By Brad Kellar
Cooper, TX –
A Wolfe City man, charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of his estranged wife six months ago, remains jailed in Delta County. No trial date has been set yet for Ricky Allen Barnett, whom authorities claim has admitted to killing Cynthia Ann Barnett, 32, a mother of five children, inside her Cooper home.
Hopkins County District Attorney Martin Braddy, whose jurisdiction also includes Delta and Rains counties, said there is no hurry in going to trial at this point. "We're still determining whether to seek the death penalty on him," Braddy said, adding "neither the prosecution or the defense are seeking a speedy trial at the moment. No one is really pressing the issue."
Barnett was alleged to have shot and killed Cynthia Barnett with a high powered rifle on the morning of June 24. He was arrested in Wolfe City and has since been indicted on one count of capital murder.
Braddy has said Barnett provided investigators with details about the killing, believed to have been the first murder in Delta County in more than a decade.
Capital murder is typically filed when the murder alleged is committed in connection with the commission of a second major felony, such as robbery, kidnapping, rape or another murder. Those convicted of capital murder face a sentence of life in prison or death by lethal injection. Braddy has said the enhancement offense in Barnett's case is burglary, as Barnett is alleged to have removed a window air conditioner and crawled into the residence through the resulting hole.