Ronald Duncan
February 7, 1957 - February 17, 2026
February 19, 2026
Washington Parish Jail Bookings for January 29 - February 18, 2026
Note: This record may be incomplete due to the WPSO upgrading their system and to the non-availability of inmate release records.
John Weakland (age 39 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Distribution of Schedule II Drugs (2 counts), Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II Narcotics, Possession With Intent to Distribute Schedule II Drugs, No Drivers License, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (3rd + Offense), and Possession of Marijuana by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $75000.00.
Douglas Demmons (age 39 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Distribution of Schedule II CDS (2 counts), Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II Narcotics, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, Convicted Felon in
Possession of Firearm, Possession of CDS With Weapon Present, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (3rd + Offense), Failure to Appear, and Contempt of Court (2 counts) by the Washington Parish Sheriffs Office. Bond set at $150000.00.
Etric Peterson (age 42 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling and Resisting an Officer/Simple Assault by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $30000.00.
Terry Jefferson (age 48 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Resisting an Officer and Contempt of Court by the Washington Parish Sheriffs Office. Bond set at $2500.00.
Charles Robinson (age 49 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Failure to Provide Proper Info, Resisting Arrest by Flight, and Failure to Comply in Person Sex Offender Registration Tier 1 by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $15000.00.
Matthew Jones (age 20 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Aggravated Battery, Principle to Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property, and Contributing to Delinquency of Juvenile by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $5000.00.
Skylaar Moore (age 35 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charge of Probation Violation by Probation and Parole. No bond set at this time.
Clifford Mancuso (age 27 with Perkinston, Ms. address) was booked on the charges of Possession of Schedule II Drugs and Posssession of Drug Paraphernalia by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $7500.00.
Austyn Reynolds (age 28 with no address shown) was booked on the charges of Fugitive Other Jurisdiction, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $7500.00.
Ronald Heyne (age 27 with no address shown) was booked on the charges of Domestic Violence Battery/Strangulation and Criminal Damage to Property by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $2500.00.
Douglas Chaney (age 49 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Contempt of Court (2 counts) by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.
Michael Chain (age 68 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Possession of Stolen Things Under 1000, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Failure to Appear by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $5000.00.
Jerry Johnson (age 38 with Folsom, La. address) was booked on the charges of Driving During Darkness With Parking Lights, Convicted Felon in Possession of Firearm, Driving Under Suspension, Introduction of Contraband to Correctional Facility, Possession of CDS With Weapon Present, Possession of Mariuana, Possession of Schedule II Drugs (2 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Proof of Insurance by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $500000.00.
Ernest Frank (age 55 with Poplarville, Ms. address)was booked on the charges of Ran Stop Sign, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Introduction of Contraband to Correctional Facility, and Possessin of Schedule II Drugs by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $12000.00.
Kendrick Johnson (age 46 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Probation Violation and Contempt of Court by Probation and Parole and the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.
Jasper Hunt (age 62 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked In From Court and on the charge of Contempt of Court by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.
Shelbie Hoffman (age 33 with Bush, La. address) was booked on the charges of Probation and Parole Hold and Failure to Pay Fine (2 counts) by Probation and Parole and the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $2820.00.
Nicolas Calidonia (age 45 with Bush, La. address) was booked on the charges of Parole Violation and Contempt of Court by Probation and Parole and the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.
Jessica Cooley (age 44 with no address shown) was booked on the charges of Aggravated Domestic Violence Assault, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, Sale Distribution or Possession of Legend Drugs Without Prescription or Order, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $5000.00.
Monica Truax (age 54 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Domestic Abuse Battery and Possession of Schedule II Drugs by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $7500.00.
Michelle Rogers (age 31 with no address shown) was booked on the charges of Fugitive Other Jurisdiction and Possession of Schedule II Drugs by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $7500.00.
Gregory Levias (age 69 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses, Proper Equipment Required, MVI Expired, and Contempt of Court by the Bogalusa Police Department. Bond set at $10000.00.
Jaycob Burkhalter (age 19 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Illegal Use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, Possession of CDS With Weapon Present, Possession or Dealing in Unregistered or Illegally Transferred Weapons, Tampering With Sign Identifying a Firearm-Free Zone, Resisting Arrest, Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Illegal Discharge of Weapon, and Resisting Arrest by Flight by the Bogalusa Police Department and the Franklinton Police Department. Bond set at $40000.00.
Aquilla Baker (age 43 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of False Swearing by the Franklinton Police Department. Bond set at $2500.00.
Calvin Peters (age 62 with no address shown) was booked on the charges of Issuing Worthless Checks 300-500 and Failure to Appear by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond set at $7500.00.
