PEGGS man arrested in death of Mayes County woman

PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ Law officers arrested a Peggs man in the death of a friend's wife early Friday. <br><br>Darrell Barnes, 44, was taken into custody without incident early Friday at his rural Mayes

Saturday, June 30th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PRYOR, Okla. (AP) _ Law officers arrested a Peggs man in the death of a friend's wife early Friday.

Darrell Barnes, 44, was taken into custody without incident early Friday at his rural Mayes County home. Special District Judge Gary J. Dean denied bond for Barnes during an arraignment Friday afternoon.

Prosecutors charged Barnes with first-degree murder in the March 4 death of Cheryl Thompson.

Barnes had been raccoon hunting with Thompson's husband, Willie Ray, the night she was found shot to death in her bed, records show.

Mayes County Sheriff Frank Cantey said Barnes had been a prime suspect since the shooting occurred, but it took four months for his arrest and charges to come.

District Attorney Gene Haynes declined to file charges in the case earlier, saying the evidence was circumstantial.

Thompson's family hired a private investigator to find additional information for Haynes' office to consider.

``That, and the fact that additional material witnesses came forward to corroborate evidence already presented is what swung the D.A.,'' Cantey said.

Cantey said his department's investigation is not complete and other arrests may be made.