House of Shards

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor — “House of Shards”

Date: July 20, 2026
Host: Janice (Investigation Discovery/ID)
Summary by: [Podcast Summarizer]

---

Episode Overview

In this harrowing episode of Fear Thy Neighbor, the show explores just how dangerous suburban and rural disputes can become. “House of Shards” follows the story of the Copeland and Fuller families in Lovelady, Texas, where an escalating feud between neighbors turns a slice of country paradise into a war zone, culminating in a devastating, fatal night. Testimonies from surviving family, neighbors, and law enforcement paint a vivid picture of how minor disagreements can spiral out of control.

---

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Idyllic Beginnings

• [02:24] Introduction to Lovelady, Texas—a tight-knit, peaceful community.
  • Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt: “The county is actually the oldest county in the state of Texas. We've got a rich history of people that love living here.”
    [03:56]
• [04:05-05:55] Annette and Nathan Copeland relocate from Houston for a better, safer life for their children, Cody and Courtney.
• [05:13-05:57] The Fullers (Barney/Roy, Linda, and kids Bonnie and Jacob) move in next door—early camaraderie among kids and families.

2. First Signs of Trouble: Parenting & Treehouses

• [06:24-07:07] Dispute starts with kids exchanging profane or suggestive notes.
  • Annette Copeland: “These are the kind of things kids learn from their parents.”
    [06:59]
• [07:12] Sheriff warns that parental involvement can escalate simple kid arguments.
  • Sheriff Bobbitt: “Usually kids, when left alone, will resolve their problems. It seems to always escalate when parents get involved in children issues.”
    [07:09]
• [08:05-08:44] The Copelands build a tree fort—Barney instantly distrusts the motive, believing it’s to spy on his yard.
  • Barney (Annette as quoted): “Build a spy house next door so you can keep your eye on the trash.”
    [08:25]

3. Division Escalates — Target Practice and 911 Calls

• [09:05-09:24] Gunshots begin disrupting the peace:
  • Courtney Copeland: “We would just start hearing shots one after the other.”
    [09:05]
• [09:28-10:01] Law enforcement finds no laws are being broken by Barney’s target shooting, but tensions escalate.
  • Sheriff Bobbitt: “People in Texas routinely practice with their guns and target practice. And it's not unusual at all.”
    [09:28]
  • Repeated mutual accusations follow, police involvement increases.

4. Neighborhood Hostility and Anxiety

• [12:09-12:38] Gunfire becomes constant, escalating neighborhood distress.
  • Cody Copeland: “He’d fire anywhere from 20 to 100 rounds and laugh about it.”
    [12:09]
  • Courtney Copeland: “You definitely felt like you were a prisoner.”
    [12:28]

5. From Threats to Tragedy: Escalation Turns Deadly

• [15:25-16:05] Copeland home is shot multiple times; children recount fear and police inaction.
  • Annette Copeland (to 911): “Someone's shooting at us.”
    [09:13]
  • Courtney Copeland: “There were like four or five bullet holes in the corner of our house...they acted like there was nothing that they could do about it.”
    [15:41, 16:05]
• [18:37-19:04] On New Year’s Eve, Barney calls and issues chilling threats.
  • Barney (over the phone): “I just called to say happy New Year's Eve. I'm gonna kill you all.”
    [19:04]
• [19:59-21:47] Barney charged with terroristic threat, but is released on bail. Annette files a restraining order, which is unenforceable due to proximity of homes. Both families now live in fear and mutual hostility deepens.

6. Animal and Property Retaliation

• [22:07-22:44] Copelands’ beloved dog, Katie, is killed—family suspects Barney.
  • Courtney Copeland: “And he put her in the bag and then put the bag in the back of his truck and took off with her.”
    [22:44]
• [25:53-27:34] Power transformer shot out, plunging the Copeland home into darkness; police tie ballistics to Barney’s firearm but lack evidence for a search warrant.

7. Breaking Point: Legal Action and Domestic Turmoil

• [28:01-29:22] Barney receives long-awaited court summons for old threats; becomes enraged.
  • Cody Copeland: “He just had an evil look in his eye. And I remember my parents. You know how you. Something ain't right.”
    [28:44]
• [29:22-29:34] Barney's wife Linda and children flee, fearing for their lives.

8. The Night of the Attack

• [30:03-32:03] On a quiet night, Barney opens fire on the Copeland house, shooting indiscriminately.
  • Courtney Copeland: “Little did we know that night was gonna change our lives forever.”
    [30:06]
  • Cody Copeland: “Started hearing bullets going through the house. One bullet led to probably 50, 60, I don't know.”
    [30:43]
• [31:19-33:45] Nathan Copeland is killed; Annette is murdered while on 911 call. Both children are shot—Cody survives multiple gunshots, and they endure the horror together.
  • Cody Copeland: “I threw his blanket down, said, fuck you. And then that's when he popped another two rounds off. One of them hit my face and...the other one went right through the back of my neck.”
    [33:21]
• [34:03-34:25] Barney attempts to light the house on fire as he leaves.