Lindsay Brunet (age 32 with no address shown) was booked on the charge of Aggravated Second Degree Battery by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.
***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 83. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Friday A 40 percent chance of showers and possibly thunderstorms. Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
Friday Night A 40 percent chance of showers after midnight. Increasing clouds, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday A 60 percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind 5 to 15 mph.
February 18, 2026
LSU AgCenter's Weekly Message
PhytoFindings: Cotton Jassid on Okra
It will be a while before we have okra or eggplants in our gardens again, but I want to alert you to an insect pest that we may encounter in the upcoming growing season.
In September 2025, LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. James Villeagas notified us that the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry had found a new-to-Louisiana insect pest, the cotton jassid, on ornamental hibiscus plants at some nurseries. In early October, he alerted us that they had also been found in cotton fields in Tensas Parish.
A little over a week later, in mid-October, I was looking at my okra plants. It was late in the season, I hadn’t side-dressed them with fertilizer, and I knew that I had root knot nematodes in this area. So, I wasn’t surprised that they weren’t looking their best. It occurred to me, though, that my Orleans Parish colleague Dr. Joe Willis had mentioned that cotton jassids affect okra plants. I flipped over a leaf and, sure enough, found some suspicious light green critters. I sent some photos to Dr. Villegas, who agreed that they appeared to be cotton jassids.
The cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula) is also known as the two-spot cotton leafhopper. It has piercing-sucking mouthparts, meaning that it doesn’t make holes in plants but removes sap from them. Toxins in its saliva also contribute to the symptoms it causes, including yellowing, reddening, marginal browning, leaf distortion, and plant stunting. Like many piercing-sucking insects, cotton jassids feed from the undersides of leaves, and they’re small. Nymphs (juveniles) range from 0.6 to 2.2 mm long, or from about one-fortieth of an inch to a little under one-tenth of an inch, while adults can reach up to 3 mm long, or a little under one-eighth of an inch. So, you probably won’t see them unless you look for them.
Cotton is the most economically important crop that the cotton jassid damages, hence the name. However, it also affects other plants that are valuable to us. Cotton, okra, and the many Hibiscus species are all in the mallow family (Malvaceae). We value most cultivated hibiscus plants for their ornamental qualities, but people grow roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa, also called sorrel or Florida cranberry) so that they can use its calyxes (part of the flowers) for making tea and other products.
Eggplants are in the nightshade family with tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes, but the cotton jassid feeds on them, too. Leaf symptoms are not as distinct on eggplant as they are on cotton and okra, but yield loss has been reported.
We don’t yet know to what extent the cotton jassid will overwinter in Louisiana. Nevertheless, it is highly likely that numbers will be lower early in the growing season than later.
So, while both okra and eggplant are heat-tolerant vegetables that can be planted later than some other warm-season crops, I recommend planting them early within their recommended planting windows this year. Okra sometimes experiences damping off if planted too early, when soil is still cool, so don’t go crazy with early planting but consider planting in April in southeast Louisiana. Likewise, eggplant is more cold-sensitive than some other warm-season vegetables, but it can be transplanted in mid- to late-March, once no frosts are in the forecast.
At this time, we’re largely relying on information from other states about insecticide efficacy for cotton jassid. The most effective insecticides are not available in quantities appropriate for most home gardens.
Imidacloprid has some efficacy, and there are at least a couple of imidacloprid-containing home garden insecticide products – Bioadvanced Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable Insect Control and Monterey Fruit Tree & Vegetable Systemic Soil Drench – that are labeled for use around okra and eggplant, once per year. Both must be applied to the soil at the base of the plants, just after they’re transplanted or shortly after plants emerge from seeds. They are not labeled for spraying onto the leaves of the plants.
There are other imidacloprid products labeled for use on ornamental plants. Because these products are systemic and due to concerns about bees, they have restrictions related to the timing of application relative to flowering, and this affects when they can be used on ornamental hibiscus plants.
Another option for home gardeners is neem oil. There are a number of neem oil products on the market, and some have broadly worded labels that allow use on many types of vegetable plants and ornamentals. However, the spray must cover the undersides of the leaves, and repeated applications will likely be needed. Even if one of the imidacloprid products is used, I would suggest regularly checking okra plants for cotton jassid nymphs and adults, and spraying neem oil if you start seeing them.
Make sure any insecticide you’re considering using is labeled for the type of plants on which you plan to use it, and read and follow label instructions.
Since many other insects (most of which are not pests) occur in the garden, and a wide range of other factors can cause plant problems, let us know if you need help with troubleshooting.
