Four people have been arrested in connection with the death of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp, who was killed 44 years ago in 1982.
With new information furthering the investigation, along with advancements in investigative technologies, arrest warrants were obtained for Perry Wayne Taylor, 64, Darrell Dean Spell, 64, Carlos Cooper, 64, and Billy Williams Jr., 64, all of Covington.
They are each being charged with aggravated rape and second-degree murder.
According to the Louisiana State Police, Taylor and Cooper were already incarcerated within the Louisiana Department of Corrections on unrelated charges.
Williams was arrested in Covington and booked at the St. Tammany Jail. Spell was arrested at his residence in Ohio and is awaiting extradition to Louisiana.
The body of Sharp was found on Feb. 12, 1982, in a wooded area near the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington.
Covington Police determined that Sharp had been raped and murdered, and her body was left in the area where she was discovered.
Due to a lack of evidence and limited public cooperation, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.
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.”
READ MORE:Covington police arrest four men in connection with murder of Roxanne Sharp