9. Aftermath and Justice

• [34:47-35:37] Distressing 911 calls from the Copeland children as they plead for help.
• [36:02-36:20] Barney surrenders to police, confesses, and pleads guilty.
  • Sheriff Bobbitt: “He immediately confessed to the shootings. He wanted to plead guilty.”
    [36:20]
• [36:33-36:53] Barney Fuller is sentenced to death and executed in 2016.
  • Reported last words (Annette): “You fixing to put me to sleep?”
    [36:53]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Neighborly Feuds:
  • “Usually kids, when left alone, will resolve their problems. It seems to always escalate when parents get involved in children issues.” — Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt [07:09]
• On Growing Fear:
  • “The shooting was constant. You definitely felt like you were a prisoner.” — Courtney Copeland [12:28]
• On Threat Escalation:
  • “I just called to say happy New Year's Eve. I'm gonna kill you all.” — Barney Fuller [19:04]
• On Familial Devastation:
  • “Fuller just ripped my family apart that night. I to this day wish Fuller would have killed himself before he killed them.” — Ona Presto [36:59]
• On Life After Trauma:
  • “Mother's Day hits hard...you could just be driving down the road and hear a song that was my dad's favorite or my mom's, and it all comes flooding back in.” — Courtney Copeland [37:31]
  • “I'm expecting my first child March 26th of this year and name him after my dad had. His name will be Nathan Ryder. At least he'll have that part of him.” — Cody Copeland [37:44]

---

Epilogue: Impact and Reflection

• Both Copeland children survived, raised by extended family, moving forward but forever marked by the trauma.
• The episode ends with law enforcement and family reflecting on the irreversible loss affecting both families—their children growing up without parents and a once-happy community forever scarred by violence.

---

[Timestamps for Key Segments]

• Idyllic Beginnings/Introduction: [02:24–06:07]
• First Disputes/Treehouse Argument: [06:24–08:44]
• Shooting and Escalation Begins: [09:05–10:53]
• Escalation and Threats: [12:09–22:44]
• Explosion/Vandalism: [25:53–27:34]
• Court Summons and Final Breakdown: [28:01–29:34]
• Home Attack and Murders: [30:03–35:42]
• Aftermath and Reflections: [36:02–37:44]

---

“What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass the point of no return.”
— Janice, Host [02:24]

---

This gripping episode of Fear Thy Neighbor serves as a cautionary tale about unresolved resentment and the perils of unchecked escalation.

Transcript

[Janice]

Hey true crime fans, it's Janice from I D. If you're a fan of this podcast, it would mean a lot if you could leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps the show. Thanks and enjoy the episode.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Evening.

[Annette Copeland]

Buyer's Remorse Buy a new car. I'll be moving in. Let's get started.

[Janice]

Sorry, I think there's been a mistake. I bought it from Carvana.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

You what?

[Connie Croson]

Yeah, great price.

[Advertiser Voice]

I even have seven days to love

[Annette Copeland]

it or return it.

[Janice]

So there's no, no, no Buyer's remorse.

[Annette Copeland]

More like buyers rejoice.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

I guess I'll let myself out.

[Annette Copeland]

Congratulations. I mean it. Buyers rejoice. Buy your car today on Carvana.

[Advertiser Voice]

Limitations and exclusions may apply. See our 7 day return [e-mail] your

[Narrator/Advertiser]

team just added its 67th AI tool and also your 67th security blind spot. The good news? The Vanta agent works like a GRC engineer in the background finding every app your team uses, scoring the risk, and drafting fixes for you. Vanta is the platform used by over 16,000 fast moving companies like Ramp Cursor and Harvey who are shaping the future with AI and staying ahead of AI risk. Get [e-mail] this is Hannah Berner, the

[Hannah Berner]

co host of Giggly Squad. We could all just stay in bed scrolling through other people's vacations forever, but where is the fun in that? The best memories come from stepping outside of your little bubble and being open to the unexpected. And what better way to be open to the unexpected than finally booking that trip to Europe. You guys know I'm a Delta girly. Every time I go, I get my Delta headphones. And when I fly to Europe, Delta treats me like a queen. And they'll treat you too. I was always a little nervous about navigating a foreign country. But then I realized it's so important to grow and see different cultures and to put yourself in different situations. And Delta held my hand the whole time. Being away just helps you put life into perspective and your little worries are not so bad. Travel really is the best way to discover something new about yourself and grow from the experience. Step outside your comfort zone this summer. Get some Delta headphones and fly with Delta Air Lines. They truly are the best way to get to Europe and they just make the whole journey feel so comfortable and seamless. Go book your next chapter right [e-mail].

[Janice]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, or crimes of passion. Yet some of the most shocking conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors and ordinary neighborhoods. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements past the point of no return. We are in the lone star state, in a gorgeous little town a couple hours from Houston. One family settled here a few years ago and another has just arrived. The new neighbors get on famously, especially their kids, who are all around the same age. But when different attitudes about appropriate child behavior surface, the relationship comes quickly undone. Cookouts and camaraderie give way to accusations, intimidating target practice, and constant interventions from police. A bad feeling feels inevitable, and those fears are eventually realized in the most shocking way possible. This is fear thy neighbor. House of shots. Lovelady, Texas, is a close knit community that's as friendly and peaceful as it sounds. Here's sheriff Darrell Bobbitt.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

The county is actually the oldest county in the state of Texas. We've got a rich history of people that love living here.

