St. Charles man denies guilt in stabbing case

A St. Charles man has pleaded not guilty to charges he cleaned up blood and destroyed other evidence at the scene of a fatal stabbing.

Darren A. Barnett, 42, of the 900 block of West Main Street, is charged with two counts of obstructing justice in the Sept. 22 killing of 28-year-old Naromi N. Mannery of St. Charles. He was arraigned Thursday before Kane County Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon.

Prosecutors say Barnett washed blood from the sidewalk and destroyed other evidence after Mannery was beaten and stabbed by three other men who lived with Barnett at a bunk house for employees of a local carnival company.

The attack took place after an intoxicated Mannery followed the men to the residence and refused to leave, authorities said. He died at Delnor-Community Hospital about two hours later.

If convicted, Barnett could be sentenced to one to three years in prison or probation. His case was continued to Jan. 8.

Earlier this month, brothers Arthur Manning, 57, and Guy L. Manning, 51, and Willie L. Wimberly, 55, all of St. Charles, each pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Mannery's death.

The Mannings are set for trial in February. Wimberly is due back in court Monday.