Bogalusa District A 12th Annual Clean Up Day Highlights

Submitted by Councilwoman Gloria Kates

I would like to share that our 12th Annual District A clean up Day in conjunction with Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Love the Boot week (April 18-26) continues to be a success.

A Special thank you to our participates and Supporters: Larry Brown, Tim Burris, Gloria Kates, Thomas Kates, Andrew Laurent, Edward Magee, Patrick Rhodes, Jennifer Smith and son, Eric Yarbrough, Stephanie Yarbrough, and the many residents throughout District A

Areas visited, just to name a few, included Austin St, Bayer St, Carolina St., Church St., College St., Davis St., Montgomery, North Border Dr., North Royal St., Poplas St, Redmond St, Richmond St.,Seal St., Lexington, Virginia Ave., and public housing areas. Many residents adopted a block and adopted their own property to clean up.

On Saturday (April 25, 2026), areas to be addressed include Poplas and Redmond , Derbigney and Austin, and 2nd and MLK.

This Week in Louisiana Agriculture

Ongoing drought conditions impacting hay production, proposed forestry disaster aid legislation, and a busy planting season are all front and center on this week’s TWILA. 

Four Arrested for the 1982 Rape & Murder of 16 Year-Old Roxanne Sharp

On February 12, 1982, the body of sixteen-year-old Roxanne Sharp was discovered in a wooded area near the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington, Louisiana. The initial investigation, conducted by the Covington Police Department, determined that Sharp had been raped, murdered, and her body was left in the area where she was later discovered. Due to a lack of physical evidence and limited public cooperation, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.

In 2023, Louisiana State Police Covington Field Office (CFO) Detectives assumed the lead role in the investigation. Detectives conducted a comprehensive review of the original case file and physical evidence, while re-interviewing witnesses and potential suspects. Additional evidence was collected, and original evidence was resubmitted for DNA analysis.

In 2025, in an effort to generate new leads, CFO Detectives, in conjunction with LSP Public Affairs and local radio host Charles Dowdy with the Lake 94.7 from the Northshore Media Group, produced a podcast titled “Who Killed Roxanne.” The podcast generated new information, leads, and witness cooperation previously unknown to investigators.

With the new information furthering the investigation, along with the advancement of investigative technologies, CFO detectives, working in conjunction with the 22nd Judicial District Court District Attorney’s Office and the Covington Police Department, obtained Aggravated Rape and Second Degree Murder arrest warrants for four suspects in connection with this case.

• 64-year-old Perry Wayne Taylor of Covington, LA

• 64-year-old Darrell Dean Spell of Covington, LA

• 64-year-old Carlos Cooper of Covington, LA

• 62-year-old Billy Williams Jr. of Covington, LA

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

On April 21, 2026, CFO Detectives, along with personnel from LSP Troop L, LSP SWAT, and the Covington Police Department, executed search and arrest warrants at the residence of Billy Williams Jr. in Covington, where he was taken into custody and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail.

At the same time, in a coordinated effort, agents with the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation located and arrested Darrell Spell at a residence in Dayton, Ohio. Spell was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Louisiana.

On April 22, 2026, CFO Detectives made contact with Perry Taylor and Carlos Cooper, who are incarcerated within the Louisiana Department of Corrections on unrelated charges. 

These arrests highlight the continued commitment of law enforcement to pursue justice, regardless of how much time has passed. Through advancements in investigative techniques and strong interagency cooperation, cases once thought unsolvable can still be brought to resolution.

District Attorney Collin Sims stated, “This case is a powerful example of what persistence, collaboration, and advancements in investigative technology can accomplish. For more than four decades, this victim and her family have waited for answers. Today’s arrests reflect our unwavering commitment to pursue justice—no matter how much time has passed—and to hold those responsible fully accountable.”

Covington Police Department Chief Michael Ferrell stated, “The resolution of Roxanne Sharp’s case is a testament to what happens when dedicated law enforcement officers refuse to let a victim be forgotten. For over four decades, the Covington Police Department and Louisiana State Police kept Roxanne’s case alive revisiting evidence, following new leads, and carrying her name forward even when answers seemed out of reach. Cold cases don’t close themselves. They close because people show up, year after year, and refuse to quit. That is exactly what our agencies did, and today, Roxanne and her family finally have the justice they have waited so long for. We are proud of the work done by every investigator who touched this case and deeply grateful for the partnership that made this moment possible.”

The Louisiana State Police would like to thank the Covington Police Department, the 22nd Judicial District Court District Attorney’s Office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Cold Case Unit, the Louisiana Department of Corrections, the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office, Charles Dowdy with Northshore Media Group, and all assisting LSP personnel, including Troop L and SWAT, for their dedication and collaboration throughout this investigation.

Troopers encourage anyone with information related to violent crimes or suspicious activity to come forward. Public cooperation remains a critical component in solving cases and ensuring the safety of our communities.

If you have any information, please call (985) 635-3167 or email Northshorecoldcase@la.gov. For more information, visit whokilledroxanne.com

Obituary

Yolanda Juno Crawford Hayes

December 20, 1948  -  March 15, 2026

St. Tammany Parish Jail Bookings for April 23, 2026

Christopher Baudot (age 36) was booked on the charge of Domestic Abuse Battery/Child Endangerment by the Mandeville Police Department.

