Police say father-in-law Clyde Puckett confessed to killing

A Carroll County man accused of killing his own son-in-law will remain in jail without bond.  Clyde Puckett, 67, appeared in court Tuesday afteoon.  He is charged with killing 40-year-old Shane Barber at Barber's home on White Oak Court just outside Carrollton.

Detectives told Channel 2's Richard Elliot that Puckett called 911 after he claimed to have discovered Barber's body during a welfare check about 7:30 a.m. moing. Investigators took Puckett back to headquarters for questioning where, they said, he confessed to the crime.

"He was on the scene when we arrived," said Carroll County Chief Deputy Brad Robinson.  "He appeared to be distraught.  Investigators stayed with him, actually ate with him, communicated with him throughout most of the day.  It was later on in the afteoon that he began, through his own admission, to talk about some of the events and some of the turmoil that he and his son-in-law had in the past that led him to kill (Barber)."

Neighbors told Elliot at the scene that there were rumors of past domestic issues at the house.  Deputies would not confirm those rumors, but did tell Elliot they had been to the Barber house before.

Puckett was confined to a wheelchair as he listened to the charges against him. At one point he asked the judge to speak up because he was hard of hearing.

"Sir, at this time, no bond is available," Magistrate Court Judge Alton Johnson told Puckett.

"Yes sir," Puckett answered.  "I kind of guessed that."

Puckett's family members were in the courtroom for the hearing, but had no comment afterwards.

Puckett's next hearing will be in November.