[Janice]

Annette and Nathan Copeland came to Lovelady a few years ago to build a better life for their two young children, Cody and Courtney. Annette's sister Ona presto fills us in.

[Ona Presto]

They had lived in the big city of Houston and they did not like the crime and they decided that they wanted to move to Lovelady. It's a small little town in the country. My sister Annette, very bubbly personality. Nathan would do anything for you, and he just loved his family. He loved his wife, Annette, loved both his kids.

[Janice]

The couple used to own an air conditioning business. Now Nathan's retired after a neurological condition left him unable to work. Annette is the librarian at the local elementary school. Cody and Courtney are here in their own words.

[Cody Copeland]

Growing up in Loveland, it was a fun place for, you know, a country kid. And you go fishing, you go hunting, whatever you want to do.

[Courtney Copeland]

My dad was handicapped and it was supposed to be easier on him.

[Janice]

Connie Croson is the Copeland's neighbor and knows them well.

[Connie Croson]

I lived in the Lovelady area with my husband John and resided on a triangle with the Copelands.

[Janice]

And now a new family has arrived in town in search of their own little slice of heaven. Must be the new neighbors.

[Annette Copeland]

Finally.

[Courtney Copeland]

Look, they got kids.

[Annette Copeland]

We say hi. Yeah, let's go say hi, guys.

[Janice]

Barney, Roy Fuller Jr. And his wife Linda can't wait to start a new life in the country with their young ones, Bonnie and Jacob.

[Cody Copeland]

Hi.

[Connie Croson]

Some people called him Barney. We knew him as Roy.

[Ona Presto]

Annette was excited when they first moved in because they did have two children, a girl and a boy, and they were close to Cody's age.

[Janice]

The four kids hit it off instantly.

[Annette Copeland]

You want to come see your chickens?

[Cody Copeland]

You have chickens?

[Annette Copeland]

Yeah. Dad, can we go see their chickens? Yeah, sure.

[Cody Copeland]

Go.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

Go ahead.

[Annette Copeland]

You guys are going to love it here.

[Janice]

In no time at all, the Copelands, Crosons, and Fullers all become friends. And everyone loves the Copelands dog, Katie.

[Connie Croson]

Everybody got together. We had barbecues.

[Janice]

But where there's children, there's eventually drama.

[Connie Croson]

It all started with the children from both families, the older ones writing notes.

[Janice]

Annette discovers one of these notes in her son Cody's jacket.

[Annette Copeland]

Hey, don't look at that. Where did you learn this from?

[Janice]

She is appalled by the content. The language and references are far too mature and profane for Kody's age.

[Connie Croson]

Your daddy's doing this to my mama. Just typical teenage insults.

[Janice]

When grilled, Kody blames the Fuller kids.

[Annette Copeland]

Bonnie started it. Well, I'm putting a stop to it. Go to your room.

[Ona Presto]

Now.

[Annette Copeland]

These are the kind of things kids learn from their parents.

[Janice]

Annette, it's teenagers. You're only going to make it worse

[Annette Copeland]

if you get involved.

[Janice]

This is unacceptable.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

Usually kids, when left alone, will resolve their problems. It seems to always escalate when parents get involved in children issues.

[Janice]

Annette doesn't see it that way and tells Barney and Linda. So the encounter doesn't go well.

[Connie Croson]

Annette kind of did all the talking and was more the one that wore the pants in the family.

[Annette Copeland]

You might say it's just kids being kids. It'll blower in a week. My children never used this kind of language until they started hanging around Bonnie and Jacob. Excuse me. You saying my kids are trash? I'm saying you need to keep a closer eye on them. So that's what you do? Spy on people, on kids.

[Connie Croson]

Roy was very dominant.

[Annette Copeland]

I think you need to leave now.

[Janice]

The adults are having a problem, but it's not affecting the children, who are all too busy living it up in the Copeland's new tree fort.

[Annette Copeland]

I'm the king of the cast.

[Cody Copeland]

My papa, which was Mom's dad, he had come over and wanted to build us a tree fort.

[Annette Copeland]

Isn't it cool? My grandpa built it for us.

[Janice]

The kids may love the structure, but Barney does not. Especially because it sits above his fence and offers a full view of his yard.

[Ona Presto]

Yeah.

[Annette Copeland]

Get down here before you break your necks. Shut your dog up before I do. This is your idea? Build a spy house next door so you can keep your eye on the trash. Get inside. Bernie.

[Courtney Copeland]

Why would you think that somebody would build a treehouse to watch you. Do you really think you're that important?

[Annette Copeland]

Bernie, they're just kids. I know what they are.

[Janice]

The Copelands try to put the confrontation behind them, but that won't be easy.

[Annette Copeland]

Mom, come on. Get down. Mom, get down. Come on.

[Advertiser Voice]

Get down.

[Janice]

And soon. The family believes they're under attack from their neighbor.

[Courtney Copeland]

We would just start hearing shots one after the other.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

911.

[Courtney Copeland]

What's your emergency?

[Annette Copeland]

Someone's shooting at us. Put the weapon down, sir. Gun down now. The hell is going on? This your property? Yeah, it's my property. All the way down there. I'm just shooting targets.

[Janice]

Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt contends that guns aren't an issue in these parts.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

People in Texas routinely practice with their guns and target practice. And it's not unusual at all.

