‘It hurt’: Friend remembers man killed at Sun Drop Bottling Company in 2008

CHARLOTTE — A friend of one of the people killed at a Sun Drop Bottling Company many years ago wants people to remember him.

Concord Police arrested 43-year-old Johnny Talbert in Washington state on Thursday. Talbert is charged in connection with the 2008 double homicide and robbery at the Sun Drop Bottling Company in Concord, a case known as the Sun Drop Murders. Victims 59-year-old Donna Barnhardt and 44-year-old Darrell Noles were found shot on June 13, 2008.

Amber Mullis told Channel 9’s Gina Esposito that her father was best friends with Noles.

Noles was the choir director at a church in Concord, and when he died, her father took over the role to honor him. Mullis said that’s where she and Noles became close.

“(He was) a big teddy bear who would’ve done anything for anybody,” Mullis said. “He was like the best person ever. He was like a second dad to us for years and years.”

Noles was funny and carefree, she recalled.

Noles surprised Mullis on her 13th birthday, went on trips with her family, and loved to have a good time.

Mullis said she was 15 years old the day Noles was shot and killed while he was applying for a job at the bottling company. Bardhardt, who was also killed, was a longtime employee.

“There were pictures of Noles that we wore for weeks to come,” Mullis said. “They did a lot of balloon releases. Donna’s family, the community cared about this. It hurt hard.”

Mullis said the day of the shooting is imprinted in her mind.

“I think about it once a week and have for the last 18 years,” she said.

Mullis said she hopes the break in the case brings closure to Noles’ family and is reminding the community of how special he really was.

“I would love for him to be remembered for who he was, not what happened to him,” she said.

Mullis said Noles has four grandchildren.

The narcotics enforcement team in Washington that helped arrest Talbert said he was arrested on the West Coast at least 14 times since the killings.

He was also arrested several more times for various misdemeanor charges.

We are asking authorities in Washington for more information on what led them to the suspect.

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