Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Daniel Wayne Callihan, age 37 and a resident of Amite, pled guilty today (August 6, 2025) before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to a two-count Superseding Indictment charging him with kidnapping resulting in death and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Callihan was previously charged for his crimes in a federal complaint on June 14, 2024, and has remained in federal custody since that time.
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“Today’s resolution ensures that Daniel Wayne Callihan, will be held accountable for his heinous and atrocious crimes,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson. “This successful prosecution is the result of the significant collaboration by local, state, and federal agencies across Louisiana and Mississippi. Their collective dedication and hard work ensured that Mr. Callihan will now face justice.”
"The FBI is committed to relentlessly pursuing violent predators and our hearts go out to the families of these victims," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "Every law enforcement partner who worked on this case was determined to deliver justice for the Brunett family and the people of Tangipahoa Parish. The FBI thanks the U.S. Marshals Service, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson MS Police Department for their efforts to make sure Daniel Callihan will never do anything like this again."
According to court documents, on or about June 12, 2024, Callihan was present inside the Loranger, Louisiana residence of Adult Victim 1, who lived with her two daughters, Minor Victim 1 (a four-year-old female) and Minor Victim 2 (a six-year-old female). While present in the residence, Callihan stabbed Adult Victim 1 more than fifty times, resulting in her death. After killing Adult Victim 1, Callihan kidnapped Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 using Adult Victim 1’s 2012 Chrysler 200 automobile, bearing a Louisiana license plate, and drove to McComb, Mississippi.
Callihan, with Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 still in the car, then returned to Amite, Louisiana, where he picked up Co-Conspirator 1. Callihan then drove Adult Victim 1’s car to a residence in Jackson, Mississippi located in the 3900 block of Boozier Drive.
On either the evening of June 12, 2024, or early on June 13, 2024, Callihan and Co-Conspirator 1 engaged in sexual battery with Minor Victim 2. Callihan intended that Minor Victim 2 would engage in criminal sexual activity, namely violations of criminal laws of the State of Louisiana, including La. Rev. Stat. 14.81 and La Rev. Stat. 43.1, and the State of Mississippi, including Miss. Code § 97-3-95 and Miss. Code § 97-5-23, at the time he transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Louisiana to Mississippi.
Thereafter, on June 13, 2024, while at the Boozier Drive property, Callihan purposely suffocated Minor Victim 1 to death by holding Minor Victim 1 closely against his chest.
Later on June 13, 2024, after Adult Victim 1’s body was discovered, federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities began an investigation. The investigation determined the location of both Callihan and Adult Victim 1’s car. A search of the Boozier Drive property led to the discovery of a pit on the property. Law enforcement officers discovered Minor Victim 1’s body and Minor Victim 2 in the pit.
After being taken into custody and waiving his Miranda rights, Callihan admitted to stabbing Adult Victim 1 to death and kidnapping Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Adult Victim 1’s vehicle. Callihan further admitted that he and Co-Conspirator 1 transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to Mississippi, where he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2, and he smothered Minor Victim 1 to death. Callihan's admission that he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2 was corroborated in a voluntary, post-Miranda statement Co-Conspirator 1 made to law enforcement authorities.
As part of the resolution of this matter, the Government has agreed that should the Court accept the defendant’s plea of guilty to the Superseding Indictment, the Government will not seek the death penalty with regard to Count One. Consequently, for Count One, Callihan faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For Count Two, Callihan faces a mandatory minimum of (10) ten years in prison, and up to life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For each count, Callihan also faces at least (5) five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and the obligation to register as a sex offender.
Sentencing before Judge Africk has been scheduled for November 19, 2025. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the sentence for Count One may run either concurrent or consecutive to the sentence imposed for Count Two. Further, any sentence or portion thereof may run either concurrent or consecutive to any sentence imposed in any other jurisdiction, including, but not limited to, the 21st Judicial District Court (Louisiana), State of Louisiana v. Callihan, Case No. 2401198, and Hinds County (Mississippi) Circuit Court, State of Mississippi v. Callihan, Case No. 24-466. The terms of Callihan’s plea are not contingent upon the disposition of any case or sentence imposed in any matter pending in any other jurisdiction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the great support provided by the United States Marshals Service, the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, the Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson (Mississippi) Police Department. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also commended the exceptional work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana Victim/Witness Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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