Let me know if you have questions.
Click here for previous LSU AgCenter's Weekly Messages
Dr. Mary Helen Ferguson is an Extension Agent with the LSU AgCenter, with horticulture responsibilities in Washington and Tangipahoa Parishes. Contact Mary Helen at mhferguson@agcenter.lsu.edu, 985-277-1850 (Hammond), or 985-839-7855 (Franklinton).
Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden Party is March 12th
The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station is pleased to announce the Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden Party, a special event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the beloved Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden. The celebration will take place Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Hammond Research Station, located at 21549 Old Covington Highway, Hammond, LA 70403. Refreshments will be provided for all guests.
Established in 2006, the Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden honors the extraordinary legacy of Margie Y. Jenkins, a nationally recognized plantswoman and horticultural pioneer celebrated for her passion, generosity, and decades of influence on the nursery and landscape industry. Over the past 20 years, the garden has become a vibrant showcase of azalea diversity, a living resource for research and education, and a treasured destination for Louisiana gardeners and visitors.
“We are proud to honor Margie Jenkins’ remarkable contributions to not only Louisiana horticulture but to Southern horticulture,” said Dr. Christine Coker, Station Coordinator. “The azalea garden stands as a testament to her passion for plants and people.”
The event is free and open to the public. A special raffle will be held with proceeds going to support the Azalea Garden.
If you would like to support the Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden, or for more information, please contact the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station at (985) 543-4125.
Body of Apparant Drowning Victim Recovered Near Enon
The Washington Parish Sheriff's Office reports that the remains of 66-year-old Marcel Chauvin of
Marrero have been recovered and received by the coroner.
Earlier on Tuesday (February 17, 2025) evening, WPSO had reported that deputies were searching for the body of a man in an old gravel pit near Holdens Run in Enon. It was reported that the victim attempted to grab a kayak, fell into the body of water and did not resurface. First responders were on scene with a sonar boat and dive gear.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 15 mph.
Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday A 50 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph.
February 17, 2026
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind 5 to 15 mph.
Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
February 16, 2026
Suspects Sought in Dollar Store Thefts
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) today (February 16, 2026) requests the public’s help in identifying and locating a man and woman accused of stealing from several area discount stores recently.
On February 6, 2026, employees at the Dollar General store in the 20000 block of Highway 190 in the Ponchatoula area reported that the same two suspects had been coming into the store for several weeks to steal items from the cleaning supplies area of the store. Each time, the suspects were traveling in a red sedan with Louisiana license plate 161 JOK.
It was learned these same suspects are wanted by Ponchatoula Police for the same crimes at the Dollar General store on Highway 22.
While the male suspect is seen clearly on surveillance video, the other is described as a white female with red hair.
Sheriff Gerald Sticker encourages anyone with information about who these suspects are, or their whereabouts, to contact Det. Earl McFarland at 985-514-8181 or 985-351-8942. If you’d prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com and click on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip! You may be eligible for a cash reward.
***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***
Drunk Driver Plows Into Bedroom of Slidell Home
Shortly before 11pm on Thursday (February 12, 2026) night, Slidell Police responded to a vehicle that crashed into a house in the 100 block of Dewald Drive.
Upon arrival, officers observed a gray Nissan Altima completely inside of a bedroom of the house. It was discovered a 13-year-old was in bed sleeping at the time of the crash, and miraculously only received minor physical injuries. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 20-year-old Alec Dillon of Slidell was still at the scene and was visibly intoxicated. Dillon was placed under arrest for 2nd Offense DWI, Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Vehicular Negligent Injuring, Driving Under Suspension, and Open Container.
***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***
The young boy, who was in bed at the time of the crash, recently rearranged his bedroom and moved his bed. Under the previous arrangement, it is believed this crash would have ended much differently.
𝙎𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙪𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙪 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨, “𝙂𝙊𝘿 𝙄𝙎 𝙂𝙊𝙊𝘿 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚. 𝘿𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤. 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙈𝙧. 𝘿𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝟮𝟬-𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨-𝙤𝙡𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚.”
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Washington's Birthday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tonight Increasing clouds, with a low around 50. Calm wind.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph.
February 14, 2026
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Widespread dense fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight A 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low around 59. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest after midnight. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Sunday A 60 percent chance showers likely and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Washington's Birthday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind.
February 13, 2026
One Dead, Multiple Injured in Hammond Shooting
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reports that one person is in custody following a shooting at around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday (February 12, 2026) that killed one and injured four, including a 4-year-old boy .
In custody is 30-year-old Marquanvius Jones, who is facing 2nd Degree Murder, Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon charges.
