Family of murdered Cabarrus Co. woman, Phoebe Barbee, works to keep killer in jail

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — The family of a Cabarrus County woman is fighting to keep her murderer behind bars.

After being in prison for 33 years, the murderer of Phoebe Barbee is up for parole for the eleventh time, but Tuesday her family will go before the parole commission in Raleigh to keep him imprisoned.

Roger Warren Clark, now 55 years old, lured Phoebe Barbee into his truck in broad daylight on Sept. 11, 1978. Later leaving the Central Cabarrus High School graduate in a field, after beating and sexually assaulting her.

"She loved everything about being high school, she was very popular, very genuine, gentle spirit that everybody loved," said Phoebe Barbee's younger sister Sonja Barbee.

More than three decades later, her family is still fighting for her justice. Tuesday will mark the eleventh time the Barbee Family will go before the N.C. Parole Commission and ask that the man who received two life sentences in prison stay there.

"That should mean something," said Cabarrus County District Attorney, Roxann Vaneekhoven.

Vaneekhoven has gone with the family to two previous parole hearings, but said this year is more important than before. The family is facing a completely new commission since the previous hearing as all of the commissioners are new.

According to Vaneekhoven, that makes it crucial she and the Barbee family educate them on the facts of the case and ensure the concerns of the community are heard.

"Thirty-four years and it's still just raw for everybody and that's not going to go away," said former classmate of Phoebe Barbee Stacy Gherardi.

Clark has been eligible for parole every year since 1999 up to 2009. However when a 2008 state law changed parole reviews of murderers to every three years. Clark also received a third life in prison term for kidnapping a Rowan County woman who survived.

The family set up a Facebook page in Phoebe Barbee's honor.

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This happened very close to me. He shouldn't ever get out!!

Convicted killer denied parole
April 19, 2012

The man convicted of killing a Cabarrus County teen, Phoebe Barbee, in 1978 was denied parole and will remain behind bars. Roger Warren Clark received two life sentences for kidnapping and mudering Barbee and a third life sentence for kidnapping another woman in Rowan County on the same day. Because Clark was sentenced under the old state’s laws, he was eligible for parole. New state law does not allow parole for life sentences.

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Good to know and thank once again, Lisette!!!!