By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – With 2013 less than one week old, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported shooting in the 200 block of Little Hope Street in Garyville on Sunday at 8:09 p.m.
When deputies arrived, they found a male subject with gunshot wounds to the torso. He was transported to River Parishes Hospital for treatment and transferred to a New Orleans-area hospital where he succumbed to injuries. The victim was identified as Michael Lee, 29, of Garyville.
The resulting death makes this case the first homicide of 2013. The first homicide of last year also took place in Garyville, but it took place a full two weeks into that year, having occurred on Jan. 14, 2012. In that case, deputies responded to the intersection of South Fig Street and Daisy Street after residents reported hearing gunshots. Deputies found a man, Kevin Ferrygood, 23, of Garyville, on the ground at the intersection with multiple gunshot wounds. Ferrygood succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The investigation into Sunday’s murder revealed Lee and the perpetrator were involved in a verbal altercation while gambling. During the argument, the perpetrator produced a handgun and fired it several times, striking Lee and a nearby trailer. The shooter was identified as Tevin Bolden, 18, of Garyville. Detectives have obtained judicial court ordered arrest warrant for Bolden for second degree murder, attempted second degree murder, aggravated criminal damage to property and illegal use of a weapon.
As of press time, Bolden remained at large.
Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of Bolden is encouraged to call St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives at 985-652-6338 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.