Barney Fuller Jr.

I love the Investigation Discovery show Fear Thy Neighbor. But I do admit that I only use the show to hear about new cases to research because I have seen a lot of things that by all accounts are not correct. For example I was watching an episode last night in which one neighbor shot another. I often have my computer nearby, or at least my phone, and I will search the story before the end of the show. In the episode last night the neighbor that was shot was shot in the chest and was in critical condition. However, upon looking up the case everything I read indicated that the man was shot not in the chest but basically in his rear end. So, I do not like that they take liberties with facts but it does tell me stories that I know little or nothing about.

The Fuller's and the Copeland's had an ongoing feud for several years. They lived next door to each other in Lovelady Texas, a very small town of about 600 people about a hundred miles north of Houston. Like most neighbors the families started out on friendly terms especially since they had children around the same age. It was said that the first issues between the families came when Annette Copeland found a note given to her son by the Fuller's daughter. It contained language that Annette was not fond of and she went to the Fuller house to talk to them about it. Most believed then, and some now, that Annette had made a bigger deal out of things than needed to be. But, it was the first of many things that ended up snowballing and making these two families become enemies. There were incidents involving the Copeland's dog and the Fuller's chickens; there were issues with Fuller firing weapons on his property. The police were called on several occasions but there was little they could do as either nothing could be proven or was done illegally.

In 2001 things escalated. Barney had made threatening phone calls to the Copeland home, specifically threatening Annette Copeland, but also her husband, Nathan. They then alleged that he had shot and continued yelling threats. It was said that even after police arrived he made threatening statements. But again, at the time officers could not prove that he had shot out the transformer, nor prove a whole lot immediately. There was apparently an investigation done and by this time the families had each gotten restraining orders against the other.

On May 13, 2003 Barney Fuller received a paper from county that informed him that he was being charged with terroristic threats against the Copeland's and that he would be required to go to court. Prosecutors would say that this letter caused Fuller to go “in a rage.” Fuller's wife Linda said that he began drinking during the day and all through the evening. There are conflicting reports as to whether Fuller sent his wife and children away that evening or they left on their own accord because of his behavior. Either way Linda and the children were not at home.

At about 1:30 in the morning on May 14^th Barney Fuller loaded up with ammunition and headed next door with an AK47 and a pistol. Fuller fired more than sixty rounds into the Copeland's house with the assault rifle and then broke down the back door. Annette Copeland had grabbed the phone and gone into the bathroom to call 9-1-1. Barney first went into 10 year old Courtney's room. He started flipping the light switch and it would not come on and so he left the room. Then he headed to the master bedroom where he shot Nathan in the bedroom with the pistol and then went to the bathroom door where he shot Annette while she was still on the phone. In the recorded call you can hear Fuller say “Party's over, bitch” and then gunfire. Fourteen year old Cody had first hidden under his bed but then he came out and then Fuller entered his room and fired. Reports vary on whether he was shot two or three times and where. Some reports say the shoulder. Cody would survive. After his shooting spree Fuller would leave the Copeland home and barricaded himself in his house. It is unclear if there was any kind of stand off before he was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder.

In July of 2004 Fuller would enter into a courtroom just long enough to enter a plea of guilty. Apparently this was all set up and planned so that while there would not be a jury trial, there would be a jury compiled for a sentencing hearing. Fuller refused to stay in the courtroom through the sentencing phase. He would only return for the jury verdict to which he was sentenced to death.

Because it was a death penalty case there were automatic appeals. Oftentimes the defense attempted to argue that Fuller was not competent to enter his guilty plea and claimed he “acted irrationally and removed himself from the courtroom.” The courts disagreed and consistently upheld his conviction and sentence.

In 2015 Fuller told his lawyers to stop filing appeals, he was ready to die. Of course there had to be one more hearing to determine this was his decision through the courts and that he was of sound mind to make such a decision.

On October 5, 2016 the state of Texas executed Barney Fuller Jr. He refused to give a last statement. Both Cody and Courtney Copeland attended the execution. As the family left the death chambers one of Annette Copeland's sisters could be heard saying “Party's over, bastard!” Pretty fitting!!