Washington Parish Jail Bookings for September 30- October 1, 2025

Devin Lewis (age 29 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Fugitive Other Jurisdiction by the Franklinton Police Department. Released Oct. 1, 2025

Jessica Pitre (age 45 with Tylertown, Ms. address) was booked on the charges of Bank Fraud (3 counts), Identity Theft, Forgery (3 counts), Issuing Worthless Checks Under 1000 (3 counts), Theft Less Than 1000 (2 counts), Speeding 11-20 Over Limit, No Drivers License, and Possession of Schedule 1 Drugs by the Franklinton Police Department. No bond set at this time.

Lameshia Long (age 30 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Attachment by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Released on $120.00 bond.

Jason Hotard (age 44 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charges of Fugitive Other Jurisdiction and Assault on a School Teacher by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.

Louella Bagot (age 64 with Mt. Hermon, La. address) was booked on the charge of Protective Order Violation by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.

Heather Greer (age 45 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Failure to Appear by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.

Tisten Powe (age 30 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Sexual Battery/Victim Under 13 YOA 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   Sunny, with a high near 88. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight   Mostly clear, with a low around 65. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday   Sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Friday Night   Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday   Sunny, with a high near 85. East wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday Night   Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tropical Disturbances Today

(shown from left to right)

Disturbance 1.  An area of low pressure may form near the northwestern Bahamas and southern Florida by Saturday. Any additional development is expected to be slow to occur as the system moves northwestward across the Florida Peninsula into the Gulf of America. Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent and formation chance through 7 days...low...10 percent.

Disturbance 2.  Hurricane Imelda is no threat to our area and has passed Bermuda. Swells and high surf from Imelda are expected to affect the east coast of the United States for several days.

Disturbance 3.  Central Tropical Atlantic: A tropical wave is expected to move off the coast of Africa over the next day or two. Thereafter, this wave is forecast to interact with another disturbance in the eastern tropical Atlantic, and some slow development of the combined feature is possible as the system moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph. Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent and formation chance through 7 days...low...20 percent.

La. AG Murrill's LBI Arrests Pearl River Man for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

On September 29, 2025, Attorney General Liz Murrill's Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrested 33-year-old Christopher Barnhill on Chris Kennedy Road in Pearl River for 16 counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material Under the Age of Thirteen (Felony) and 5 counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material Under the Age of Seventeen (Felony). 

LBI agents initially received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This arrest was a result of a joint investigation with General Murrill's Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Unit, the State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Covington Police Department in affiliation with the 22nd Judicial District SVU Task Force.

Barnhill was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Bond was set at $200,000.00

This Week in Louisiana Agriculture

In this episode, we show you how farmers in West Carroll Parish came together to harvest for a neighbor after an injury. You’ll also meet Chris Roussel, a jeweler and rancher who used his experience of running a family jewelry business to build 12-Star Ranch and launch a custom beef label. We’ll highlight traditions old and new, see how teachers are bringing agriculture into the classroom, and visit Avery Island for a closer look at the peppers behind a world-famous hot sauce. Plus, this week’s TWILA Boost features a pro quarterback giving back to farmers during harvest. 

Obituary

William "Bill" C. Brown

May 28, 1951 - September 29, 2025

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 90. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight   Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday   Sunny, with a high near 88. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night   Mostly clear, with a low around 65. East wind around 5 mph.

Friday   Sunny, with a high near 85. East wind around 10 mph.

Friday Night   Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Tropical Disturbances Today

There are still the same two disturbances today.

3-Year-Old Kidnapped Child Found Safe in Kentwood, Suspect in Custody

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office has reported that kidnapped 3-year-old Christopher Cooper has been found safe and the suspected kidnapper, 49 year-old James Casey Mercier (pictured right) of McComb is in custody. 

At around 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) night, the child's mother reported having been in the vehicle with Mercier and her child traveling south on I-55 when they pulled over north of Kentwood at the Welcome Center. When the mother got out of the car to get the child out of the backseat, Mercier took off with the child traveling southbound.

At 11:41 p.m., the TPSO requested the public’s assistance with locating the child and an Amber Alert (shown below) was issued. At 6:01 a.m. on Wednesday (October 1, 2025) morning, the TPSO advised that the child was located sleeping in the back of the suspect vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the Kentwood area. At 7:58 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the TPSO advised that Mercer had been taken into custody and is being charged, at this time, with Aggravated Kidnapping.

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