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After more than four decades, breakthroughs in the tragic case of a teenage girl found raped and murdered in the woods of Louisiana have emerged, thanks to a podcast that helped identify her suspected attackers.
On April 24, the Louisiana State Police revealed that four individuals—Perry Wayne Taylor, Darrell Dean Spell, Carlos Cooper, all 64, and Billy Williams, 62—are facing charges of aggravated rape and second-degree murder in connection with the 1982 slaying of Roxanne Sharp. Details can be found in their official announcement.
Covington Police Department Chief Michael Ferrell highlighted the importance of relentless pursuit in cold cases, stating, “Resolving Roxanne Sharp’s case demonstrates the power of commitment when law enforcement officers refuse to let a victim’s story fade.” He added, “For over forty years, the Covington Police Department and Louisiana State Police have tirelessly revisited evidence, chased new leads, and kept Roxanne’s memory alive, even when answers seemed elusive. Cold cases close because of persistent efforts and unwavering dedication.”
The body of Sharp was found on February 12, 1982, in a wooded area near the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington, Louisiana. Despite the heinous nature of the crime, the investigation stalled.
Authorities noted that “a lack of physical evidence and limited public cooperation” kept the case unsolved for over forty years.
“Due to a lack of physical evidence and limited public cooperation,” police said, “the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.”
Then, in 2023, the Louisiana State Police Covington Field Office brought renewed focus to the murder, launching a comprehensive review of the case. As part of their efforts, police said they uncovered additional evidence and resubmitted original evidence for DNA analysis.
Who Killed Roxanne Podcast Launched to Find Answers
Yet, the podcast Who Killed Roxanne, launched in 2025, brought the case into the spotlight. The podcast—a joint effort between detectives, the Louisiana State Police Public Affairs unit and local radio host Charles Dowdy—helped generate new leads and encouraged witness cooperation, police said.
“When we started the podcast, we kind of thought nobody cared—we were quickly corrected,” Dowdy, who also serves as vice president of Northshore Media who produced the podcast, explained to The Associated Press. “A lot of people stepped up and said they knew Roxanne, they remembered her, they were friends with her.”
During the podcast, investigators re-created the crime scene, measuring out exactly where the body and other key pieces of evidence had been recovered.
According to Dowdy, “It clearly showed that she’d been grabbed on the street and dragged into the woods.”
Louisiana State Police spokesperson Trooper Marc Gremillion told Oxygen that the podcast also reached others outside the local community.
“It encouraged individuals, including those who had moved away over the years, to come forward with information,” he said. “That outreach generated new leads and allowed investigators to reconnect with witnesses who had not previously been identified or interviewed.”
With the new information—and the advancement in technology—police were able to hone in on the four suspects. Though Gremillion declined to provide details on the evidence that led to the arrests, he attributed the break in the case to “years of investigative work.”
He added, “We are confident in the case as it moves forward with the District Attorney’s Office.”
According to Gremillion, investigators believe that Sharp had a connection to the suspects.
“Investigators learned that Roxanne spent time in an area of Covington known as the ‘Ozone,’ where she was around a group of young adult males,” he explained to Oxygen. “The four individuals arrested are from that same area. Because this is still an active case, we are limited in how much detail we can provide about those connections.”
Williams and Spell were taken into custody on April 21. Taylor and Cooper—who were both incarcerated within the Louisiana Department of Corrections on unrelated charges—were made aware of the new allegations against them on April 22.
“This case is a powerful example of what persistence, collaboration, and advancements in investigative technology can accomplish,” District Attorney Collin Sims said. “For more than four decades, this victim and her family have waited for answers. Today’s arrests reflect our unwavering commitment to pursue justice—no matter how much time has passed—and to hold those responsible fully accountable.”
Roxanne Sharps Family Hopes Arrests Bring “Healing and Closure”
Williams’ son, Billy Williams III, told The Associated Press that he believed his father was innocent of the charges against him.
“He thinks they’re putting him in for something he didn’t do,” he told the outlet. “He says he would never in his life hurt anyone.”
Its unclear whether any of the suspects have retained an attorney.
For Sharp’s family, the arrests have provided answers.
“We appreciate the hard work and love that has been shown to Roxanne Sharp’s case,” her niece Michele Lappin said in a statement to The Associated Press. “We hope that with justice will come healing and closure for our family, her loved ones, and the community.”