St. John sees year’s first homicide

Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 20, 2010

By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE –St. John Parish authorities are investigating the parish’s first homicide of the year after a man was found shot and killed Saturday outside of an apartment in a LaPlace public housing development.

Sheriff’s deputies found Troy Dropthmore, 40, of Reserve, lying unresponsive on the front lawn of an apartment in the 200 block of Joe Parquet Circle around 8:45 p.m., said Capt. Dane Clement, a public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office. Clement said Dropthmore had apparently suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said Dropthmore was not a resident of the Joe Parquet area and believe he was visiting someone else when the shooting took place. Detectives said Dropthmore’s last known address was in the Belle Pointe subdivision in Reserve.

Authorities said Dropthmore was a victim in a January 1991 drive-by shooting that killed a LaPlace woman after more than a dozen shots were fired from a passing car. Investigators in that incident said Dropthmore and Laverne Price were believed to be bystanders in the shooting. Both were shot in the chest.

Detectives have no suspects and no clear motive in Saturday’s shooting.

Anyone with any information should call St. John Parish Sheriff’s detectives at 985-652-6338 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.