[Annette Copeland]

I'm on my property, right? I knew what neighbor it was.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

You need to.

[Annette Copeland]

It's not against the law to target shooting your own property. How is this all right? It's nobody's business. When I do on my yard, it is my business. When our kids are involved, it's not. Yes, it is. You know, hey, he's right. No laws are being broken. How is this okay?

[Janice]

The visit from law enforcement only makes things worse for both families. Explains neighbor Connie Croson.

[Annette Copeland]

Mind your own business. Next time.

[Connie Croson]

Dad. On the Fuller side.

[Cody Copeland]

Mom.

[Connie Croson]

On the Copeland side, they started yay. Yaying back and forth, and it just started escalating to the point where it was really getting nasty.

[Janice]

Now no one is immune to the tension, not even the kids, says Cody Copeland.

[Cody Copeland]

Me and Jacob, you know, we're neighborly, being friendly, and hung out and had fun.

[Annette Copeland]

So your dad's building a chicken coop?

[Paige]

Yeah.

[Courtney Copeland]

I'm really excited.

[Annette Copeland]

Nice. How many chickens you guys are getting?

[Cody Copeland]

I don't know.

[Annette Copeland]

Probably more than you guys. Ah, nice. Hey, Cody, come here. I think it's best you find another place to go play. Why? Because I don't want you telling your mom what's going on in this house. I don't want her brainwashed little spies coming around here.

[Ona Presto]

What?

[Annette Copeland]

Just go.

[Cody Copeland]

It was a little frightening. I'd go over to the house and told mom and dad what he had said.

[Annette Copeland]

Mr. Fuller said you were brainwashing me and told me to leave. I told you that man's unhinged.

[Cody Copeland]

My parents just kind of told me to just stay away from it, you know, Leave it alone.

[Annette Copeland]

We don't want you going over to the Fuller house anymore. Keep away from them, including their kids. But why why?

[Cody Copeland]

I wasn't aware of any issues between me and Jacob. Only issue was Barney.

[Janice]

The Copeland parents believe Barney Fuller is a threat to their family. Claim Zanette's sister Ona Presto.

[Ona Presto]

Once things really started happening, then the red flags went up big time.

[Janice]

Barney feels his neighbors are looking down on him and his loved ones.

[Connie Croson]

Roy was getting very worked up. I feel that they were both in the same boat. They should have just left everything alone.

[Janice]

It's no longer the peaceful neighborhood everyone used to love. As Cody Copeland explains, Barney's new hobby has the neighborhood on edge.

[Cody Copeland]

Barney liked to target shoot anytime. It didn't matter when. It could be 9, 10, 11 o' clock at night and he'd fire anywhere from 20 to 100 rounds and laugh about it.

[Courtney Copeland]

Could you tell him to stop?

[Janice]

The incessant gunfire also upsets Cody's sister Courtney.

[Courtney Copeland]

The shooting was constant. You definitely felt like you were a prisoner.

[Cody Copeland]

Who the hell Target practices at Dart. You can't see where you're shooting and

[Janice]

now Barney's target seems to be moving closer to.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Monday.com AI agents took over my work

[Annette Copeland]

and I absolutely love it.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders. Agents handle the daily grind now. I stay in the loop only when it matters. Create your own AI agent in minutes

[Paige]

on Monday.com hey, it's Paige from Giggly Squad. Abercrombie's latest drop is basically my current summer obsession. It's just a lineup of those key pieces that make getting dressed feel easier. The Sloan tailored pants is my go to when I want something a little more polished, and the Dylan dress is that effortless piece you can throw on and still feel put together. Their matching sets instantly make any plan feel styled, and their everyday denim is just the foundation for literally everything else. It all feels really wearable, elevated, and easy to repeat, which is exactly what I want right now. Keep up with the pace of summer without overthinking it. Shop in the app, online and in stores. Hi, it's Paige from Giggly Squad and this episode is sponsored by Experian Boost Summer. Glow Up. Check Credit Glow up. Even better, boost your credit scores instantly by getting credit for bills you're already your phone, utilities, rent, and insurance. I wish dating kind of worked like that. Connect your bank account, add those on time payments to your Experian credit file and your FICO score updates right away. You could instantly raise your FICO score by an average of 14 points with Experian Boost. Download the Experian app for free today. Results will vary. Users who received a boost improved their FICO score 8 from Experian by an average of 14 points. See app store or experian.com for details.

[Advertiser Voice]

Results will vary. Not all payments are boost eligible. Users who received a Boost improved their FICO score rate from Experian by an average of 14 points. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by experian boost. See experian.com for details.

[Hannah Berner]

Hey, it's Hannah and Paige from Giggly Squad. We all know finding the perfect pet treat for your cat can be as tricky as dating in the city.

[Courtney Copeland]

But we've got you.

[Hannah Berner]

Try Temptations Cat Treats. America's number one cat treat brand. Their Temptations Crunchy cat treats are the crunchy outside soft inside treat your cat will love. Butter and Daphne are obsessed. Plus they're 100% complete and balanced and under 2 calories per treat. Seriously? 9 out of 10 cats find temptations treats irresistible. Make bonding easier. With Temptations Cat treats cats can't resist.

[Annette Copeland]

Stay down. Stay down.

[Courtney Copeland]

He shot our house. He aimed for our house and he shot it.

