High-speed chase ends in capture of accused murderer

Published 6:59 pm Wednesday, July 16, 2014

A Butler County woman accused of murder has been captured in Oklahoma.

Barbara Wood, who is accused of murdering Steven Dale Faulk in 2012, was scheduled to appear in court for jury selection on June 16.

Wood did not appear and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

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According to Butler County Sheriff Kenny Harden, Wood was captured in Duncan, Okla., in the early morning hours of Wednesday after leading police on a 35-mile chase that at times reached 100 mph.

Harden said he did not know what prompted police to attempt to pull over Wood’s vehicle.

Wood, who attempted to run over a police officer after authorities stopped her vehicle, will face charges in Oklahoma in relation to the chase, as well as murder charges in Butler County.

Wood was charged with murder after she confessed to shooting Faulk in December of 2012.

According to authorities, Wood shot Faulk in the yard of her Pettibone Road residence on Dec 8, 2012.  Butler County Sheriff Kenny Harden said Faulk was pronounced dead at the scene.

“After investigating we found out that (Wood) had broken into a house (Dec. 7) on Hwy. 31 and stolen some money,” Harden said. “Later that day she stole a purse from a woman. On (Dec. 8) there was some communication between the two women, and Faulk and the woman whose purse was stolen went to Wood’s house to retrieve it, and that’s when he was shot.”

Wood was also charged with burglary, third degree, and theft of property, third degree.