Alabama Murder Suspect Caught After High Speed Chase In Duncan

An Alabama woman wanted for murder is caught in Duncan after being on the run for nearly a month.

Police said she disappeared right before her trial was scheduled to start, and they are still searching for the elderly man, who she made the trip to Oklahoma with.

According to the affidavit, Barbara Wood, 45, could be facing several charges from Stephens County after leading police on a high-speed chase and for trying to run over an officer.

Police said Wood traveled more than 700 miles away from home to Duncan with Maxwell Barnes, 75, who is from Alabama but has relatives in Duncan.

The two were spotted around town recently, but Barnes was nowhere to be found. Wood showed up at a gas station, located at 12th and Bois D’arc, early Wednesday morning by herself.

“One of the calls there, that one of the ladies there, might be under the influence,” Det. John Byers with the  Duncan Police Department said.

Byers said Wood gave an officer a fake name, and it cleared through their system, so he had to let her go.

“When he drove back by the convenience store, he sees the female driving the car behind the convenience store,” said Det. Byers. “Whenever he gets behind her, she runs a stop sign.”

Police said Wood didn’t bother to stop for emergency vehicles. Police chased Wood for nearly 30 miles before her car stalled. Detectives said she even tried starting the car back up again to run over the officer.

“One of the officers that was still in his vehicle went ahead and used his push bars on his vehicle and disabled hers by hitting it in the rear corner panel,” Det. Byers said.

Detectives searched Wood’s car for hours and found key evidence inside—an Alabama license plate.

“Once that license plate runs through the national computer, it came back with a hit, Butler County for murder,” Byers explained.

While Wood sits in jail, detectives hope the public can help them find Barnes. News 9 learned he was staying with relatives in Duncan and with a woman, believed to be Wood.

“They were always reported together,” said Det. Byers. “They went to a couple of different stores in Duncan, and businesses say they’ve been together.”

Detectives said Wood is not cooperating with the investigation.

“Now, it’s been four days since he’s been seen,” said Det. Byers. “They haven’t even seen them together at that point.”

If you recognize Barnes, you’re asked to call the Duncan Police Department at 580-255-2112.