Suspects arrested in Alabama for armed robbery and attempted murder in Bogalusa
Multiple suspects are in custody awaiting extradition from Alabama to Washington Parish, LA after allegedly robbing a Bogalusa convenience store and shooting an employee of the store.
On Friday (December 28, 2018), the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office issued warrants of arrest for Lance Hunter Rouse, 870 Liberty Rd, Picayune, MS, Melissa Michelle Smith, 67 Burch Rd, Tylertown, MS, and a 17 year old juvenile from Carriere, MS, for Armed Robbery and Attempted 1st degree murder for the business burglary and attempted murder of the employee at the J and Z Quik stop located Hwy 21 N., Bogalusa, on Friday at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Photos from Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
Lance Hunter Rouse and Melissa Michelle Smith
According to a post by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office on their face book page, officers and detectives of the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office arrived on the scene, collected evidence and then processed the crime scene. Detectives were able to quickly identify the armed robbers who committed the offense. The video evidence shows that the employee was outside the business doing his daily routine as the suspect vehicle pulled into the parking lot. Two armed suspects got out of the vehicle carrying shotguns and confronted the employee. An altercation occurred and the employee was shot with a shotgun blast. The suspects then walked past the wounded employee, went in the business and took cash and merchandise from the business and drove away.
After the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, along with Pearl River County (MS) Sheriff's Office learned their location in Pearl River County, officers started an area wide search for the individuals. The suspects took flight from the State of Mississippi, traveling through the State of Alabama.
Alabama Law Enforcement Authorities were already on the look out for the individuals and as the subjects entered Mongomery County, Alabama, their Sheriff's Office attempted a traffic stop and a pursuit began that ended with spike strips being used to stop the vehicle. The subjects were arrested as fugitives from Washington Parish plus the charges they incurred in Alabama.
The victim was listed in critical condition and new charges of First Degree Murder will be added to the charges in this case, if he does not survive,
Extradition proceedings will begin to return the suspects to Washington Parish to stand trial.
Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal commented in a social media post.
"I am so pleased these robbers are in custody. I give my heartfelt thanks to Sheriff David Allison and officers of the Pearl River County, Mississippi, Sheriff's Office as well as Sheriff Derrick Cunningham and officers of the Montgomery County, Alabama, Sheriff's Office. I give special heartfelt thanks to our wonderful Washington Parish Sheriff's Office detectives who were able to solve this crime quickly. Our officers exemplify the best that law enforcement has to offer and I am so honored to have them work for me. My heartfelt sympathy goes to the victim and his family. This was a heinous crime committed by very callous individuals who are now in custody where they belong. It is a mistake for any person to think he or she can commit a crime in Washington Parish and not feel the full force of our investigators who use all available resources to reach out to law enforcement agences throughout Louisiana and other states."
