Slidell Man Arrested On Charges Related to Child Sexual Exploitation

In January, 2026, the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit (LSP/SVU), working in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Covington Police Department concluded a multi-week investigation into child exploitation in St. Tammany Parish. The operation concluded with the arrest on February 6, 2026 of 42-year-old Joshua W. Dugger of Slidell. LSP reports that Dugger sent sexually explicit conversations with whom he believed to be a 15-year-old minor. 

Dugger was arrested at his residence and charged with Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor, Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile, and Child Grooming. Dugger was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center. This case remains under investigation.

This investigation highlights the continued collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in combating sexual crimes that threaten the safety of Louisiana children.

The Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit works to rescue and seek justice for victims of child exploitation and human trafficking through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as public education. The public plays a crucial role in identifying suspects and reporting criminal or suspicious activity. An anonymous reporting form is available online at http://la-safe.org/ by clicking the “Suspicious Activity” link. Your vigilance helps protect vulnerable members of our communities and supports the fight against exploitation and trafficking. 

Burn Ban Issued by Washington Parish President

This Week in Louisiana Agriculture

From community rodeos to preserving Louisiana traditions, this week’s episode covers the people and stories shaping agriculture across the state. In this week's show, Josh Meeks takes us to Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles to see this year’s BRODEO, a rodeo created especially for special needs children. Neil Melancon introduces us to one man working to preserve cypress pirogues and the history tied to them. Karl Wiggers takes us to Vermilion Parish and shows us how grassroots involvement allows Aaron Lee to continue farming some of Louisiana’s most iconic commodities. Plus, we look ahead to the 83rd Southern University Livestock and Poultry Show and the warmth Winter Storm Fern left behind in a heartwarming TWILA Boost. 

LSU AgCenter's Weekly Message

Amaryllises Can Provide Lovely Flowers Now and in the Landscape

My mother gave me an amaryllis bulb for Christmas this past year. The plant is flowering beautifully next to my west-facing window. It has several blooms right now, and it looks like there will be more before this year’s show is over.

At the same time, a couple of amaryllis plants that Mom gave me in previous years are in the ground in my perennials bed. They had green leaves until the current stretch of hard freezes began. I just planted one in the ground last spring, so it hasn’t bloomed in the landscape yet. I planted the other one in 2024, and it flowered in early April last year, before the Easter lilies and giant plume ginger. I plan to add my new amaryllis to the bed this spring, after the last hard freeze.

What we most often call amaryllises are plants in the Hippeastrum genus. There is an Amaryllis genus, but those species aren’t commonly grown here. Hippeastrum plants are descendants of ones in South and Central America, while true Amaryllis species are from South Africa. All of these are in the amaryllis family.

After amaryllis plants growing indoors have finished flowering, cut off the flower stalk, but allow the leaves to die back naturally. To grow them in the landscape, plant bulbs in a site with full sun to partial shade and good drainage. If you don’t have an in-ground spot that fits these criteria, you can plant them in containers.

Don’t plant amaryllis bulbs too deeply. Place them so that the narrow part at the top of the bulb is above the soil. In parts of Louisiana that get cold enough to be in USDA Hardiness Zone 8, about 3 inches of mulch can be spread over the bulbs during the winter to protect them.

You can fertilize amaryllis plants after they finish flowering.

Since amaryllis bulbs like the ones I have are sold largely for flowering indoors, I suspect that there is a good deal of variation in terms of how well they survive in the landscape and how much they spread. If you’re looking for something that survives reliably and spreads vigorously outdoors, you might consider the one that’s often called St. Joseph’s lily or hardy amaryllis (Hippeastrum x johnsonii). It has red flowers with white stripes and has been around since the late 1700s. It’s one of the most cold hardy Hippeastrum hybrids, surviving temperatures as low or lower than those found in USDA Hardiness Zone 7.

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).

Obituary

Lisa Kathryn Parrish

October 11, 1959 - February 6, 2026

Obituary

Jason Monroe Duncan

January 23, 1984 - February 6, 2026

Obituary

Barry Lavelle Hall

September 1, 1958 - December 2, 2025

Obituary

Patrick Earl Hayden

February 12, 1979 - February 6, 2026

Obituary

Billy Wayne Rester

August 14, 1937 - February 6, 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 74. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Tonight   Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 53. Calm wind.

Tuesday   Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Tuesday Night   Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday   A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night   Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.

Local Forecast for the Next Few Days

For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page. 

Today   Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Tonight   Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 49. Calm wind.

Monday   Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.

Monday Night   Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind.

Tuesday   Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night   Cloudy, with a low around 56. Calm wind.

Obituary

William Randall “Randy” Reviere

July 16, 1958 - February 6, 2026

Local Forecast for the Next Few Days

For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page. 

Today   Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the afternoon.

Tonight   Clear, with a low around 37. Calm wind.