Curt Landry (age 51) was booked on the charges of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Schedule II Drugs by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

Dewayne Curney (age 49) was booked on the charges of Possession of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Illegal Carrying of Weapon During Crime of Violence or While ..., and Possession of Schedule II Drugs by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

James Howard (age 30) was booked on the charges of Indecent Behavior With a Juvenile, Indecent Behavior/Grooming of a Child, Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and Computer Aided Solicitation of a Minor by the Covington Police Department.

Michael Herbert (age 40) was booked on the charges of Possession of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids, Possession of Schedule 1 Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Schedule II Drugs by the Mandeville Police Department.

Herbert Moreau (age 48) was booked on the charge of Contempt of Court by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

Thomas Yelverton (age 30) was booked on the charge of DWI by the Covington Police Department.

James Hulse (age 30) was booked on the charges of Possession of Schedule IV, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Domestic Abuse Battery/Child Endangerment, Domestic Abuse Battery/Strangulation, and Illegal Carrying of Weapon During Crime of Violence or While ... by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

Austin Rushing (age 40) was booked on the charge of Domestic Abuse Battery/Child Endangerment by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

***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   A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight   A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm with a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday   A 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night   A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind.

Sunday   A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night   Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph.

Search for Possible Drowning Victim in Tangipahoa Parish

Update (April 24, 2026): The body of 21-year-old Marco Luis Martinez Antonio of Mexico was recovered around 12:30 this afternoon.

___________________________

Original Story

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, in partnership with the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, continue their search today (April 23, 2026) for a 20-year-old fisherman who had walked a few feet into the Tangipahoa River and got swept away by the current. 

The TPSO received the report around 4:00 PM Wednesday (April 22, 2026) as a possible drowning call off of Bardwell Road in the Robert area.

Unfortunately, this is now classified as a recovery operation.

Obituary

Reginald Dillon

July 6, 1959 ~ April 20, 2026

Obituary

Jesse Doyle Carroll

May 7, 1940 — April 21, 2026

Obituary

Lawana Renee Carter

October 1, 1970 - April 22, 2026

Obituary

Alyne Dillon Spikes

June 8, 1947 — April 17, 2026

Washington Parish Jail Bookings for April 22, 2026

Cherise Weary (age 57 with Angie, La. address) was booked on the charges of Domestic
Abuse/Aggravated Assault and Failure to Appear (2 counts) by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. Bond information is incomplete at this time.

Christopher Harris (age 31 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Possession With Intent to Distribute Schedule 1 Drugs, Transactions Involving Proceeds From Drug Offenses, Resisting an Officer, Aggravated Flight From an Officer, and Attempt & Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II and Schedule 1 Drugs by the Bogalusa Police Department. No bond set at this time.

Kathlynn Magee (age 41 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Simple Arson by the Franklinton Police Department. No bond set at this time.

Mackayla Hart (age 26 with Franklinton, La. address) was booked on the charge of Simple Arson by the Franklinton Police Department. 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   A 20 percent chance of showers between 1pm and 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 83. Light east wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. 

Tonight   Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday   A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night   A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday   A 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. 

Saturday Night   A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Calm wind. 

Please Donate Blood for 3-Year-Old Jensen Etheridge

A Message From Washington Parish Government

Washington Parish, we have an opportunity to come together in support of one of our own.

A community blood drive has been organized for Jensen Etheridge, who is currently in need of blood donations as he continues to receive medical care. In moments like this, even the smallest act can make a meaningful difference.

We have seen time and again how this parish shows up for one another—and this is one of those times.

If you are able, please consider donating and helping provide strength and support to Jensen and his family.

18-Year-Old Gets Life Sentence for Murder of 14-Year-Old at Bogalusa High School Basketball Game

District Attorney Collin Sims announces that on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 18-year-old Keldric Harry of Bogalusa was sentenced to Life in prison for the January 2024 shooting that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy.

Click here for previous related stories

Following a unanimous guilty verdict returned by a Washington Parish jury in February, the Honorable Judge John A. Keller sentenced Harry as follows, noting all three charges as crimes of violence:

• Count 1: Second Degree Murder - Life in Prison at hard labor
• Count 2: Attempted Second Degree Murder - 30 years at hard labor
• Count 3: Attempted Second Degree Murder - 30 years at hard labor

Judge Keller ordered the 30-year sentences to run consecutive to each other, but concurrent with Harry’s life sentence for murder.

The conviction stems from an incident on January 11, 2024, in the parking lot of Bogalusa High School. Evidence presented by Assistant District Attorneys Jay Adair and Gary Tromblay showed that Harry, who was banned from campus at the time, and another young man both fired shots at the victim and two of his friends, fatally striking the victim with several gunshot wounds, as well as shooting one of the survivors in the leg. The victim was alleged to have entered an unlocked vehicle.

One of the critical pieces of evidence introduced at trial included a voice recording captured approximately 12 hours after the murder, in which Harry bragged about the shooting and mimicked the sound of the automatic gunfire. The jury rejected defense counsel's claim that the recording was AI-generated.

