Arrest made in 2008 ‘Sun Drop Murders’ after nearly 18 years

Concord police charge Washington state man with two counts of first-degree murder in long-unsolved double homicide at bottling plant.

After nearly 18 years, the Concord Police Department says it has identified and arrested a suspect in the 2008 double homicide at the Sun Drop Bottling Company, a case long known locally as the “Sun Drop Murders.”

Police announced in a news release Monday night that 43-year-old Johnny Steven Talbert of Port Angeles, Washington, was arrested May 21 by the Port Angeles Police Department without incident.

Talbert has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a firearm or other dangerous weapon in connection with the June 13, 2008 killings of Donna Barnhardt and Darrell Noles inside the Sun Drop Bottling Company on Old Salisbury-Concord Road.

According to Concord police, Talbert is being held without bond in the Clallam County Jail while awaiting extradition to Concord.

At approximately 10 a.m. on June 13, 2008, Concord officers responded to a reported shooting at the Sun Drop Bottling Company near the intersection of Branchview Drive and Cabarrus Avenue.

When officers arrived, they discovered two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Police said 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt, the company’s longtime office manager, and 44-year-old Darrell Noles, who had reportedly been at the business to apply for a job, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said witnesses at the time reported seeing a Black male with a slender build, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, leaving the area on foot toward Cabarrus Avenue shortly after the shooting.

Detectives believed the suspect killed the victims before stealing money from the company’s front office and fleeing the scene.

In the hours following the shooting, officers canvassed the surrounding area and collected evidence and witness statements. A composite sketch of the suspect was later released in September 2008.

The case had generated national attention over the years, including a feature on America’s Most Wanted in 2009, according to Peninsula Daily News, which reported Talbert’s arrest. Authorities also previously offered a reward that eventually grew to $85,000.

According to court records reported by the Peninsula Daily News, Noles’ wife was waiting in the parking lot while he was inside applying for a job.

Court records cited by the newspaper indicate that approximately $9,905.42 was stolen during the robbery.

Despite years of investigation and hundreds of tips from the public, the case remained unsolved for nearly two decades.

Police said the investigation gained new momentum in late 2025 after detectives reexamined evidence and pursued previously undeveloped leads.

Concord detectives first contacted the Port Angeles Police Department about Talbert on Dec. 19, 2025. Detectives later traveled to Port Angeles on May 18, 2026, as part of the investigation.

According to the Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles police said Talbert had previously been contacted by officers in the city dating back to 2011.

The newspaper reported that Port Angeles Detective Sgt. Joshua Powless identified Talbert using both Washington state and North Carolina identification cards, along with a photograph provided by Concord investigators. Court records stated Talbert’s name, date of birth and physical description matched the information listed on the warrant.

In court documents, Powless also described Talbert as a potential flight risk, noting that Port Angeles is approximately 2,900 miles from Concord.

Talbert made his first appearance in Clallam County Superior Court on Friday, where a judge ordered him held for 30 days pending extradition proceedings. A status hearing is scheduled for June 12.

Police said the families of Barnhardt and Noles have been notified of the arrest and pending charges.

“This remains an active investigation and to protect the integrity of the case and pursuit of justice for Donna and Darrell, no further information will be released,” the department stated.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Concord Police Department at 704-920-5000 or Cabarrus Area Crime Stoppers at 704-93-CRIME.