District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on January 15, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish jury found Joshua Michael Delaughter, age 31 and of Pearl River, guilty of Attempted Second Degree Murder. The proceedings were held in the 22nd Judicial District Court, Division C, before the Honorable Richard A. Swartz. The conviction follows a violent stabbing that occurred in the summer of 2023 at North Beach in Slidell, Louisiana.
On the night of August 13, 2023, deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO) responded to reports of a stabbing at the beach on Carr Drive. Upon arrival, deputies located the victim, Michael Deleon, suffering from eight stab and laceration wounds to his head, neck, and torso.
The investigation revealed the incident began when Delaughter nearly backed his vehicle into a car belonging to another beach patron. Witnesses testified that DeLeon simply tapped on Delaughter’s vehicle to alert him of the near collision. Following a brief verbal exchange, Delaughter exited his vehicle, walked around his vehicle and attacked Deleon with a knife. Delaughter remained at the scene and admitted to the stabbing but claimed he acted in self-defense. However, witness testimony and the extent of the victim’s injuries – which required emergency treatment at University Medical Center in New Orleans – contradicted those claims.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christina Fisher and Shelby Stoop. During closing arguments, ADA Fisher highlighted the excessive nature of the defendant’s actions.
“If stabbing someone in the neck, head, and torso – 8 times – is not attempted murder, I don’t know what is,” Fisher told the jury. “Mr. Delaughter kept stabbing. Eight times is too many. It was a deliberate act that was not reasonable and was not self-defense.”
“This verdict reflects our commitment to removing violent offenders from our streets,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “A minor verbal dispute does not grant anyone the right to resort to near-fatal violence. I am grateful to the jury for their service and to my team for ensuring that this defendant is held fully accountable under the law.”
Joshua Michael Delaughter was convicted of Attempted Second Degree Murder and will remain in the custody of the STPSO. While the standard sentencing range for this charge is 10 to 50 years at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, Delaughter’s prior criminal history may impact the final penalty. Because Delaughter is a multiple violent offender, the State may seek to enhance the penalty under the Habitual Offender Statute. If adjudicated as a triple offender, he faces a mandatory life sentence. Judge Richard A. Swartz has scheduled the sentencing hearing for February 25, 2026.
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