a cold case are set to appear in court on Oct. 6.
According to court files, Eugene W. Black, Sandra E. Lynn and Sheila Williams will appear before Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan.
Black will appear on a motion to produce psychiatric history and a motion to consolidate, while Lynn and Williams will appear for a motion to consolidate.
Attorney Peter Bush will represent Black; Meredith Peters will represent Lynn and David Baker will represent Williams.
A Covington County grand jury indicted the trio, along with Shelia Brooks, in December 2013 for a 20-year-old murder of Heath convenience store owner James “Nibby” Barton.
Barton was found dead inside his store located on Hwy 29 North from a single gunshot wound to his chest on May 2, 1994.
Black was charged with murder, robbery I, burglary III, domestic violence/harassment and violation of parole and was held on a $2.55 million bond.
Williams and Brooks, who has since died, were charged with murder and robbery I and were held on a $1 million bond.
Lynn was charged with murder and first-degree robbery, as well as one count of negotiating a worthless instrument in a separate case. She was held on a $1.003 million bond.
In May, it was announced that Black’s trial was tentatively scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 20.
Black is currently being held at Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery due to a parole violation unrelated to the murder investigation.