On the morning of Saturday, October 8, 1994, three people were found shot to death in a rural Butts County, Georgia home: 70-year-old Erner Barkley, his 75-year-old brother Eugene Barkley, and 10-year-old Justin Davis. Concerned family members who could not reach the Barkleys went to the house and discovered the scene; the residence appeared to have been ransacked.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assisted the Butts County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement identified a suspect known to the family and developed evidence indicating the killings followed an apparent robbery. Charges filed included three counts of malice murder and related offenses tied to the alleged theft.

The trial record shows the prosecution presented forensic and testimonial evidence and the jury returned guilty verdicts, followed by sentencing. The deaths devastated a close-knit community, especially with the loss of a child.

If anyone knew the Barkley family or has information about that October 1994 crime, please share what you remember.