[Annette Copeland]

Was he not.

[Courtney Copeland]

It was almost like a pattern that you would see on a gun range target. 911. What's your emergency?

[Annette Copeland]

Her neighbor's trying to kill us.

[Courtney Copeland]

Things went downhill and they seemed to have gone downhill fast. It just seemed like it was one thing after the other. My mom had called the cops because there were like four or five bullet holes in the corner of our house there.

[Annette Copeland]

Barney Fuller did this. He's been shooting like a madman the whole time. Did you actually see him do this? We heard it.

[Courtney Copeland]

You would think that they could take the bullet fragments and figure it out. But they acted like there was nothing that they could do about it. We couldn't prove that it was him. We didn't actually see him shoot the house. There was essentially no physical proof that Mr. Fuller had shot our house.

[Connie Croson]

The story was getting very tiresome. My husband and I really thought that she was calling the law mainly to aggravate him because he was of no threat at that time. He wasn't shooting at anyone or anything.

[Annette Copeland]

Why do you keep calling the cops on me? I'm doing nothing wrong. Sir. Sir.

[Connie Croson]

Roy did not like seeing the sheriff's come up. And we knew it was aggravating him more and more and more every time she called the law.

[Janice]

With no evidence pointing directly to Barney. Police leave without pressing any charges. The Fullers try to move on with their lives. But their Neighbor's pet Katie has other ideas.

[Annette Copeland]

Dad. Dad. Dad.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

The Copeland's dog had went over to the Fuller's house at one time and allegedly was killing some of Mr. Fuller's chickens.

[Annette Copeland]

Your dog killed my chickens. Go, go. Only cause your chickens are in my yard. It's on you. It's not on me. I've got dead chickens as well.

[Janice]

And once again, police tried to mediate

[Annette Copeland]

shooting all the time.

[Cody Copeland]

Calm down.

[Annette Copeland]

That's all you do. Shooting, shooting, white house, shooting my house. Listen, you're in a shooting my house. Want me to show you neighbors, show you.

[Connie Croson]

If it wasn't over a chicken, it was your dogs in my yard. Or don't you come near my driveway.

[Annette Copeland]

Listen, Stop. Shut your mouth. You shut up. You make me shut up.

[Connie Croson]

It was constantly some kind of a riff raff. Just on and on and on.

[Annette Copeland]

You want me to show you?

[Connie Croson]

If you have a mosquito bite and you pick at it, scratching it and scratching it, it's gonna get infected.

[Annette Copeland]

Don't you understand?

[Connie Croson]

That's gonna kill your butt.

[Janice]

Everyone in the neighborhood is on edge. Many fear what the next escalation in the never ending feud will be. And on New Year's Eve 2000, they find out. It all starts when the Copeland house receives a phone call.

[Courtney Copeland]

I'll get it.

[Cody Copeland]

You got.

[Courtney Copeland]

Hello?

[Cody Copeland]

Probably 8:30, 9:00 clock at night. And it was Barney and said, hi, I need to talk to your mom. I said, no, you don't need to talk to my mom.

[Annette Copeland]

Put your pig of a mother on the phone. Dad, what should I do?

[Cody Copeland]

That's when I told my dad. I said, hey. I said, he's wanting to talk to mom. Well, dad had put it on speakerphone.

[Annette Copeland]

Anything he has to say, he can say to all of us. What do you want, Bernie? I just called to say happy New Year's Eve. I'm gonna kill you all.

[Cody Copeland]

My dad was actually set back at it. He, wow, this is really getting serious. You know, I think my mom was just more in shock. Probably more like a realization of, oh shit, it's fixing the happy.

[Ona Presto]

At this point, things were really going bad. Fuller was calling on the house phone. He would talk bad to my sister, he would threaten her.

[Annette Copeland]

We currently have one of our officers in the home at the moment. But are you gonna do something about it or not?

[Janice]

The Copelands demand law enforcement to finally take action.

[Courtney Copeland]

Mr. Fuller put a death threat out there. And the way that we all felt about it was he was going to act on it.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

Barney was arrested and charged with, I believe it Was a terroristic threat.

[Janice]

Yet to the copeland's shock, their neighbor is released on bail until the case goes to court.

[Annette Copeland]

How can this be happening?

[Ona Presto]

The sheriff's department at that time Just didn't feel that there was anything more they could do.

[Cody Copeland]

Once Barney got back, the fire was poked. It was wartime.

[Janice]

In mutual neighbor, Connie croson recounts her advice to the fearful wife and mother next door.

[Connie Croson]

And I told her, annette, quit calling the law. The man isn't doing anything to hurt anybody. Leave it alone.

[Janice]

Cody copeland recalls Annette and Nathan trying to keep a lid on things at home.

[Cody Copeland]

My parents, you know, they were worried about it, but they didn't ever show that towards their kids. Always make sure your kids feel safe.

[Janice]

Determined to protect her family, Annette takes out a restraining order against Barney.

[Annette Copeland]

You've got to be kidding me.

[Janice]

The order requires him to be 300 yards from the cope at all times, but his house is only 200 yards away. Barney is furious and lets his neighbors know it. Courtney Copeland weighs in.

