Cold case cracked after 40 years as teen's alleged killers are caught after podcast helps find new leads

Four men successful Louisiana were charged with rape and execution 4 decades aft 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp was recovered dead, acknowledgment to a podcast and caller DNA technology.

Sharp was recovered dormant successful a wooded country successful Covington, Louisiana connected Feb. 12, 1982. The Covington Police Department determined that Sharp was raped and murdered, but officials were incapable to marque arrests owed to a deficiency of nationalist practice and constricted carnal evidence, making the lawsuit spell acold for decades until now.

Four Covington men look charges of aggravated rape and second-degree execution successful transportation with the 1982 sidesplitting of Sharp: Perry Wayne Taylor, 64, Darrell Dean Spell, 64, Carlos Cooper, 64, and Billy Williams Jr., 62. The men were arrested connected April 21 and 22.

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This photograph provided by Michele Lappin shows Roxanne Sharp successful Covington, La., successful 1980. (Michele Lappin via AP)

The Louisiana State Police credited caller DNA exertion and a podcast for helping marque arrests successful the execution of Sharp. The podcast generated caller leads and information, arsenic good arsenic caller witnesser cooperation.

Police worked with section vigor big Charles Dowdy with the Lake 94.7 from the Northshore Media Group successful 2025 to nutrient a podcast called "Who Killed Roxanne," which generated "new information, leads, and witnesser practice antecedently chartless to investigators."

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Darrell Spell was charged with aggravated rape and second-degree murder. (Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)

"These arrests item the continued committedness of instrumentality enforcement to prosecute justice, careless of however overmuch clip has passed. Through advancements successful investigative techniques and beardown interagency cooperation, cases erstwhile thought unsolvable tin inactive beryllium brought to resolution," the Louisiana State Police said successful a statement.

Sharp’s niece, Michele Lappin, told the Associated Press she hopes the arrests volition supply closure.

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"We admit the hard enactment and emotion that has been shown to Roxanne Sharp’s case," Lappin said. "We anticipation that with justness volition travel healing and closure for our family, her loved ones and the community."

Billy Williams Jr.’s son, Billy Williams III, meanwhile, is adamant that his begetter didn't termination Sharp.

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Billy Williams was charged with second-degree execution and aggravated rape. (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office)

"He thinks they’re putting him successful for thing helium didn’t do," Williams III said. "He says helium would ne'er successful his beingness wounded anyone."

Taylor and Cooper were already successful situation connected unrelated charges, according to police.

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Covington Police Department Chief Michael Ferrell said successful a connection that his bureau ne'er gave up connected Sharp's case.

"The solution of Roxanne Sharp’s lawsuit is simply a testament to what happens erstwhile dedicated instrumentality enforcement officers garbage to fto a unfortunate beryllium forgotten. For implicit 4 decades, the Covington Police Department and Louisiana State Police kept Roxanne’s lawsuit live revisiting evidence, pursuing caller leads, and carrying her sanction guardant adjacent erstwhile answers seemed retired of reach. Cold cases don’t adjacent themselves," helium said.

"They adjacent due to the fact that radical amusement up, twelvemonth aft year, and garbage to quit. That is precisely what our agencies did, and today, Roxanne and her household yet person the justness they person waited truthful agelong for. We are arrogant of the enactment done by each researcher who touched this lawsuit and profoundly grateful for the concern that made this infinitesimal possible."