He received 35 years for 2nd-degree murder.
Frederick, Md (KM). A plea was entered on Wednesday in Frederick County Circuit Court by a man who killed his father. Garrett Barker, 19, of Frederick pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence. Judge Bill Nicklas sentenced Barker to 50- years in prison, with all but 35 years suspended. He will also be placed on five years of supervised probation after his release.
State’s Attorney Charlie Smith calls it “a substantial sentence, but a terrible case.”
On July 11th, 2016, Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to 8013 Runnymeade Drive to investigate reports of a suicide. Garrett Barker called 911 and said his father, Kevin Barker, had just killed himself. He said his father had ALS and only had several more years to live. “Deputies responded and located the body of the victim, his dad, Kevin Barker. He was deceased in a chair, had an apparent gunshot wound to the head. The deputies recovered .380 Ruger semi-automatic pistol and one fired cartridge case. It looked like a suicide,” says Smith.
The Sheriff’s Office closed the case after determining it was a suicide.
But Smith says the case was reopened after evidence was discovered by the Barker family. He says Garrett Barker admitted to detectives that he shot and killed his father, Kevin Barker. “The defendant thought his father wanted to pull the trigger, and he also feared the victim would shoot him. He gave several stories and excuses for why this occurred,” says Smith. “But he layer confessed in an interview that he shot his father out of anger. When his eyes were closed, he placed the gun in his hand before leaving the room to call 911.”
Smith also says Garrett Barker placed a fake will on Kevin Barker’s laptop which left all of the victim’s belongings to the defendant.
“It’s a pretty cold blooded killing which is very sad given the fact that this is a father-son relationship here, and the son was actually living in the residence,” Smith says.
By Kevin McManus