TPSO received reports of multiple people injured in the townhome complex located on Willow Villa Road off of Old Baton Rouge Highway in the Hammond area. In total, five people were hit. Javan Myers, age 26, died from his injuries. Jones was struck as well. A 25-year-old man remains hospitalized in serious condition, while a 22-year-old female and a 4-year-old boy were treated and released.
The investigation has revealed that an argument among a group of people escalated to Jones firing into a crowd, with Myers firing back. While detectives are still working to determine the details of the argument, information gathered so far suggests it began over a request for a ride.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact our Criminal Investigations Division at 985-902-2088. If you’d prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com and click on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip! Tips submitted directly through Crimestoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.
$1000 Scholarships Available to Graduating HS Students
Source: Washington Parish Sheriff's Office
The Louisiana Sheriff’s Scholarship Program is awarding $1000 scholarships to graduating high school students from each parish. This scholarship is intended to assist hard-working students in furthering their education and training.
There are no restrictions on how scholarships are spent. The scholarships are not loans and will be awarded as gifts to defray the rising costs of tuition and related expenses in higher education.
The only limitations are that applicants must be permanent residents of Washington Parish, Louisiana, scholarships must be used for higher education within the state of Louisiana and students must be enrolled as full-time undergraduates.
Applications must be submitted to the Franklinton Sheriff’s Office by April 1, 2026. To qualify, applicants must be eligible for admission to the school indicated on the application. All scholarship winners will be announced by May 1, 2026.
For guidelines, criteria and printable applications, please visit https://lsa.org/scholarship/.
For more information, please contact us at 985-839-3434.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind.
Tonight Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 55. Calm wind.
Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Light southeast wind increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night A 100 percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Low around 60. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
Sunday A 80 percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 73. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
February 12, 2026
Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Brutal Kidnapping & Rape
District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on February 12, 2026, Antoine Massey was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison by the Honorable Judge Alan M. Black. The sentencing follows Massey’s December 2025 conviction by a unanimous St. Tammany Parish jury on charges of Second Degree Rape, Second Degree Kidnapping, Domestic Abuse of a Dating Partner by Strangulation, and Second Offense Violation of a Protective Order.
In total, Massey will serve 60 years hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
The charges originated from violent, hours-long attacks on November 10, 2024. After discovering domestic violence paperwork in the victim’s purse, Massey beat and strangled her before kidnapping her and driving her between Slidell and New Orleans. Throughout the ordeal, Massey repeatedly assaulted and raped the victim. The abuse only ended when the victim managed to escape and flag down a stranger in New Orleans to contact the New Orleans Police Department.
Click here for a previous related story
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Black addressed Massey directly, highlighting the severity of his actions and his extensive prior record, “Your criminal history is significant and started a long time ago,” Judge Black stated. “This crime here was over an extensive amount of hours. It was brutal…and extreme violence – this all adds up to what the court considers.”
The case was notable for the extensive digital evidence presented by Lead Detective Katie Ragan of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. Despite Massey’s attempts to coerce the victim into recanting through jailhouse calls – and an advocate’s attempt to interfere with the victim’s testimony in open court – prosecutors used license plate readers, Ring doorbell footage, and recorded calls to secure the conviction.
District Attorney Collin Sims praised the sentence as a vital step in protecting the community and honoring the victim’s initial courage. “Judge Black’s imposition of this 60-year sentence ensures that a violent predator is removed from our streets for a very long time,” DA Sims said. “Domestic violence is a cycle of fear and manipulation, but the meticulous work of our investigators and prosecutors provided a voice for the victim when she was most vulnerable. We remain committed to holding abusers accountable, even when they attempt to subvert the justice system from behind bars.”
DA Sims extended his gratitude to Assistant District Attorneys Zachary Popovich and Elizabeth Authement for their successful prosecution, as well as the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their roles in the investigation and Massey’s apprehension.
Keldric Harry Found Guilty of Murder in Bogalusa High School Shooting
District Attorney Collin Sims announces that on Wednesday (February 11, 2026), a Washington Parish jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict against 18-year-old Keldric Harry of Bogalusa, Louisiana for the January 2024 shooting that claimed the life of a 14-year-old and injured two others.
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Following a trial held before the Honorable Judge John A. Keller, Harry was found guilty on one count of Second Degree Murder and two counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder.
The conviction stems from an incident on January 11, 2024, in the parking lot of Bogalusa High School during a basketball game. Evidence presented at trial showed that the victim, identified as 14-year-old D.J., and two friends were fired upon after entering an unlocked vehicle. The prosecution detailed how Harry, alongside co-defendant Hakheim Young, used an automatic weapon to unleash a “death sentence” on a child for a minor property crime.
