Woman accused of shooting husband, setting fire to cover it up | News

CATAWBA COUNTY, NC (WBTV)- A woman is facing charges after deputies say she murdered her husband and then attempted to cover it up by setting the couple's garage on fire.

A
routine welfare check by a Catawba County Deputy Wednesday night led to the
discovery of a body on fire and a scene of murder. Investigators believe 48-year-old Tina Barbour had been involved in a domestic dispute with her husband
Floriberto Pena when she shot him.

Barbour, they believe, then left the house
the couple shared and returned a half hour or so later. That's when they
believe she set Pena's body on fire to cover up the crime.

The body of Roberto Pena was located by emergency officials.  His wife, 48-year-old Tina Canipe Barbour, was found injured and had to be transported to Frye Regional Medical Center where she is undergoing tests.

The welfare check came after Barbour's daughter, who lived
next door, saw her mother drive off. Her mother doesn't have a license because
of several DWI charges in recent years. 
When her mother came back, the daughter knocked on mom's door but didn't
get an answer. That's when deputies were called to check on the couple. The
deputy who arrived saw smoke and flames and called for additional help.  Sheriff Coy Reid said evidence suggests Pena
was shot sometime around 7pm but the body was not set on fire for almost an
hour. When the body was found, Barbour was also found in the house suffering
from smoke inhalation and apparently had been drinking heavily. She was
transported to Frye Regional Medical Center.

Investigators spent several hours at the home until the
early morning hours collecting evidence and taking photographs.  Warrants were drawn up against Barbour
Thursday.

"She needs help and I hate it come to this, "said Tina's
daughter who did not want her name released. She said she had tried several
times to get her mother help but said each time she did, her mother refused.

Barbour spent the night at Frye Regional Medical Center in
Hickory being treated for smoke inhalation and excessive alcohol in her system
said the Sheriff. A deputy was stationed outside her room. When Barbour was
released Thursday afternoon she was charged with Murder, First Degree Arson,
and attempting to conceal a crime by destroying remains. That last charge is a
new one available to law enforcement. It was pushed into law after the Zahra
Baker case in Catawba County where the ten year olds body was dismembered and
the remains scattered in Caldwell County to conceal what happened.

Barbour is being held without bond with a first appearance
in court expected on Friday.

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