MONTICELLO – Lawrence County officials have made an eightharrest in the case of a brutal ambush assault that took place twoweeks ago.

Lawrence County Undersheriff Willie Wallace said Charles Ford,31, of 64 Q.D. Lane, Silver Creek, has been arrested and chargedwith murder and three counts of aggravated assault in the attackthat left Richard Bernard Barnes dead and three others injured.

“He was there, we tied him to it through further witnesstestimony,” said Wallace.

Seven other suspects have been charged in the incident. JoelDavis, 36, of 509 Jones St., New Hebron, Leon Hayes, 34, of 170065th St., Apt. M96, Gulfport; and Bryant Cauthen, 23, of 28763Highway 51, Como.

Jason Davis, 34, of 491 Garrett Road, Silver Creek, is nowcharged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon inaddition to his previous charges of murder and three counts ofaggravated assault.

Derrick Jackson, 20, of 342 West Progress Road, Prentiss; andApril Garner, 19, of 500 Garrett Road, Silver Creek, were alsocharged with accessory to the crime after the fact.

Wallace said the investigation into the ambush-style attackcontinues, as sheriff’s department officials still have witnessesto interview. In addition, he said, some of the suspects have beentalking.

“Some of them are talking, some of them won’t,” he said. “Butsome are talking about their role in it, basically blaming theothers, you know.”

Nothing further has been found on the motive, Wallace said,saying that it was an argument over a situation where a girl hadbeen slapped. The two groups had been arguing for close to a week,he said, and the situation escalated Nov. 7.

“After the ballgame Friday night, they met up here in town andthey jumped on one of the boys, then brought it out into the countylater on,” Wallace said.

Officials had said previously that Barnes and his friends hadexpected to meet to fight, but that they thought it would be a fistfight, rather than a gunfight.

Wallace said further arrests and upgraded charges are possibleas the investigation continues to go on.