Police arrest second suspect

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 18, 2009

By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A LaPlace man accused of killing a Reserve woman and injuring a Garyville man during a botched robbery late last year was arrested Sunday night, said a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies acting on an anonymous tip from Crimestoppers apprehended Jules Robertson, 20, 204 Homewood Drive, around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, said Dane Clement, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office. Clement said Robertson was tracked down to an apartment in the 700 block of Cambridge Drive.

Robertson has been wanted since Jan. 15 in connection with a Dec. 30 shooting that claimed the life of Nakesha Nichelle Joseph, 27, of Reserve and injured 36-year-old Ron James. Clement said a second suspect in the shooting, 22-year-old Calvin Mitchell of Maurepas, is still at large.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, the two victims were sitting inside a vehicle in the 200 block of E. 24th Street when the attempted robbery took place around 12:28 a.m. Dec. 30. James told deputies that he and Joseph were sitting in his car when two armed men approached and yelled, “Give it up!”

The report said that James slammed on the car’s accelerator, but as the car sped off, the alleged robbers opened fire on James’ vehicle. Joseph, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was hit multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, while James suffered gunshot wounds to the leg and was treated and released from River Parishes Hospital.

Clement said Robertson was booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility on charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and two counts of contempt of court. Clement said a $500,300 bond was set for the attempted murder and contempt of court charges but said Robertson would remain detained on the first-degree murder charge, which is a capital offense.

Clement said anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mitchell should call Crimestoppers at 1-877-903-STOP or contact Det. Walter Stevens with the St. John Sheriff’s Office at 985-652-9513 ext. 159.