[Courtney Copeland]

He would holler things out the window or shoot the bird. It was taunting us from our own yard. So you definitely felt restricted or like a prisoner that you had to stay in the house just to stay away from this guy.

[Janice]

And barney's continuous shooting Ratchets up the strain on everyone.

[Annette Copeland]

How can he be allowed to just roam free?

[Janice]

It's a good thing for Annette that her adversary isn't the only one who's armed. Annette's sister, ona presto explains.

[Annette Copeland]

Annette put the gun down.

[Ona Presto]

She had a job. She had two children that she had to take care of. She had a lot on her shoulders. And then she had to deal with some man that had psychological problems. It was a lot.

[Janice]

Annette and Barney have their sights set on each other, yet neither are next in the line of fire.

[Cody Copeland]

We were out there in the yard, you know, we lived in the country. Dog wasn't staying on no leash or nothing like that. And we were sitting there in the yard doing yard work one day, and the dog took off.

[Annette Copeland]

Hey, come back. No, stay here. You can't go over there.

[Courtney Copeland]

I didn't take in the fact that I couldn't see Katie, our dog, anymore. It didn't make sense to me like what had happened.

[Cody Copeland]

I could hear that dog yelping, and we knew what had happened.

[Janice]

Courtney believes she witnessed Barney dispose of her, Murdered Peter.

[Courtney Copeland]

And he put her in the bag and then put the bag in the back of his truck and took off with her.

[Janice]

Once again, authorities are summoned, but there's no sign of Katie or proof of what happened.

[Courtney Copeland]

I think Barney shot her as a message to us. More like stay away from me. Keep your stuff away from me. Just stay away. It was going to hell in a handbasket.

[Connie Croson]

Roy never came to us and really said what he did. He might lead you to believe, but he never admitted to killing the dog

[Janice]

and the hostilities only intensify after a loud explosion wakes the neighborhood.

[Advertiser Voice]

You stopped waiting for permission and started building yourself your dreams. Your credit Experian Boost could turn your on time payments into instant FICO score gains. Every bill you paid could become proof of your power. Self made, absolutely self funded. Experian could help you get there. Download the Experian app today. Results will vary. Not all payments are Boost eligible. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use credit information impacted by experian boost. See experian.com for details.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

AI isn't just digital. It's physical. Hospital floors, factory production lines, autonomous systems making real time decisions in environments where the stakes are real and the margin for error is not. The engineers taking AI from prototype to physical deployment need infrastructure that's been proven under pressure. That's AWS purpose built to help you move from concept to production at scale without compromise. The next frontier of AI is in digital. AWS is ready to take you there. Visit aws.com AI AI that's ready when you are.

[Paige]

Hey, it's Paige from Giggly Squad. And you know those moments when you just want to slow down and actually treat yourself? That's exactly where Haagen Dazs comes in. Haagen Dazs just launched a brand new flavor Coffee Almond Toffee ice Cream. It's rich, smooth, creamy, indulgent and honestly too good to rush through. Take your sweet time. That's Dazs. Find Haagen Dazs new Coffee Almond Toffee Ice Cream at retailers nationwide. Back to school is busy enough.

[Annette Copeland]

The last thing you need is shopping. That makes it harder. Whether you're moving into a dorm, your

[Paige]

first apartment or just getting organized for the semester, Wayfair makes it easy to get everything you need in one place.

[Annette Copeland]

Furniture, bedding, storage, decor, study essentials.

[Paige]

All at prices you'll love. With fast shipping before move in day,

[Annette Copeland]

get everything you need for back to school season. Shop wayfair.com today. Wayfair every style, Every Home.

[Janice]

Annette and Nathan Copeland's daughter Courtney and son Cody described the horrifying sound.

[Courtney Copeland]

I believe it was a school night and you just hear this loud boom and then everything went dark.

[Cody Copeland]

And we were Sitting there watching a movie, and we heard a gunshot go off. The next thing you know, the power went off.

[Janice]

The Copelands come outside to discover the power line transformer has been destroyed. Annette is convinced Barney is behind the vandalism.

[Cody Copeland]

You could have made a clear shot

[Annette Copeland]

right there from where I was standing. I didn't shoot the transformer from a barge.

[Connie Croson]

He said. I did not shoot that transformer from where they said I did. It was kind of a nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[Janice]

Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt outlines the police response.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

We contacted the power company. They assisted us on helping collect the evidence from the transformer where a bullet was shot into it.

[Janice]

It's determined the bullet was fired from a type of firearm Barney owns. The Copeland's hope this will be enough to finally put an end to his tyranny.

[Courtney Copeland]

It was definitely a huge relief. I was so excited. That made my day, my week, my month, my year. I couldn't wait to go home. I just knew he wasn't going to be there.

[Janice]

But their hopes are dashed.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

The DA's office didn't think with that lab result, there was another enough to execute a search warrant into the house to look for a particular weapon, since the bullet didn't yield that information.

[Janice]

Without an exact match to one of Barney's guns, there's no case and no trial.

[Annette Copeland]

This is ridiculous. Sir, take it easy before you do anything of evidence. The house folks, I'm sorry. My hands are tied.

[Janice]

Meanwhile, the Fuller's daughter Bonnie, suffers from gossip that her father is a dog killer and transformer shooter.

