In the quiet town of Carrollton, Georgia, Barbara Gibson, an 83-year-old woman, was preparing for Mother's Day weekend in May of 2020. She had gifts ready to deliver to friends and neighbors, a testament to her well-known kindness and friendly nature within the small Burwell community where she lived. A widow who had lived alone since her husband's passing several years prior, she was a beloved figure, known for her adherence to a daily routine that included regular phone calls with her family. The evening of May 9th, however, brought a devastating end to her life.
Concerned when they couldn't reach her by phone, her family sent a friend with a key to check on her. What the friend discovered was a tragedy that would shake the community. Barbara Gibson had been shot multiple times inside her home on Burwell-Mt. Zion Road. Investigators would later determine that she was killed sometime between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. The attack was sudden and brutal; when she opened her door to a knock, she was immediately met with a hail of gunfire.
The Carroll County Sheriff's Office launched an intensive investigation into the homicide. Months later, a breakthrough came in August 2020 with the arrests of Andrew James Conard, then 37, and Amanda Rae Sperry, then 31. The investigation revealed a chilling motive. The couple, who were regular methamphetamine users, had been driving through rural areas for three days, specifically targeting elderly individuals who they perceived as vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. Their goal was to rob them to support their drug habits. After losing a source of income from stealing lottery tickets, they set their sights on Barbara Gibson.
Following the initial shooting, Conard and Sperry left the scene only to return a short time later. They then entered her home and stole several of her belongings, including her wallet, jewelry, and a sewing machine. The investigation was aided by the discovery of the murder weapon and some of Gibson's stolen property at the residence of the suspects.
In March 2023, Andrew James Conard was brought to justice. After his accomplice, Amanda Sperry, testified against him, a Carroll County jury found him guilty of malice murder, felony murder, home invasion, armed robbery, and aggravated battery. The conviction brought a measure of closure to a community that had been deeply affected by the violent loss of one of its cherished members.
