Alleged accomplice to CNN reporter shootout indicted by grand jury

An Albuquerque man accused of conspiring to rob two former CNN reporters at a local motel was indicted by a Bernalillo Co. grand jury Monday on multiple felony charges.

Skyy Barrs, 30, was arrested July 9 and has now been indicted on two counts of kidnapping with a firearm, aggravated burglary, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted armed robbery, two counts of assault with intent to commit a violent felony, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Barrs’s bond has been set at $500,000 cash only.

The July 9 arrest warrant for Barrs  says he and his girlfriend drove a Chevy Malibu to the Motel 6 on Albuquerque’s west side late on the night of June 30. Surveillance footage shows Barrs, his girlfriend and a third person in the car after dropping Walton off.

An APD source told police Barrs and Walton were going to “hit a lick” – slang for committing a robbery – that night. Police say the source told them Barrs gave Walton the gun he used to try and rob de Caro and his wife, former CNN anchor Lynne Russell, that night.

The source also told police that Barrs used Walton “as one of his ‘slaves’, so [Barrs] sent [Walton] with the gun.”

According to the arrest warrant, Barrs also went and picked up Walton briefly after he collapsed in the parking lot after being shot by de Caro three times. However, he then left him there and drove away.

A police search warrant on Walton’s phone also showed that he and Barrs exchanged text messages from earlier that evening just after 9 p.m., and a missed call from Barrs at 11:35 p.m. that night.

The arrest warrant says that “Tomorio’s death was caused by the actions of Skyy Barrs for planning to ‘hit a lick’ and providing Tomorio with a firearm. Tomorio and Skyy are both convicted felons.”

Barrs has five convictions for stolen cars, and one for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the murder charge, Barrs is charged with kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated battery, assault, conspiracy and other crimes.

Originally published at KOB.com