District Attorney Collin Sims praised the verdict as a necessary step for community safety. “This verdict sends a clear and resolute message that senseless acts of violence will not be tolerated in our district,” Sims stated. “Our office remains committed to holding those who devalue human life accountable. While we cannot restore what this family has lost, we can ensure that this individual faces the full weight of the law.”
During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Gary Tromblay emphasized the calculated nature of the violence. “This wasn’t trick-or-treating…this was murder and attempted murder,” Tromblay told the jury. “The victim made the wrong choice at the wrong time – he broke into the wrong car. Did he deserve a death sentence? Did he deserve to get zippered with a machine gun? He bled out in the back seat of that car. That’s just cold-blooded, calculated killing.”
A pivotal piece of evidence in the state’s case was a voice recording of the defendant captured approximately 12 hours after the murder. Despite defense efforts to label the audio as AI-generated, Assistant District Attorney Jay Adair successfully argued for its authenticity.
“The defense trying to gaslight you into an alternate reality just tells me how damning that piece of evidence is,” Adair told the jury. “Logical consistency is important. It’s authentic…down to the bursts of an automatic,” he declared, referring to the sounds the defendant made in the recording while describing the gunfire.
Adair continued by placing the weight of the decision on the jury’s sense of duty: “You get to decide if based on reason and common sense that aligns with everything else you heard. I’m not going to feel joy or delight – regardless of what you decide – at most, I will feel that justice has been served for this family—that they cannot ever get their 14-year-old son back – who got a death sentence for opening an unlocked door of a car at a game.”
The investigation, led by the Bogalusa Police Department, utilized camera footage and witness statements to unravel a web of untruths regarding the getaway vehicle. Evidence confirmed that Harry remained in the parking lot specifically because he was banned from school campus, eventually using a friend’s vehicle to flee the scene after the homicide.
The Office of the District Attorney extends its gratitude to the jurors for their service and to the investigators who ensured a thorough presentation of the facts.
Sentencing for Keldric Harry will take place on April 20, 2026, before Judge Keller.
The co-defendant in this matter, Hakheim Young, is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Illegal Firearms, Burglary Tools & More Seized During Slidell Traffic Stop
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives removed multiple illegal firearms along with burglary tools from the streets during a proactive enforcement operation in Slidell on Tuesday (February 10, 2026).
Detectives with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Proactive Enforcement Unit and Narcotics Division were conducting proactive patrols near Oak Harbor and Interstate 10 when they initiated a traffic stop on a northbound red 2010 Nissan Versa. The vehicle was occupied by four individuals identified as 23-year-old Dakari Williams of Slidell, 18-year-old Lavonte Price of New Orleans, 17-year-old Aalijah Lyons of New Orleans, and a 16-year-old juvenile (not pictured).
While the occupants were exiting the vehicle, one individual attempted to destroy evidence by discarding marijuana, which led detectives to conduct a search of the vehicle. During the search, detectives located four firearms, including: a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, a mini-Draco Avtomat Kalashnikova 7.62x39mm style pistol, a Glock 19 9mm pistol, which was reported stolen out of Jefferson Parish (illegally modified), and a FEDARM AR-15 .223 style pistol that had been illegally modified to function as an automatic firearm.
Detectives also located items commonly associated with vehicle burglaries and thefts, including a re-keying device used to clone automotive smart keys, remote fobs and transponder chips, as well as ski masks, gloves, goggles and a window punch/glass-breaking tool.
All four occupants were arrested and booked on numerous charges. The adults were transported to the St. Tammany Parish Jail, and the juvenile was transported to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center.
Following his arrival at the jail, Williams was also found to be in possession of three Tapentadol tablets, a Schedule II narcotic with a high potential for abuse.
“This case highlights the importance of proactive policing,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “By actively patrolling areas where criminal activity is known to occur, our deputies and detectives are able to intervene before these illegal weapons are used and before residents become victims. Removing these firearms and burglary tools from our streets helps prevent crimes that could otherwise be inevitable.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office is committed to proactive policing, crime prevention and keeping our communities safe. Sheriff Smith is asking anyone with information about narcotics or other crimes, to submit a tip utilizing the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office website (www.STPSO.com), by calling the narcotics tip line (1-888-GO-2-JAIL) or by calling Crimestoppers. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward through Crimestoppers.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.
Friday Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind.
Friday Night Increasing clouds, with a low around 56. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Saturday A 40 percent chance of showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Low around 62. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
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