2 years later, Sun Drop killer still at large

CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday will mark two years since two people were shot and killed at the Sun-Drop Bottling Co. in Concord.

The company held a private ceremony Friday in honor of 44-year-old Darrel Noles and 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt. Both were killed during a robbery at the company, which is located off Branchview Drive, on June 13, 2008.

Click here to see a map of the area around the company.

Noles was applying for a job at Sun-Drop around 10 a.m. that day when police say a man walked into the business and robbed it. He shot Noles and Barnhardt, who had worked at the company for 18 years, and then escaped.

No arrests have been made in the case, but police said they are still actively investigating the case and continue to follow leads.

"[It's] very hard for the victims' families and for the community," Concord Police Chief Merl Hamilton said. "But for us, it's not really frustrating. It's just a sign that we need to work harder and we need to push harder."

SLIDESHOW: 2 Years Later, Sun-Drop Killer Still At Large

The case captured attention in the Charlotte area and across the country. In May 2009, the crime was even featured on "America's Most Wanted." For more on the episode that aired, click here.

“How terrible a tragedy it was for the family and everybody in Concord,” Concord resident Roger Horton said.

In the time since the shootings, Sun Drop has upped its security, adding surveillance cameras, an intercom, a fence and a more secure waiting room.

On the day of the shootings, an employee said he heard gunshots and ran into the front office, where he saw Noles and Barnhardt on the floor. The employee reported seeing a man running toward Branchview Drive carrying what looked like a cash box.

Dozens of police officers set up a perimeter in the area immediately after the shootings and used dogs and helicopters to search for the shooter, but could not find him.

Family members of the victims and volunteers have worked with police in the investigation, passing out thousands of fliers featuring a sketch of a person of interest.

Police said the sketch was created based on a description from a witness who saw a man trying to get into the locked Sun-Drop building an hour before the robbery and shootings. Several witnesses who saw a man running from the company seconds after the shootings said the sketch looked like him, officers said.

There is an $85,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Cabarrus County Crime Stoppers at 704-93-CRIME.

Previous Stories: June 14, 2009: Employees Struggle With Sun-Drop Shootings One Year Later April 22, 2009: 'America's Most Wanted' To Feature Deadly Sun-Drop Plant Shootings September 8, 2008: Concord Police Release Sketch In Sun-Drop Slayings Case June 20, 2008: Police Continue To Track Leads As Mourners Remember Victims At Sun-Drop Plant June 17, 2008: Officers Take To Streets Seeking Info In Double Shooting At Sun-Drop Plant June 13, 2008: Longtime Worker, Job Applicant Killed At Charlotte-Area Soft Drink Plant

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