ITHACA MURDER: Barkley indicted by grand jury
The man accused of killing a UPS driver in the parking lot of an Ithaca Walmart, running over the victim with a truck, then shooting at police officers has been indicted on two felony counts tied to the crime.
Justin Barkley, 38, was indicted Thursday in Tompkins County Court on felony counts of second-degree murder and menacing a police officer or peace officer. Prosecutors say the Dryden resident intentionally caused the death of 52-year-old Candor resident William Schumacher — the two men were strangers — early Dec. 8 outside the Walmart store at 135 Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway in Ithaca.
The grand jury added a new charge of menacing a police officer against Barkley as part of the indictment. Court papers say Barkley fired a "sound shot" from his rifle to keep law enforcement officers from coming after him, once he pulled into the driveway of his Dryden Road home. After a nearly eight-hour standoff, Barkley was taken into custody without a struggle and no injuries to himself or police.
According to the indictment, Barkley is accused of intentionally placing or trying to place an officer in "reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death by displaying a deadly weapon," while the officer was performing his or her official duties.
Barkley is being held in the Tompkins County jail and is expected to be arraigned in county court as a result of the indictment. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in state prison.
Schumacher was a seasonal UPS driver who had stopped to get something to eat during his overnight shift, according to Susan Rosenberg, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based package delivery company. He was about four weeks into his second stint as a seasonal driver of a tractor-trailer hauling packages between UPS processing hubs, she said.
A suspected motive in the crime remains undisclosed by law enforcement officials, though court records indicate Barkley confessed to the murder after being taken into custody.
ITHACA MURDER: Suspect confessed after shooting, records show
The homicide took place shortly before 1 a.m., and court papers describe a relatively quiet late night around the Walmart store, with some customers picking up merchandise or waiting in their cars, moments before they heard gunfire.
A 38-year-old witness recounted hearing a "loud crack or a pop" while scratching a phone card in the parking lot at about 12:52 a.m. Thursday. Court papers say that witness had been talking with the victim while in the Walmart cashier's line minutes earlier and at the time, Schumacher appeared to be in a good mood.
That same witness recounted for police the sight of Schumacher falling to his stomach after the gunshot and a pickup truck driver — allegedly Barkley — stick his head out the window and back up the vehicle over the victim, according to court papers.
"The (driver) in the truck did not appear to be in a hurry until after he ran over the guy on the ground, he rolled up his window and backed out of his parking spot like a normal customer," the witness told police.
The witness also recounted calling 911, seeing the victim's blood, and watching as police showed up "right away."
Court papers say the alleged murder weapon was believed to be a .30-06 rifle.
Cayuga Heights police and Tompkins County Sheriff's deputies identified Barkley's vehicle on Route 13 and followed it north not long after the killing.
Police tried stopping him at Route 13 and Dryden Road, officials said, but he turned onto Dryden Road and traveled a quarter-mile before pulling into a driveway and getting out with a long gun. He fired one round from the weapon before retreating into the residence.
A negotiator contacted the suspect directly via a robot inserted into the residence and Ithaca police credited that with helping ensure his safe capture.
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