Fourth Person Arrested In Australian Athlete's Murder In Duncan

Monday, April 14th 2014, 2:46 pm

By: News 9

New developments in the murder of E-C-U baseball player, Christopher Lane.

Stephens County Prosecutors charged 22-year-old Oddesse Barnes with accessory to the murder after the fact, Monday afternoon. The arrest is tied to the missing murder weapon.

Investigators have not located the murder weapon, a 22-caliber revolver, since Christopher Lane was shot in August 2013.

It doesn't appear investigators are any closer to finding it and believe Barnes is the reason why.

Rick Bumpas said he believes prosecutors are trying to bolster the state's case against his grandson, Chancey Luna, the alleged gunman in the shooting death of Australian native Christopher Lane.

8/18/2013 Related Story: 3 Juveniles Arrested In Murder Of ECU Baseball Player, Australian National

"That gun is somewhere," said Bumpas. "I don't see how they can actually make a case without the weapon."

In the last eight months, there have been several unexpected twists in the case. None more notable than co-defendant James Edwards Jr. striking a deal with the state in exchange for his testimony.

Now, Bumpas feels Oddesse Barnes' arrest and subsequent criminal charge is just another shake up in the case, and an attempt to force Barnes' hand into providing the state with additional witnesses.

"I think it's going to be a domino effect," said Bumpas. "He's charged with this, and he's going to start implicating other people and it's going to go on down the line."

8/21/2013 Related Story: Duncan Community Remembers Christopher Lane



According to court papers, prosecutors are interested in Barnes because he kept officers from finding a key piece of evidence, the murder weapon.

On Friday, Barnes admitted to concealing the gun. A probable cause affidavit showed Barnes said Luna and his co-defendant, Michael Jones, handed off the murder weapon after the shooting last August.

Barnes indicated to investigators that Luna appeared jumpy and full of adrenaline, so he took the gun from Luna so that nothing bad would happen.

Barnes allegedly dropped the revolver into some tall grass near his home at the Elm Terrace Apartments, and the gun has not been seen since.

He was arraigned for accessory to murder after the fact in Stephens County. His bond is set at $150,000.

"I still feel there is more to this than what's come out," Bumpas added.