Four Men Arrested in 1982 Covington Rape and Murder Case After Nearly 45 Years
Authorities have made a breakthrough in a decades-old cold case by arresting four men in connection with the brutal rape and murder of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp in Covington, Louisiana. The crime, committed in 1982, remained unsolved for nearly 45 years until recent reinvestigation efforts led to the suspects’ capture.
The Louisiana State Police confirmed that Sharp’s body was found in a wooded area outside Covington in 1982. Limited physical evidence and minimal public cooperation initially stalled the investigation. However, detectives reopened the case in 2026, revisiting old witness statements and resubmitting evidence for modern DNA analysis.
A pivotal moment came when the 2025 podcast Who Killed Roxanne brought renewed public interest and surfaced previously unavailable leads and witness tips. This collaborative push helped law enforcement obtain arrest warrants for aggravated rape and second-degree murder against four men:
- Perry Wayne Taylor, 64, Covington
- Darrell Dean Spell, 64, Covington
- Carlos Cooper, 64, Covington
- Billy Williams Jr., 62, Covington
Coordinated Arrests Span Two States
Williams was arrested at his home in Covington and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Spell was taken into custody in Dayton, Ohio, by agents from the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is awaiting extradition back to Louisiana.
Taylor and Cooper were contacted the following day while already incarcerated on unrelated charges within the Louisiana Department of Corrections. All four men now face serious felony charges pending prosecution.
Justice After Decades of Waiting
“This case is a powerful example of what persistence, collaboration, and advancements in investigative technology can accomplish,” said 22nd Judicial District Attorney Collin Sims. “Today’s arrests reflect our unwavering commitment to pursue justice for Roxanne and her family after more than four decades.”
Covington Police Chief Michael Ferrell echoed the determination behind the breakthrough: “Cold cases don’t close themselves. They close because people show up, year after year, and refuse to quit.” He added that Roxanne and her family finally have the justice they have waited so long to see.
The Road Ahead
As this case moves toward prosecution, authorities emphasize it as a testament to the power of modern forensic science, persistent law enforcement work, and community cooperation in solving even the oldest cold cases.
For readers in South Carolina and across the U.S., the resolution of Roxanne Sharp’s case highlights the rapid advancements in DNA technology and renewed public engagement that are transforming cold case investigations nationwide.
Law enforcement officials urge anyone with information on similar cold cases to come forward, underscoring that no crime is too old to pursue justice.
