Former detective testifies on lost evidence in 1982 murder trial

The Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro, TN)
BYLINE: NEWS01, MARK BELL,

Rutherford County, TN

A former detective and current patrol sergeant for the Sheriff's Office was called as a defense witness Tuesday to testify on missing evidence in a 1982 murder case.

Randy McFarlin, also known as Mac Ray MacFarlane is on trial for the 1982 killing of Errastus Gene Stump, who was found murdered near Lamar Road and Percy Priest Lake in Northeastern Rutherford County in April 1982.

Charles Barnes, a former detective and current patrol sergeant at the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, testified that he was assigned to the McFarlin case in 1996 but was unable to find some physical evidence in the case that was supposed to be stored at the Sheriff's Office.

Defense Attorney Luke Evans asked if he took witness statements from Donna Burroughs, McFarlin's ex-wife, and other witnesses in the case. Barnes replied that he did and that they had trouble remembering certain facts about the case.

Evans asked if, at some point, he said during an interview with a witness: "The fact of the matter is if you didn't see anything in 1982, you are not going to remember what happened are you?"

Barnes, who said he couldn't recall the statement, later replied that if it is a recorded statement, then he would not deny saying it.

Evans then asked Barnes if physical evidence is important in cases.

Barnes said some evidence is important but other evidence can be unimportant in other circumstances.

Evans pointed out that Barnes never made an arrest in the case and that "important physical evidence" has disappeared in the case.

On cross, District Attorney Bill Whitesell asked Barnes if he recalled reviewing physical evidence in the case, including the skull of Gene Stump.

"That would be physical evidence in the case, correct," Whitesell asked. Barnes replied that it would be physical evidence and that he did review it.

Whitesell then pointed out other physical evidence in the case that is still in existence, but asked Barnes if the evidence that is lost might have helped McFarlin.

He replied "not to my knowledge."

- Mark Bell, 615-278-5153

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