Moore man sentenced to life without parole for killing of former youth pastor

Tim Willert, The Norman Transcript, Okla.
·2 min read
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Jan. 6—A 25-year-old Moore man convicted of killing his father will spend the rest of his life in prison, a judge determined Friday.

Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper followed a jury's recommendation and sentenced Jacob Allen Barber, 25, to life without the possibility of parole as punishment for killing Glenn Barber, 48.

Glenn Barber was the former youth pastor at First Moore Baptist Church.

Tupper called the case "a real tragedy."

"The jury has clearly spoken in this case," he said. "They had an option of doing something less in this case given the evidence they heard, and they were quite deliberate in this sentence."

A jury in September found Barber guilty of stabbing his father to death in the summer of 2019. He was arrested near Sanger, Texas, and brought back to the Cleveland County Detention Center.

Court records indicated the father and son "argued daily and had a volatile relationship."

"The suspect has been to several mental institutions but refuses to take his prescribed medication," a detective wrote in a court affidavit.

After a 7-day trial, jurors voted unanimously to recommended a sentence of life without the possibility of parole and a $10,000 fine.

The trial was delayed several times due to the pandemic and for mental evaluations. Much of the testimony during the trial centered on Barber's mental state.

But lead prosecutor Abby Nathan argued Barber's actions were premeditated.

"It is important to show the circumstances and the manner of this homicide," she told jurors. "It is our duty and honor to the jury to do so."

Two family members attended the hearing Friday but neither addressed the court. The defendant also declined to speak.

"We know that there isn't anything that anyone can do to change what happened, but we believe that the collaboration between the different agencies to bring justice for the victim, Glen Barber, honors Mr. Barber's memory," Nathan said in a statement following the hearing.

"During the trial there was one commonality among the testimonies of Mr. Barber's family and friends. They all said he was an incredible person. We hope to honor and remember Mr. Glen Barber in that way, as the incredible person he was."