The Rebecca Barker case is a Texas murder prosecution in which Rebecca Barker was convicted of shooting her 76-year-old husband, Jerry Barker, inside their Cherokee County home in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison. What drew national attention was a near-identical shooting from her past: in 1996 she had shot a previous husband seated in his own recliner, survived prosecution with a six-month jail term, and gone on to marry again.
The 2014 Shooting of Jerry Barker
On the evening of February 26, 2014, Rebecca Barker shot Jerry Lee Barker with a Ruger .357 revolver inside their home near Rusk, Texas. Jerry, 76, was found dead in his easy chair with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.1KLTV. East Texas Woman Sentenced to Life for Killing Husband An autopsy put the shot within three feet and found the wounds consistent with him having been asleep.2Oxygen. Rebecca Barker Shoots and Kills Husband Jerry
Rebecca waited roughly an hour before calling 911, a gap investigators later flagged after pulling her phone records. She first told authorities she and Jerry had been arguing about a store they owned in Dialville and that he had pushed her “to my limit.” From jail, she changed the account, calling the shooting an accident involving intoxication; toxicology showed Jerry’s blood alcohol level was minimal.2Oxygen. Rebecca Barker Shoots and Kills Husband Jerry She confessed to Cherokee County Sheriff’s investigators and was charged with first-degree murder, with bond set at $500,000.3Tyler Morning Telegraph. Cherokee County Woman Charged With First-Degree Murder of Her Husband
What Prosecutors Said Drove the Killing
Prosecutors argued the motive was money. In October 2013, Jerry had granted Rebecca power of attorney over his affairs, along with a non-relative named Tammy Reil. Investigators believed Rebecca killed him to inherit the couple’s assets rather than split them in a divorce, which Jerry had recently told family members he intended to pursue.2Oxygen. Rebecca Barker Shoots and Kills Husband Jerry
Jerry’s children described a pattern of isolation in the months before the shooting. They said Rebecca had tried to cut Jerry off from his family and had once warned, “You come on our property and we will shoot you.”2Oxygen. Rebecca Barker Shoots and Kills Husband Jerry They had grown alarmed by his sudden physical decline, saying he was “shaking like a rag” and suspecting he was being over-medicated, and their worries prompted a wellness check by Adult Protective Services.4KLTV. Investigation Reveals Cherokee County Murder Suspect Has Tried to Kill Before
The 1996 Shooting of John Osborne
Jerry Barker was not the first husband Rebecca shot. On April 15, 1996, while going by Rebecca Lynn Osborne, she shot her then-husband John Osborne in his Liberty County home as he sat in a recliner. The bullet passed through the back of the chair, through the back of his neck, and out his jaw. A daughter was reportedly in the home. Osborne survived.5KLTV. East Texas Woman Allegedly Shot Two of Her Husbands
A restraining order followed the next day, and she was indicted for attempted murder that September. The case ended in a plea deal after Osborne himself asked that she not be sent to prison, saying he wanted her to get help for alcohol abuse. She served 180 days in jail with credit for time served, paid a fine, received deferred adjudication, and was ordered into anger management, substance abuse treatment, and psychological counseling.4KLTV. Investigation Reveals Cherokee County Murder Suspect Has Tried to Kill Before She violated her probation in 2004.5KLTV. East Texas Woman Allegedly Shot Two of Her Husbands
The parallel between the two cases was hard to miss. Both husbands were shot while seated in a chair inside their own home. Jerry Michael Barker, Jerry’s son, said publicly that his father’s killer had already been given a second chance and that her history of violence against a spouse had not kept the marriage from going forward.4KLTV. Investigation Reveals Cherokee County Murder Suspect Has Tried to Kill Before
Guilty Plea, Life Sentence, and Appeal
In October 2014, Rebecca Barker waived her right to a jury trial and pleaded guilty to murder in the 2nd District Court of Cherokee County, but asked that a jury decide her punishment.6KLTV. Cherokee County Woman Charged With Husband’s Murder Waives Right to Jury Trial On November 14, 2014, the jury deliberated for roughly 30 minutes before sentencing her to life in prison and a $10,000 fine.1KLTV. East Texas Woman Sentenced to Life for Killing Husband
She appealed to the Twelfth Court of Appeals of Texas. Her appellate attorney filed an Anders brief, telling the court that after reviewing the record there were no arguable grounds for appeal, and moved to withdraw. The court conducted its own independent review, agreed, granted the withdrawal, and affirmed the trial court’s judgment on February 10, 2016.7Justia. Rebecca Lynn Barker v. The State of Texas, No. 12-14-00345-CR
Barker remains in prison. She becomes eligible for parole in 2044, at age 82.2Oxygen. Rebecca Barker Shoots and Kills Husband Jerry