On the evening of November 29, 2024, a neighbor dispute in Rose Bud, Arkansas, ended with the fatal shooting of 54-year-old Gary Knight. White County deputies were called at 9:04 p.m. after Violet Holifield reported her fiancée had been shot at their County Line Road home. Knight was found outside with injuries consistent with two gunshot wounds and later died at Unity Health Hospital in Searcy; his death was ruled a homicide.

About 15 minutes after the initial 911 call, neighbor James Trenton Barley contacted dispatch and admitted involvement. Deputies detained him at his Lone Star Road residence and obtained a verbal statement. A search warrant on Barley’s property produced several firearms, ballistics, and other evidence. Barley was arrested and initially charged with first-degree murder; the prosecuting attorney later filed a negligent homicide charge. The defense asserted Barley acted in self-defense, alleging Knight had threatened and shot at him first, and claimed evidence pointed to someone else firing as well.

No trial verdict is reported; the dismissal of the charge came after the prosecutor said additional information raised reasonable-doubt issues. If anyone knew Gary Knight or witnessed the dispute that night, please share what you know with investigators.