Pearl River Man Gets Life Sentence for Stabbing

District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on April 29, 2026, Joshua Michael Delaughter, age 32 and of Pearl River, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The mandatory life sentence was handed down by the Honorable Richard A. Swartz following Delaughter's adjudication as a multiple felony offender, as his prior criminal history involved violent crimes. The sentencing follows a January 2026 jury conviction of Attempted Second Degree Murder. 

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The charges stemmed from a violent incident on August 13, 2023, at North Beach on Carr Drive in Slidell, Louisiana. The victim was stabbed eight times in the head, neck, and torso after a minor verbal dispute regarding a near-vehicular collision. Evidence presented at trial showed that the victim had merely tapped on Delaughter’s vehicle to alert him of a potential accident before Delaughter exited his car and initiated the life-threatening attack.

Under Louisiana’s Habitual Offender Statute, the state established Delaughter’s status as a triple offender, which necessitated the mandatory life sentence.

DA Sims praised the finality of the sentence, emphasizing the office's stance on recidivism and violent crime. “Today’s sentence ensures that a dangerous, repeat offender will never again have the opportunity to victimize our community,” DA Sims said. “The victim in this case nearly lost his life over a trivial parking lot disagreement. This type of senseless violence, especially from someone with a documented history of felony behavior, warrants the maximum penalty allowed by law. We remain steadfast in our mission to hold violent criminals fully accountable.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christina Fisher and Shelby Stoop. At trial, ADA Fisher successfully argued that the sheer number and location of the stab wounds - eight in total—demonstrated a clear intent to kill that far exceeded any claim of self-defense. 

Delaughter was remanded to the custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections to begin serving his life term immediately.

Pearl River Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder in Slidell Beach Stabbing

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.

Pearl River Man Charged With Stabbing at Northshore Beach

Joshua Delaughter, age 29 and of Pearl River, was arrested following a stabbing incident at Northshore Beach over the weekend.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday (August 13, 2023) evening to Northshore Beach off Carr Drive near Slidell in reference to a fight. Responding deputies located an individual who had been stabbed multiple times. The male victim was transported to an area hospital. STPSO detectives reportedly learned the stabbing occurred after two men had gotten into a verbal altercation at the beach. 

Delaughter was taken into custody and was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on one count of Attempted Second-degree Murder.