, all 64 and from Covington — each face charges of aggravated rape and second-degree murder. If convicted, they face mandatory life imprisonment. Sharp's body was found on 12 February 1982 in a wooded area near the St Tammany parish fairgrounds.
Investigators determined she had been raped and murdered. The case went unsolved for decades due to scant evidence and limited public cooperation. Covington police led the investigation until 2023, when state police took over and conducted new interviews and DNA testing.
Cold cases don’t close themselves. They close because people show up, year after year, and refuse to quit.
', created by local radio host Charles Down and the state police's public affairs office. The podcast generated new leads and witnesses, according to officials. State police Lt Heath Miller said the podcast played 'a crucial part of getting us information that we needed' and noted that 'a culture of fear … with the people involved' had hindered earlier investigations.
Taylor and Cooper were already serving time in Louisiana's state prison system when linked to the killing. Williams was recently arrested and jailed in Covington. Spell was apprehended at his home in Ohio and is awaiting extradition.
a culture of fear … with the people involved
Covington police chief Michael Ferrell said, 'Cold cases don't close themselves.
a crucial part of getting us information that we needed