Woman faces charge she conspired to kill husband

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Polk County woman is accused of trying to hire someone to help kill her husband.

Cari Barker, 36, of Bolivar was arraigned Wednesday on a first-degree charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

The plan allegedly was to slip something into a drink to render Barker's husband, Bob, unconscious, then inject him with antifreeze to kill him, Polk County Sheriff Michael Parson said.

Authorities intervened before the two were able to attempt to carry out the plot, Parson said.

Barker's husband was stunned when he learned of the alleged plot, Parson said.

Sheriff's deputies from Hickory and Polk counties, along with Springfield police, unraveled the alleged plot while investigating unrelated burglary and forgery incidents, Parsons said.

The Hickory County home of one of Cari Barker's acquaintances was broken into last fall, officer John Scott of the Hickory County Sheriff's Department said. A checkbook and identification materials were reported missing.

In mid-December, Springfield police began investigating forged checks amounting to several thousand dollars being written at department stores in the city.

Springfield Police Department spokesman, officer Kirk Manlove, said investigators linked the checks back to the burglary in Hickory County. Another person, who has not yet been charged, was believed to be responsible for writing those checks, he said.