Love testifies against Bare in murder trial

Billy Joe Bare murdered Juan Lopez on March 20, 2006 to cover up a break-in and because he owed Lopez money as the result of a cocaine binge. That was the testimony Tuesday afternoon in Alleghany Superior Court of Bare's co-defendant, Lonnie Dale Love.

Bare, 27, and Love, 34, each are charged with first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Juan Jose Castro Lopez, who was shot in he back of the head with his own .32 caliber Derringer pistol, according to testimony.

Jury selection in Bare's trial began with jury selection Monday and the state, represented by District Attorney Tom Horner, began presenting evidence Tuesday. Love, represented by attorney Donna Shumate of Sparta, is to be tried at a later date.

Presiding over court is Judge Moses Massey of Surry County, while representing Bare is attorney Don Wiley of Jefferson. Lopez's decomposing body was found May 6, 2006 on the bank of a small creek behind the mobile home he was renting on Chevy Lane off of N.C. 18, south of Sparta. Testimony was that the body had been torn apart to some extent by animals, with bones scattered along the creek bank.

Love testified that he and Bare had gone to school together in Alleghany County, but had only seen each other in jail a couple of times until about a week before the murder. He said he was aware that Bare had been recently released from prison on a conviction of taking indecent liberties with a child.

He met Bare at Mark Caudill's residence about 400 yards from Lopez's mobile home. They and several others used cocaine and alcohol heavily for about a week, with Bare going numerous times to Lopez's residence to buy cocaine.

Love noted that they were all smoking the cocaine, which Lopez started "fronting" to Bare at some point because they had run out of money. The plan was for Bare to pay Lopez on Monday, March 20 for the cocaine.

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