'who Killed Roxanne' True-crime Podcast Leads To Four Arrests In Decades Old Cold Case, Police Say

Four men person been arrested and charged successful nan 1982 rape and execution of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp — a lawsuit that went acold for much than 4 decades earlier DNA testing and a true-crime podcast cracked it open.

Sharp’s assemblage was discovered connected Feb. 12, 1982, dumped adjacent nan St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds successful Covington, Louisiana. She had been raped and strangled. Investigators had small beingness grounds to activity with, and for 43 years, her killers walked free.

In 2023, detectives from nan Louisiana State Police Covington Field Office re-interviewed witnesses and imaginable suspects, conducted an extended reappraisal of nan lawsuit file, gathered further evidence, and resubmitted original grounds for DNA analysis.

Two years later, LSP Public Affairs and Cold Case Unit detectives collaborated pinch section power big Charles Dowdy of nan Northshore Media Group to nutrient a podcast titled “Who Killed Roxanne.” The bid generated caller information, leads, and witnesser practice that had antecedently been chartless to investigators.

Arrests followed this month. On April 21, Billy Williams Jr., 62, was taken into custody successful Covington, and Darrell Dean Spell, 64, was arrested astatine his location successful Dayton, Ohio; Spell is awaiting extradition to Louisiana. The remaining 2 suspects, Perry Wayne Taylor, 64, and Carlos Cooper, 64, some of Covington, were already incarcerated by nan Louisiana Department of Corrections connected unrelated charges and made interaction pinch detectives connected April 22. All 4 men are charged pinch aggravated rape and second-degree murder.

Covington Police Chief Michael Ferrell credited nan persistence of some his section and nan Louisiana State Police for keeping nan lawsuit alive.

“The solution of Roxanne Sharp’s lawsuit is simply a testament to what happens erstwhile dedicated rule enforcement officers garbage to fto a unfortunate beryllium forgotten,” Ferrell said. “Cold cases don’t adjacent themselves. They adjacent because group show up twelvemonth aft twelvemonth and garbage to quit. That is precisely what our agencies did, and today, Roxanne and her family yet person nan justness they person waited truthful agelong for.”

District Attorney Collin Sims echoed nan sentiment. “This lawsuit is simply a powerful illustration of what persistence, collaboration, and advancements successful investigative exertion tin accomplish. For much than 4 decades, this unfortunate and her family person waited for answers. Today’s arrests bespeak our unwavering committedness to prosecute justness — nary matter really overmuch clip has passed — and to clasp those responsible afloat accountable.”