Community gathers to honor shooting victims

CONCORD, N.C. -- Hundreds attended a prayer vigil Friday for two victims murdered inside a Sun-drop distribution plant.

The wounds are fresh.

"There has been a tremendous loss," said Wil-Mar Park Baptist Church Pastor Donnie Tomlin.

The pain doesn't readily ease.

"This isn't something that happens around here," he said.

Donna Barnhardt and Darrell Noles' murders are still felt across Concord.

Barnhardt was the longtime Sun-drop employee. Noles was a husband looking for a job to pay the family's mortgage.

Both became victims of an armed robbery and were shot and killed inside Sun-drop’s distribution plant last Friday.

"It has been crazy, it has been hectic," said Tomlin. The question he keeps hearing: "Preacher, what can I do?"

This Friday’s answer is prayer for the two families.

"We need healing right now,” he said.

"Sadness, anger and worry for my family," said Seth Barnhardt about what he’s going through. Donna is his mother.

Seeing the hundreds at the prayer vigil helps him cope.

"Without their support it would be a lot tougher," he said.

As hard as it was, some of the prayers were for and about the killer.

"It's not vengeance," Tomlin said. "We do pray that he's apprehended quickly."

Ultimately, this is about community and family.

"Peace in my heart for my family to be able to deal with it," said Donna’s daughter Rebecca Valentine.

The latest on the search for a killer is this: No arrest, but police say they're working several leads including some developed when they handed out flyers to people who drive by the Sun-drop plant.