Media

Deputies Charge Two in Lakeland Murder-Third Suspect Was Shot by Deputies Last Week

Release Date: November 29, 2006

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office detectives charged two people last night for breaking into a Lakeland home recently and killing the home owner. The two people arrested say the third person involved was the man shot by Sheriff’s Deputies last week.

Barry Austin Schewe	Stephen Busby	Sara Johnson

Investigators say Stephen Busby, 27, and Sara Johnson, 24, both of Memphis, admitted they were at Archie Barkley’s home on Canada Road a couple of weeks ago when he was shot to death.  Johnson and Busby had been arrested by Deputies this past Sunday night for questioning regarding several burglaries in Memphis, Shelby County, Bartlett and Southaven, Mississippi.

During questioning last evening, Busby told investigators he and Barry Schewe (pronounced SHOE), broke into Barkley’s home at 4030 Canada Road about 10 o’clock on the morning of November 17th.

After breaking into the home, the two tied Barkley with duct tape.  When Barkley tried to escape through the front door, he was shot twice.  He died at the scene.  Barkley’s parents later discovered his body that afternoon.

During the burglary and murder, Johnson said she remained outside and drove the getaway car.

Sheriff’s Deputies from various Sheriff’s Office bureaus, along with officers from the Bartlett, Memphis and Southaven, Mississippi Police Departments, had been working around the clock to develop a list of possible suspects.

Investigators had linked Schewe with the crime.  On November 21, Deputies tracked him to the Memphis Inn on American Way.  As Deputies with the Street Crimes Unit confronted Schewe outside of his motel room, Schewe pointed a gun at the officers who then shot and killed him.

Inside the motel room Deputies found items taken in several area burglaries along with a loaded machine gun.

Stephen Busby and Sara Johnson have both been charged with First Degree Murder in the Perpetration of a Robbery.  They remain in custody without bond. Deputies say the investigation regarding Busby and Johnson’s involvement in the other area burglaries is continuing.