Sunday   Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Sunday Night   Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. Calm wind.

Monday   Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.

Monday Night   Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind.

Marrio Haynes, Jr. - Caught in Kentwood - Gets Life Plus 60 Years Sentence for 2023 Lacombe Ambush Murder

District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on Monday, February 2, 2026, 27-year-old Marrio Haynes, Jr. of Covington, Louisiana was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 60 years following his conviction for the 2023 murder of 23-year-old Juwarren Martin. The sentencing took place in Division J before the Honorable Vincent J. Lobello.

Click here for previous related stories

In a packed courtroom, Judge Lobello handed down the following sentences:

• Second Degree Murder – Life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

• Obstruction of Justice – 40 years at hard labor.

• Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of Certain Felonies – 20 years at hard labor.

Judge Lobello ordered the sentences for Counts 2 and 3 to run consecutively to the life sentence, effectively totaling Life plus 60 years. During the proceedings, Judge Lobello addressed Haynes directly, stating, “You have zero remorse for what you did. It was the most cowardly act that I’ve seen.”

The sentencing was marked by emotional testimony from the family of Juwarren Martin. One family member spoke to the lasting void left by the defendant’s actions, noting that Martin’s son must now grow up without a father. “You’re a coward,” the family member told the defendant. “Your life had potential and you threw that away – nobody else but you.” Another family member also addressed the court, expressing her disdain for the defendant’s lack of sympathy throughout the trial. Haynes declined to make a statement before the court.

The sentencing follows a guilty verdict returned by a St. Tammany Parish jury on January 8, 2026. The evidence presented at trial by Assistant District Attorneys Tiffany Dover and Shelby Stoop detailed a “deadly ambush” on December 26, 2023.

Following a verbal grievance involving Haynes’ girlfriend, Megan Ayanna Coleman, and the victim’s sister, Haynes sought out Martin at a gas station in Lacombe. Armed with an AR-15 style rifle, Haynes approached Martin from behind and fired a single fatal shot into his torso. Haynes, a previously convicted felon, was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service in Kentwood, Louisiana.

“Today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Haynes will never again be a threat to the peace and safety of our community,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “This was a calculated, cold-blooded execution of a young man. While no amount of time can return Juwarren to his family, we hope this life sentence provides them with the justice they deserve. My office remains committed to holding violent offenders fully accountable for their actions.”

The co-defendant in this matter, Megan Ayanna Coleman, is charged with Principal to Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice. Her trial is scheduled to begin in April 2026. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Obituary

Ethelyn King Sharp

September 4, 1942 - February 6, 2026

Independence Man Arrested for Inappropriate Relationship with a Juvenile

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) reports the February 5, 2026 arrest of 47-year-old Chad Basso, an Independence man, for having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager. Basso was booked on one count of Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile.

In the past few days, TPSO was alerted to allegations of sexual abuse involving Basso. Detectives determined that Basso met an individual online last year who was actually a 15-year-old from Tangipahoa Parish. Basso was an area school teacher at the time, but the teen is not a student at the school where Basso is employed.

The investigation confirmed Basso and the teen eventually met in person and had a sexual relationship including interactions at Basso’s home. A warrant was then issued for Basso’s arrest and he was taken into custody.

***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***

This investigation is still ongoing and includes the full cooperation of the Tangipahoa Parish School System.

Sheriff Gerald Sticker encourages parents to closely and consistently monitor their children’s activities and conversations on the internet, especially on social media.

Obituary

G.C. “Three” Blake, III

October 4, 1964 – February 1, 2026

Obituary

George Evon Ladner

August 1, 1930 - February 5, 2026

Local Forecast for the Next Few Days

For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page. 

Today   Sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight   Clear, with a low around 41. West wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.

Saturday   Sunny, with a high near 62. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night   Areas of frost after 5am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 36. Calm wind.

Sunday   Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Sunday Night   Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Calm wind.

WPSS Invites Homeschoolers to Take Leap!

The Washington Parish School System invites homeschool students to participate in LEAP testing
this year!

To sign up, contact the school within your district by March 2, 2026 if you would like your child to participate.

If you have questions, please reach out to your local school for additional details.

Louisiana's New Closed Party Primaries

Closed-Party Primaries are coming to our elections beginning in 2026. In videos below, Louisiana's Secretary of State outlines a process for Democrats, Republicans, and No Party voters to select a candidate to represent Louisiana’s two major political parties for certain elected offices. How can you best prepare for the new Closed-Party Primaries in Louisiana? Watch the five videos below.

For more information on 2026 Elections, click here

 

One Dead, Several Injured in Hammond-Area Crash

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reports that 30-year-old Maricia Casnave of Lacombe has been identified as the victim of a fatal crash with multiple additional injuries that occurred in the Hammond area last week. Just after 7 p.m. on Thursday (January 29, 2026), TPSO was notified of a one-vehicle crash at the traffic circle on North Hoover Road and Sisters Road.