[Annette Copeland]

Oh, you're home early. Yeah, I decided not to stay late today. The kids at school are teasing me. They're saying Dad's a wacko. You see what you've done? Don't you start with me.

[Janice]

Barney's world is disintegrating before his eyes. His feud with his neighbors is a powder keg. And the spark ignites when an earlier offense returns to haunt him. On May 13, 2003, he receives a summons to appear in court for threatening the Copelands on New Year's Eve. Almost two and a half years ago. Son of Barney assumed the threat he made was forgotten about. But now he has to face the consequences.

[Annette Copeland]

Barney, what's going on? Trying to ruin my life is what's going on.

[Connie Croson]

Roy was very upset over getting the summons.

[Ona Presto]

Barney, you need to just calm down.

[Connie Croson]

He was getting very worked up in life in general Jones.

[Cody Copeland]

And I'll never forget it. I seen his face and I said. And he just had an evil look in his eye. And I remember my parents. You know how you. Something ain't right.

[Annette Copeland]

Go inside.

[Janice]

Barney's wife, Linda, has reached her breaking point.

[Annette Copeland]

I can't take this anymore. Then you just need to. I can't take it anymore.

[Cody Copeland]

Really?

[Annette Copeland]

You can't take it anymore? Well, you're not gonna go to jail, are you?

[Connie Croson]

He was aggravated with the world. At this point, he knew he'd got himself into a pickle.

[Annette Copeland]

That's right. Leave me. See if I care.

[Connie Croson]

He got very, very angry at the world. And Linda and her children fled because she was afraid for their own lives.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

That's when he made a decision to cross that line.

[Janice]

Evening comes and the Copelands prepare for bed.

[Courtney Copeland]

I would just tell my dad good night, I love you. And this night, he actually wanted a hug. So I hugged my mom, told her goodnight, I love you. And then I hugged my dad and I told him good night. And I love you, dad. Could you leave the light on, please?

[Annette Copeland]

Sure.

[Cody Copeland]

Thank you.

[Annette Copeland]

Okay.

[Courtney Copeland]

Little did we know that night was gonna change our lives forever.

[Annette Copeland]

Good night. Good night, Cody.

[Ona Presto]

Good night, Cody.

[Annette Copeland]

Sleep well.

[Courtney Copeland]

Probably about 1 o', clock, you could hear shots.

[Ona Presto]

He'd come up the driveway, shooting like

[Cody Copeland]

a snowball headed for hell. There will be a shootout.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

Barney left his house with, as we know it, a long gun and a handgun. As he neared the Copeland house, he fired into the house with multiple rounds.

[Cody Copeland]

Started hearing bullets going through the house. One bullet led to probably 50, 60, I don't know.

[Janice]

The Copeland's gun is in Annette in Nathan's bedroom. Nathan rises to retrieve it.

[Annette Copeland]

No, don't do it. Don't do it. Oh, my God.

[Janice]

But before he can reach the weapon, he's struck by one of the bullets being fired into the residence.

[Annette Copeland]

Nathan.

[Ona Presto]

Nathan was probably hit very early on. Based on the scene, Annette takes shelter

[Janice]

in the bathroom and calls 911.

[Courtney Copeland]

Please.

[Annette Copeland]

My husband's been shot. My husband's been shot. He's gone. Oh, my gosh. He's coming.

[Cody Copeland]

I crawled underneath my bed thinking, well, hell, maybe he won't find me. That's when I heard the door getting kicked in.

[Annette Copeland]

All right, who's sir? Ron.

[Cody Copeland]

What can you do,

[Annette Copeland]

Rod?

[Courtney Copeland]

He went my mom and dad's room.

[Cody Copeland]

I'll never wish that sound on nobody. There's your own dad in there screaming, no. You know, you knew what was gonna happen.

[Ona Presto]

He's finished. Nathan. At that time.

[Annette Copeland]

Please come. Please come. He's gonna kill us.

[Ona Presto]

My sister's in the bathroom, and she's talking on the phone at that moment to the Houston County Sheriff's office. She's trying to tell them that she needs help.

[Janice]

That's where Barney Fuller finds her.

[Annette Copeland]

No. No, no, no, no.

[Courtney Copeland]

And all I heard was shots. You could smell the gunpowder. It was just shot after shot after shot. And it got quiet again, like, eerily quiet. And then I heard some footsteps. God, it scared me so bad that I just. I wanted to run. I wanted it to be a dream.

[Cody Copeland]

Thought to myself, well, my parents are gone. I mean, I knew he was going to kill him. So I crawled back on top of my bed, waited for it.

[Courtney Copeland]

He came to my door. He was flipping my light switch, trying to get my light to turn on. And after he flipped the switch probably eight to 10 times, he got frustrated and turned around and walked down the hallway.

[Cody Copeland]

Then he come down the hall and he popped the first shot. That was the one that went through my arm.

[Annette Copeland]

Let me see your face.

[Cody Copeland]

I threw his blanket down, said, fuck you. And then that's when he popped another two rounds off. One of them hit my face and. And the other one went right through the back of my neck.

[Courtney Copeland]

And I could actually see the fire come out of the end of the barrel as he shot into Cody's room. And I heard Cody holler out each time that the bullet hit him.

[Annette Copeland]

You dead yet?

