It’s been 44 years, and still no answers: the rape and murder of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp remains a mystery. Her niece, Michele Lappin, told WDSU on Tuesday that her death stole the joy of her entire family.
“If it hadn’t happened, if she were still here, I think most of our family would still be here. because I think some of our family members kind of mourned themselves to death,” Lappin said.
But all hope is not lost, at least according to the Louisiana State Police.
They said after working with WDSU’s partner, Northshore Media Group, on a podcast, new information surrounding Roxanne’s death is now pushing this investigation forward.
“So, as we started to tell this story, the main character in the podcast is Stefan Montgomery, he’s the state police investigator, and he’s stated very clearly that they’ve had some success and people have come forward,” said Charles Dowdy, with Northshore Media Group.
The LSP investigators took over the 1982 case from the Covington police,
Roxanne, who was a mother at the time of her death, was known to hang out in the ozone area in Covington.
She was missing for three days before her body was found on Feb. 12, 1982, by a couple of people participating in the Dixie Trail Ride.
“It was suggested that she was forcibly dragged through the patch of small woods right outside the St. Tammany Parish fairground, where she was brutally raped and murdered.” LSP Trooper Marc Gremillion said.
“One of the first things they said to me when we first started talking about this case is that I would never see the crime scene photos,” Dowdy said. “They said you will never unsee them if you see them.”
Trooper Gremillion tells WDSU that at the time, self-proclaimed serial killer Henry Lucas confessed to killing Roxanne, only to recant, causing Roxanne’s case to grow cold.
But with new technology to re-evaluate DNA and more people coming forward within the last year, investigators say they are on the right path to solving this cold case.
“I feel optimistic that we are getting close, and I am hoping my uncle Chris gets to see this in his lifetime,” Lappin said.
If you have information about the murder of Roxanne Sharp, here’s how you can report:
Call: (985) 635-3167
Email: NorthshoreColdCase@la.gov
READ MORE:State investigators re-open 1982 murder investigation of Roxanne Sharp
