According to Louisiana State Police, a podcast played a significant role in solving the long-standing murder case of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp, with four men now facing criminal charges for her rape and murder.
Roxanne was murdered in 1982 in the woods of St. Tammany Parish, roughly 30 miles from New Orleans. Authorities struggled to crack the case due to a lack of evidence and a reluctance from witnesses to come forward.
Things changed when investigators collaborated with a local media outlet to produce a podcast titled “Who Killed Roxanne Sharp?” The six-part series aired last year and rekindled public interest in the unsolved case.
Mark Gremillion, a representative from Louisiana State Police, noted that the podcast was instrumental in prompting new information from the public and facilitating contact with witnesses. He mentioned, “It helped us understand Roxanne’s whereabouts leading up to her death and connected us with witnesses we hadn’t reached before.”
Recently, law enforcement charged four men with aggravated rape and second-degree murder: 64-year-old Darrell Dean Spell, 64-year-old Carlos Cooper, and 62-year-old Billy Williams Jr. Notably, Cooper and Taylor are already incarcerated on unrelated charges, while Spell and Williams were arrested earlier this week.
Furthermore, Gremillion revealed that Sharp was acquainted with the suspects and was known to visit the area where they resided.
Michelle Lapin, Sharp’s niece, expressed gratitude for the efforts put into the investigation, stating, “We hope that justice will bring healing and closure to our family, her loved ones, and the community.”
On the other hand, Billy Williams Jr.’s son maintains his father’s innocence, claiming that his father feels he is being unjustly punished.
The St. Tammany Parish court clerk did not provide any attorneys for the suspects, and families associated with Spell, Cooper, and Taylor did not respond to requests for comments.
Charles Dowdy, vice president of North Shore Media, which produced the podcast, mentioned, “When we started the podcast, we weren’t sure anyone would care, but that perception changed quickly.” He noted that many people reached out, sharing their memories and connections to Roxanne.
Dowdy recorded audio as officials recreated the crime scene, pinpointing where Sharp’s body was discovered along with other evidence. He stated, “It was evident she was taken from the street and dragged into the woods.”
Initially, serial killer Henry Lucas claimed to have murdered Sharp, leading police to believe they had a breakthrough. However, he later retracted his confession, and new evidence ruled out his involvement.
Justin Joyner, whose father was a Covington police officer and one of the first responders at the scene, shared his father’s frustrations regarding the lack of resolution over the years. He kept a briefcase filled with case notes until he passed away last year.
Joyner reflected on the lingering impact of the case in the community, stating, “There’s a big dark cloud hanging over. People rarely talk about it openly; it’s more of a private conversation.”
He also noted that the podcast has sparked discussions about the incident among different generations in the community.
Covington Police Chief Michael Ferrell emphasized that cold cases don’t resolve themselves, asserting, “Year after year, someone refuses to quit, and our agency never closed the case. Today, Roxanne and her family finally got the justice they’ve been waiting for.”
