Four Men Charged In 1982 Louisiana Rape And Murder After Podcast Tips
Four men were arrested on April 21-22, 2026 and charged in the 1982 rape and murder of 15-year-old Roxanne Sharp in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.
Authorities identified the suspects as Perry Wayne Taylor, 64; Darrell Dean Spell, 64; Carlos Cooper, 64; and Billy Williams Jr., 62. Taylor and Cooper were already jailed on unrelated charges when police took them into custody. Investigators credited advances in DNA testing and leads from a podcast with helping break the decades-old case. Sharp's niece, Michele Lappin, said she hopes the arrests bring healing, while Billy Williams III insisted his father is innocent.[1] said the department and the Louisiana State Police revisited evidence over four decades.
The development follows tips generated by the 2025 podcast "Who Killed Roxanne", produced with Lake 94.7 host Charles Dowdy and Northshore Media Group. State investigators say the podcast sparked new leads that, combined with modern DNA methods, prompted a fresh look at long-stored evidence and renewed interviews.
Early coverage from CBS News highlighted the podcast's role in generating tips, and later reporting by Fox News added the suspects' names, ages and the April arrest dates. Authorities say the investigation remains active as prosecutors prepare charges.
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📌 Key Facts
- Four men from Covington, Louisiana — Perry Wayne Taylor (64), Darrell Dean Spell (64), Carlos Cooper (64) and Billy Williams Jr. (62) — have been charged in the 1982 rape and murder; Perry Wayne Taylor is among the named defendants.
- Louisiana State Police say the arrests were the result of new DNA technology combined with leads generated by the 2025 podcast Who Killed Roxanne, produced with local host Charles Dowdy of Lake 94.7 and Northshore Media Group.
- Authorities report that Taylor and Cooper were already incarcerated on unrelated charges at the time of their April 21-22, 2026 arrests.
- Sharp’s niece, Michele Lappin, said she hopes the arrests will bring healing and closure to the family and community.
- Billy Williams III, the son of Billy Williams Jr., insists his father is innocent and says his father believes he is being accused of something he did not do.
- Covington Police Chief Michael Ferrell issued a statement saying investigators revisited evidence over four decades and stressing that “cold cases don't close themselves” but require sustained investigative effort.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article confirms all four defendants are from Covington, Louisiana and specifies their current ages: Perry Wayne Taylor, 64; Darrell Dean Spell, 64; Carlos Cooper, 64; and Billy Williams Jr., 62.
- Louisiana State Police attribute the arrests to both new DNA technology and leads generated by the 2025 podcast "Who Killed Roxanne," produced with local radio host Charles Dowdy of Lake 94.7 and Northshore Media Group.
- Taylor and Cooper were already incarcerated on unrelated charges at the time of their April 21-22, 2026 arrests, according to police.
- Sharp's niece, Michele Lappin, is quoted expressing hope that the arrests will bring healing and closure to the family and community.
- Billy Williams Jr.'s son, Billy Williams III, is quoted insisting his father is innocent and saying his father believes he is being accused of something he did not do.
- Covington Police Chief Michael Ferrell issues a detailed statement emphasizing that the department and Louisiana State Police revisited evidence over four decades and that "cold cases don't close themselves" but require sustained investigative effort.