During the emotional sentencing hearing, the victim’s mother addressed Harry directly, highlighting his lack of remorse throughout the legal process. "High School games are supposed to be safe...When you took Deryon, you took a special piece from every one of us," she stated. "I watched you and your body language in the trial...you sat there with no remorse. For you to brag about how you murdered him is insane. I want you to suffer for every bullet you put in my son's body...I will never forgive you."

Judge Keller echoed the gravity of the tragedy, lamenting the culture of violence among the youth in the community. "This is a sad, sad situation...children killing children," Judge Keller said. "It just shows you that young men are not placing any value on human life...The defendant was handling weapons like they were toys. Pulling handles on a car is no excuse for shooting bullets. This was a violent, senseless crime...This family will never get their child back."

District Attorney Collin Sims praised the finality of the sentence as a vital message for Washington Parish. "Today’s sentence ensures that a dangerous individual is removed from our streets," DA Sims stated. "There is no justification for 'zippering' a 14-year-old child with a machine gun over a minor property dispute. Our office stands with the victim’s family, and while this life sentence cannot replace their son, it affirms our commitment to hold those who devalue human life to the absolute fullest account of the law."

The co-defendant, Hakheim Young, is currently awaiting trial and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Harry has been remanded to the custody of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office pending transfer to the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

BOLO: Runaway Juvenile from Natalbany

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance with locating a runaway juvenile, 16 year-old Cade Hawxhurst, who was last seen on Stafford Road in the Natalbany area on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Cade is described as a white male with long brown hair, brown eyes, standing 5'6” and weighing 135 lbs. He has a skeleton hand tattoo on the top of his left hand and a rose tattoo on the top of his right hand.

Sheriff Gerald Sticker asks anyone with information regarding Cade’s whereabouts to contact our Juvenile Division at 985-902-2031.

If you’d prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com and click on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip! Tips received directly through Crimestoppers are eligible for a cash reward.

Nearly 200 Pounds of Marijuana & Cash Seized in Bogalusa

The Bogalusa Police Department reports the seizure on Monday (April 20, 2026) of nearly 200 pounds of marijuana following a series of enforcement actions, including traffic stops and the execution of search warrants on two vehicles and a building suspected of being used to store illegal narcotics. As a result of these operations, approximately 199.48 pounds of marijuana was recovered in addition to an amount of cash associated with the illegal distribution of narcotics.

Investigators determined that the narcotics had been stored at a building located on the southside of Bogalusa before being loaded into vehicles for transport. Authorities believe the shipment was intended for distribution throughout Washington Parish.

Three individuals were arrested in connection with the operation:

26 Year-Old O’Trevious Raheem Gatlin of Bogalusa, charged with:

• Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana
• Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses
• Conspiracy to Distribute/Possess a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• View Outward/Inward Through Windshields 
• No Motor Vehicle Inspection 

31 Year-Old Christopher Lavon Harris of Bogalusa, charged with:

• Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana
• Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses
• Conspiracy to Distribute/Possess a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Resisting an Officer 
• Aggravated Flight from an Officer 

22 Year-Old Christopher O’Neil Payne of Bogalusa, charged with:

• Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana
• Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses 
• Conspiracy to Distribute/Possess a Controlled Dangerous Substance 
• Resisting an Officer 

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

“This operation reflects the dedication of our officers and partner agencies in addressing illegal narcotics activity in our community,” said a spokesperson for the Bogalusa Police Department. “Illegal drugs contribute to increased crime and have a harmful impact on our youth and neighborhoods. We will continue to proactively pursue those involved in the distribution of illegal substances.”

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional arrests are possible.

The Bogalusa Police Department encourages citizens to report suspicious activity and remain active partners in maintaining community safety.

Obituary

Danny Alton Chain, Sr.

April 4, 1963 - April 20, 2026

Obituary

Chester L. Williams

September 23, 1938 – April 13, 2026

Washington Parish Jail Bookings for April 21, 2026

Jerry Baker (age 35 with Mt. Hermon, La. address) was booked on the charges of 2nd Degree Murder,
Illegal Use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities, Convicted Felon in Possession of Firearm (2 counts), Resisting an Officer, Sale Distribution or Possession of Legend Drugs Without Prescription or Order (3 counts), Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and Probation and Parole Hold by the Bogalusa Police Department and on the charge of Contempt of Court by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office. No bond set at this time.

Christopher Payne (age 22 with no address listed) was booked on the charges of Possession With Intent to Distribute Schedule 1 Drugs (2 counts), Transactions Involving Proceeds From Drug Offenses, Resisting an Officer, and Attempt & Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II and Schedule 1 Drugs by the Bogalusa Police Department. No bond set at this time.

O'Trevious Gatlin (age 26 with Bogalusa, La. address) was booked on the charges of Possession With Intent to Distribute Schedule 1 Drugs/Principle, Illegal Tinted Windshield/Side Windows, No MVI, Transactions Involving Proceeds From Drug Offenses, and Attempt & Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II and Schedule 1 Drugs by the Bogalusa Police Department. No bond set at this time.

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