Pahrump fugitive facing attempted murder charge

A wanted fugitive is facing an attempted murder charge after a shooting on Tuesday afternoon, March 4, along Donner Street.

Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times that the suspect was identified as Marshall Barker, 37, of Pahrump.

“Deputies arrived within about four minutes, where they surrounded the residence and called everybody out,” he said. “At that point, about four or five people came out of the house and said that the shooting victim and suspect were still inside.”

Suspect, victim located

McGill went on to say that deputies then made entry where they located Barker and the male wheelchair-bound victim, 56, who sustained a single gunshot wound to his thigh.

The victim was transported by Mercy Air to Las Vegas for treatment and is expected to recover.

Upon further investigation, McGill said the incident began as a verbal altercation between Barker and another individual inside the home.

Suspect interviewed

After investigators read Barker his rights, McGill said Barker admitted that he shot the victim in the leg, but claimed the shooting was in self-defense when the victim attacked him with a knife.

However, after speaking to witnesses, deputies learned the shooting was not in self-defense.

Further, McGill said the witnesses reported that the victim was unarmed when an argument ensued before Marshall pulled a semi-automatic handgun and allegedly shot the victim.

Disputed claims

During a second interview, Barker claimed that he picked up the knife that was used against him, but witnesses disputed that claim and reported that the knife belonged to Barker and was never used as a weapon by the victim.

A records check on Barker revealed that he had an active warrant out of Pahrump Justice Court from Nevada Highway Patrol for failure to appear on a traffic citation.

After gathering additional statements from the other occupants of the residence, investigators determined that Barker violated Nevada Revised Statute 200.010, that being attempted murder, and for allegedly being in illegal possession of a firearm.

He was transported to the Nye County Detention Center without incident.