Police say murder suspect takes own life

NASHVILLE, Ark. — The search for Howard County murder suspect Tony Barnes ended Saturday afternoon, with Barnes apparently taking his own life, according to the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.

The Howard County Sheriff’s Office started receiving calls at noon Saturday that Barnes’ vehicle was seen traveling from the Newhope area on Highway 369, south towards his home on Muddy Fork Road.

An arrest warrant for first-degree murder had been issued late Friday for Barnes in connection with the Friday morning shooting death of Betty

Burgess, 50, at her home in Umpire, Arkansas.

After getting phone calls Saturday, deputies and other officers from several agencies started to arrive on Muddy Fork Road near the suspect’s house and learned that he had arrived at his house just a few minutes prior to law enforcement, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

Officers positioned themselves around the house and property and learned Barnes was near a pond bank on his property nearby. Officers moved to where they could see Barnes and noticed he had a long gun, which was determined to be a shotgun. Officers safely positioned themselves to make contact with Barnes and continued to watch him.

At approximately 1:10 p.m., officers heard a single gunshot and cautiously approached Barnes, discovering that that he had used the shotgun to kill himself.

Sheriff Bryan McJunkins expressed thanks to the Nashville Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Pike County Sheriff’s

Office, 9th Judicial Drug Task Force and Arkansas Game and Fish for assisting in the investigation and search.

“The Howard County Sheriff’s Office extends our sympathy and prayers to the families of Betty Burgess and Tony Barnes during this senseless tragedy,” McJunkins said.