More Arrests Made in West Pearl River Homicide

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested Blaine Manalie (20) of Slidell and Thomas Jones (23) in connection with the deadly incident that occurred Saturday evening along the West Pearl River. Manalie was charged on Monday (June 11, 2018) with Second Degree Murder and Jones was charged Tuesday (June 12, 2018) with Disturbing the Peace. (Jones was also booked on an unrelated Contempt of Court Warrant for Non-support in the amount of $7,052).
Saturday afternoon (June 9, 2018), STPSO deputies responded to an incident on a sand bar along the West Pearl River just south of the Davis Landing Boat Launch. They learned that there had been a disturbance there between two large groups of individuals, which resulted in a physical altercation, and later, Jeffery Howell (46) of Pearl River died as a result of injuries he sustained in that altercation.
On Sunday morning (June 10, 2018), the STPSO arrested two Slidell men, Cameron Alphonso (21) on the charge of Manslaughter and Alden Kindergran (22) on the charge of Disturbing the Peace. The charge against Alphonso has been upgraded to Second Degree Murder.
The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy, ruling the death a homicide and listing the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.
The investigation continues and additional arrests may be forthcoming.
“I applaud the hard work, dedication and exhaustive efforts of our detectives who have worked long hours and interviewed in excess of 40 people in an effort to establish the probable cause necessary to make an additional arrest in connection with what took place Saturday evening,” Sheriff Randy Smith said.
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