The initial investigation revealed that a 2011 Toyota Camry was traveling south on North Hoover when it entered the roundabout at Sisters Road at a high rate of speed. The vehicle lost control, traveling into the yard of a business, where it hit a tree. Casnave, the front seat passenger, was not wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene. Four other people in the vehicle, including a juvenile, were all unrestrained and were hospitalized with various levels of injuries. Two remain hospitalized today (February 5, 2026).

This investigation is ongoing pending possible criminal charges. The TPSO is asking anyone with information about this incident, who witnessed the crash or who stopped to help at the scene, to contact detectives at 985-748-8147 ext. 2081.

The TPSO wants to remind all drivers that while not all crashes are survivable, wearing seat belts correctly can be the difference between life and death and can significantly reduce the severity of injuries sustained in a crash.

Obituary

Valerie R. Thompson

April 11, 1960 - January 23, 2026

Local Forecast for the Next Few Days

For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page. 

Today   Widespread frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight   Areas of frost between midnight and 2am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight.

Friday   Sunny, with a high near 69. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night   Clear, with a low around 43. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.

Saturday   Sunny, with a high near 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night   Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.

Fire Safety Reminder for Washington Parish

February 4, 2026 Burning Memo - Fire Safety Conditions

We are currently experiencing very dry conditions, and much of the vegetation across Washington Parish is dormant and highly combustible. With seasonal dry vegetation and windy conditions, outdoor burning poses a serious risk. Just this past weekend, our parish responded to three separate fires. Forecasts also show little to no chance of rain over the next several days, which will only increase the danger. We strongly urge residents to be mindful of these conditions and to avoid burning at this time. A single spark can quickly turn into a dangerous situation. Please help us protect lives, property, and our first responders by using extra caution during this dry period.

Washington Parish President

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 56. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight   Widespread frost after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind around 10 mph.

Thursday   Widespread frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the afternoon.

Thursday Night   Areas of frost after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight.

Friday   Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night   Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Obituary

Robert "Kinky" Brock Miller

January 27, 2026

Obituary

Bonnie Sue Vernon

June 26, 1960 - February 2, 2026

Obituary

Henry "Hank" Adam Schumacher

November 18, 1946 - February 1, 2026

Warrants Issued for Amite Narcotics Suspect

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a suspected drug dealer following a joint operation this week that uncovered numerous deadly narcotics as well as weapons.

Ledeven “Phat” Edwards, age 35, is currently wanted on three counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II narcotics and one count each of Possession of Schedule I narcotics, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Weapons While in Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS), Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Creation/Operation of a Clandestine Lab, and Resisting an Officer.

Following months of investigating, TPSO Narcotics detectives, assisted by the Hammond Police Department and the DEA’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (F.O.R.T.), conducted a search warrant at a home on James Road in Amite where Edwards was confirmed to have been selling Fentanyl, Meth, Marijuana, and various prescription pills.

That search turned up fentanyl, marijuana and evidence of drug production and distribution. In addition, detectives found a semi-automatic gun with a 90-round drum magazine as well as a 30-round magazine for a different weapon not on site at the time of this operation.

Edwards is a convicted felon and is considered armed and dangerous. If you know where Edwards is, please contact our Criminal Investigations Office 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.

***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***

𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩, 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝

Reported by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office

“𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤... 𝙮𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣"

That line came from a message we received from a local citizen who wanted to make sure two deputies were recognized after rescuing him and two others during dangerous conditions on the water.

In his message, he described how on Saturday morning his boat’s anchor slipped while duck hunting, causing the vessel to drift nearly two miles away away from them while they were in the marsh. With temperatures well below freezing, strong winds around 25 mph, and rough water, the three hunters were left stranded in a marshy area and facing the very real threat of exposure.

He went on to say the deputies who responded were “covered in ice head to toe” and that he didn’t feel he got the chance to properly thank them for stepping in without hesitation.

Saturday morning around 8:30 a.m., Deputy Joey Schwindling of our Marine Division was dispatched to the Goose Point area of Lacombe. Deputy Schwindling deployed a Sheriff’s Office mud boat, despite being covered in water and ice from the rough waves,  he safely rescued all three individuals, bringing them out of the dangerous conditions.

After the hunters were safe, Deputy Schwindling and Sergeant Jared Mire returned to the area and retrieved the unmanned boat, returning it to its owners.

Because when conditions are at their worst, service doesn’t stop.

Local Forecast for the Next Few Days

For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page. 

Today   A 20 percent chance of showers after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tonight   A 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low around 46. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday   Partly sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Night   Widespread frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 31. North wind 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday   Widespread frost, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night   Widespread frost, mainly between 10pm and 2am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.