Man accused of murder believed he shot Trump

The Dryden man accused of killing a UPS driver in the parking lot of an Ithaca Walmart claimed in court Monday he believed he shot and killed President-elect Donald Trump.

Justin Barkley, 38, was in Tompkins County Court on Monday to plead guilty to the murder of 52-year-old Candor resident William Schumacher on Dec. 8 outside the Walmart store at 135 Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway in Ithaca. Judge John Rowley did not accept the plea following Barkley’s comments about Trump and adjourned the indictment to Jan. 6.

Rowley also ordered Barkley to be evaluated to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.

Prosecutors say the Dryden resident intentionally caused the death of Schumacher — the two men were strangers — early Dec. 8. Barkley was indicted last week in Tompkins County Court on felony counts of second-degree murder and menacing a police officer or peace officer.

After fleeing from the scene, 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.

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.

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.

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