[Courtney Copeland]

And I honestly, in that moment, felt so alone. He had just been to my parents room. I'm not hearing anything from them. I'm not hearing Cody anymore. I felt like it was just me.

[Ona Presto]

Fuller goes to the kitchen, and he turns the oven on, trying to light the house on fire.

[Courtney Copeland]

And after probably about five minutes or so, I decided to get up. I was petrified. I thought, surely he's still around. He's still watching. He wants me to get up so he can finish me.

[Janice]

But it's not Barney who finds Courtney. It's her brother.

[Courtney Copeland]

Are you okay? Cody is covered in blood.

[Janice]

In spite of his massive injuries, he's still able to help his sister.

[Courtney Copeland]

Cody had to turn the stove off because I didn't know how.

[Janice]

Cody calls 911. This is the actual audio.

[Advertiser Voice]

A warning.

[Janice]

What you're about to hear is distressing.

[Courtney Copeland]

911, what's your emergency?

[Cody Copeland]

I called the cops on the phone, told them, hey, you know, y' all need to get down here. My mom and dad are dead, and I've been shot three times. And they said, well, quit playing on the damn phone. I'm hurting bad. Hurry, please. And that's when I handed it to my sister.

[Annette Copeland]

Is your mother gonna be.

[Courtney Copeland]

Is she shot?

[Annette Copeland]

Yes. My Mother and daddy shot.

[Courtney Copeland]

And what about. And I remember rushing through the phone call telling her, I have to get off the phone. I have to get off the phone. He's gonna come back. He's gonna kill me.

[Cody Copeland]

Just help us on the way, okay?

[Annette Copeland]

Okay, Cody, keep on talking to him.

[Cody Copeland]

Make sure you don't go to sleep, okay?

[Annette Copeland]

Okay, Cody, just don't go to sleep, whatever you do.

[Janice]

Police rushed to the scene and surround Barney's house. Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt again.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

It was obviously a dangerous situation. He had returned to his house, certainly where we knew he had guns, had more ammunition.

[Janice]

Barney Fuller also calls 911. Here's that audio.

[Courtney Copeland]

911, what's your emergency?

[Annette Copeland]

911.

[Cody Copeland]

My name's Barney Fuller. If I just pull up in the front of the house, I'll walk out, okay?

[Annette Copeland]

Otherwise, I ain't gonna walk out, okay?

[Cody Copeland]

If they charge the house, there will be a shootout.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

He came out of the house and there and surrendered to law enforcement. Barney acted strange after the murder. He immediately confessed to the shootings. He wanted to plead guilty.

[Janice]

Cody Copeland makes a miraculous recovery from his injuries. In 2004, Barney Roy Fuller Jr. Is convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. In 2016, he is executed by lethal injection. Apparently, his last words were these.

[Annette Copeland]

You fixing to put me to sleep?

[Janice]

Annette's sister, Ona Presto, remains devastated.

[Ona Presto]

Well, Fuller just ripped my family apart that night. I to this day wish Fuller would have killed himself before he killed them.

[Sheriff Darrell Bobbitt]

Not only were there two people died that day, but those children then had to grow up without their father. And then Barney Fuller's children had to grow up without their father.

[Janice]

Courtney and Cody are raised by extended family and build new lives for themselves over many years. Final words to them.

[Courtney Copeland]

Mother's Day hits hard. You know, the anniversary. You could just be driving down the road and hear a song that was my dad's favorite or my mom's, and it all comes flooding back in.

[Cody Copeland]

I'm expecting My first child March 26th of this year and name him after my dad had. His name will be Nathan Ryder. At least he'll have that part of him.

[Janice]

This podcast is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media and id. You can check out Fear Thy Neighbor on Max Discovery plus and id.

[Annette Copeland]

This Monday.com ad was created by a team of people and AI agents. Reese, our content agent, wrote the copy based on our best practices, like mentioning Monday.com three times. That was the second. Johnny, our coordination agent, built the timeline and kept everyone aligned. Olivia, our human creative director, stayed in the loop because agents are great, but they don't always know when a joke lands. She had one note tell listeners it only takes minutes to build an agent, so minutes create your own AI agent today on Monday.com your team just added

[Narrator/Advertiser]

its 67th AI tool and also your 67th security blind spot. The good news? The Vanta Agent works like a GRC engineer in the background, finding every app your team uses, scoring the risk and drafting fixes for you. Vanta is the platform used by over 16,000 fast moving companies like Ramp, Cursor and Harvey who are shaping the future with AI and staying ahead of AI risk. Get [e-mail] it's time to set your

[Paige]

sights on higher peaks to scale, deeper rivers to cross and greater dreams to pursue. It's time to embrace the impossible with Defender. Built with legendary capability and tested on some of the most difficult terrain, Defender defines tough luxury. From the sleek two door Defender 90 to the purposeful Defender 110 to the Defender 130 with seating for up to eight, there's endless potential ahead. Explore the full Defender lineup@land roverusa.com youm

[Advertiser Voice]

stopped waiting for permission and started building yourself your dreams. Your credit Experian Boost could turn your on time payments into instant FICO score gains. Every bill you paid could become proof of your power. Self made, absolutely self funded, Experian could help you get there. Download the Experian app today. Results will vary. Not all payments are Boost eligible. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use credit information impacted by experian boost. See experian.com for details. Experian.