In A Dark, Deserted Highway, an episode of NBC’s Dateline, investigators dig deeper into the murder of Sheriff Mason Moore, which Lloyd Barrus was convicted of. The episode first aired on February 3, 2023. It will air as part of Dateline: Unforgettable on Oxygen on January 18, 2024, at 8 pm ET. It explores the events that led to the shooting of Mason Moore and the highway chase that preceded it after Barrus refused to pull over upon Moore’s orders.
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader’s discretion is advised.
On September 21, 2021, Lloyd Barrus was convicted of three counts of accountability for deliberate homicide and two counts of attempted deliberate homicide. The court sentenced him to three consecutive lifetimes in prison for murdering Mason Moore, a sheriff for the Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office. Lloyd Barrus, along with his son Marshall Barrus, shot Mason Moore 19 times. This was after he asked them to pull over their vehicle on Highway 287, south of I-90. The incident occurred on May 16, 2027.
Also, the shootout was reportedly preceded by a 160-mile chase after Lloyd Baruss, who was driving, refused to pull over and triggered a speedy chase, as reported by NBC Montana. Lloyd and Marshall repeatedly shot at Mason Moore before they shot him twice in the head. After that, the Highway Patrol authorities continued to pursue the vehicle. It ended in another shootout where officers reportedly shot and killed Marshall.
Where is Lloyd Barrus now?
After his arrest, Lloyd Barrus’ attorneys argued that he was not fit to stand trial. He was reportedly diagnosed with multiple mental disorders. The court agreed to this initially. However, the court later tried him after finding him fit for trial. He was sentenced to three lifetimes in prison. Lloyd is currently at the Montana State Prison, where he is serving his sentence.
In addition, Prosecutors highlighted Barrus’ anti-system sentiments. Lloyd Barrus was found guilty of three counts of accountability for deliberate homicide and two counts of attempted deliberate homicide. Mason Moore had been a sheriff for three years by then. He served in law enforcement for nearly fifteen years, as reported by the U. S. Sun. He died in the hospital after sustaining severe wounds at the crime scene.
Lloyd Barrus allegedly held strong anti-governmental sentiments, and this wasn’t his first violent encounter with law-enforcement authorities. In 2000, authorities chased Lloyd Barrus similarly in California when he was with his other son, Jeffrey Barrus. Even then, he refused to pull over and made authorities chase after him, according to Montana Free Press. The encounter resulted in his arrest in California but didn’t trigger as much violence. ‘A Dark, Deserted Highway’ features statements from Lloyd’s ex-wives who provided an insight into his descent into anti-governmental sentiments.
The Dateline episode focuses closely on his resistant views and how those drove him toward the crime he was convicted for, as reported by Montana Free Press. Also, the episode features Mason’s widow, Jodi. It also includes all the officers involved in the chase, the death of Marshall Barrus, and the arrest of Lloyd Barrus. A Dark, Deserted Highway will air on Oxygen on Dateline: Unforgettable on January 18, 2024, at 8 pm ET.
