CONCORD — The suspect wanted in connection with the 2008 murder of Donna Barnhardt and Darrell Noles, commonly known as the Sun Drop Murders, was extradited from Washington and taken into custody by the Concord Police Department on Monday.
The 43-year-old suspect, Johnny Steven Talbert, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He is currently being held in the Cabarrus County Jail without bond.
Following the arrest, Concord Police Chief Jimmy Hughes addressed the 18-year-old case.
“While nothing can take away the pain and heavy burden the families have carried for the last 18 years, today our community rests a little easier knowing that we have our suspect in custody and we are one step closer to bringing justice to Donna, Darrell, and their families,” Hughes said. “Our priority is the victims and their families, and our focus is on ensuring the case continues through the judicial system fairly and without compromise. We will continue to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time and will not be making additional comments and no further information will be released.”
In a release from May, Concord PD announced that investigators had obtained a warrant for Talbert’s arrest. He was arrested later that day in Port Angeles, Washington.
Sun Drop Murders
At approximately 10 a.m. on June 13, 2008, officers with Concord PD responded to a reported shooting inside the Sun Drop Bottling Company, located at 360 Old-Salisbury Concord Road near the intersection with Branchview Drive and Cabarrus Avenue. Responding officers located two gunshot wound victims, 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt, and 44-year-old Darrell Noles, who were pronounced dead at the scene. Barnhardt was the long-time office manager for the Sun Drop Bottling Company and Noles was there to apply for a job.
Detectives with Concord PD’s Criminal Investigation Division were called to investigate and spoke with multiple witnesses. Witnesses reported seeing a Black man with a slender build, approximately 5’7” to 6’ tall, and weighing approximately 170 to 180 pounds, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, leaving the scene on foot in the direction of Cabarrus Avenue.
Detectives believe the suspect shot and killed the victims and stole money from the front office before fleeing the scene.
Officers canvassed the area in the moments and hours that followed the incident, collecting additional evidence and statements. Based on witness descriptions, a composite sketch of the suspect was released in September 2008.
Despite thoroughly investigating hundreds of tips from the community, the case remained unsolved. In the years that followed, detectives with Concord PD continued to investigate and submit evidence for lab tests as technology evolved.
A break came in late 2025. Through a reexamination of evidence and the pursuit of previously undeveloped leads, detectives uncovered information that ultimately led to Talbert’s arrest.
Working with the Port Angeles Police Department, detectives from Concord PD traveled to Washington on May 18, 2026, for further investigation.
Concord PD would like to thank the Port Angeles Police Department and the community for their assistance throughout the decades-long investigation.
The families of Barnhardt and Noles were informed in May of Talbert’s arrest and the pending charges.
