Three Indicted in St. Tammany Parish

District Attorney Collin J. Sims announces that on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish Grand Jury returned true bills indicting three individuals on serious felony charges across two separate cases, including Second Degree Murder, Fentanyl distribution, and juvenile molestation.

The Grand Jury returned indictments against the following defendants:

• Aaron Sylvester, 46, of New Orleans, was indicted for Second Degree Murder. The charge stems from the July 9-10, 2026, murder of a man in St. Tammany Parish, wherein the defendant is alleged to have sold the victim a fatal dose of Fentanyl.

• Tracy Marie McMurtry, 46, of New Orleans, was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Less Than 28 Grams of Fentanyl. The charge alleges that on or between July 9 and July 10, 2026, McMurtry knowingly possessed Fentanyl with the intent to distribute or dispense the Schedule II controlled substance. McMurtry was arrested by law enforcement on August 26, 2026.

• Orry Nicholas Mejia, 43, of Covington, was indicted on two felony counts of molestation of a juvenile following his arrest on May 1, 2026: Count 1: Molestation of a Juvenile Involving Control or Supervision (Recurring Over One Year) - Alleging lewd and lascivious acts committed against a juvenile victim between September 7, 2020, and August 31, 2024, by leveraging a position of control or supervision over a period exceeding one year. Count 2: Molestation of a Juvenile Involving Control or Supervision - Alleging lewd and lascivious acts committed against a second juvenile victim between December 5, 2022, and December 4, 2023, by leveraging a position of control or supervision.

Assistant District Attorney Iain Dover is handling the Sylvester and McMurty case. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT). "Fentanyl is a poison in our community, and when it claims a life, we treat it with the immediate urgency of a homicide investigation,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “Thanks to the swift, thorough work of the DEA FORT team and our prosecutors, we were able to bring these serious charges to a Grand Jury in less than eight weeks. We will continue to act aggressively to remove these dealers from our streets.”

Assistant District Attorney Zachary Popovich is handling the Mejia case. The case was investigated by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. "Protecting the children of our community from abuse and exploitation is one of the highest obligations of this office. Anyone who abuses a position of trust, control, or supervision to harm a child will face the full weight of the law. I commend ADA Zachary Popovich and the investigators involved for their painstaking work to ensure these serious allegations are brought to justice," said DA Sims.

Following these indictments, all three defendants will be scheduled for formal arraignments in the 22nd Judicial District Court, where they will enter their pleas.

An indictment is an accusation that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.