Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
LACOMBE, La. (WGNO) — A shooting outside a Lacombe-area gas station left a man dead, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Around 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 26, deputies responded to a call of a shooting in the 28000 block of U.S. Highway 190.
When they arrived, a man, identified by the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office as 23-year-old Juwarren Martin, was found suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest.
He was taken to a local hospital by EMS, where he later died from his injuries.
“It’s peaceful most of the time,” says a Lacombe resident.
Lacombe residents say crime there isn’t common, so hearing about the murder caught them off guard.
“Because they don’t really have too many shootings. We kind of got a peaceful place. They have a few arguments here and there but nothing serious,” said a resident.
The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office has identified 25-year-old Marrio Haynes as the suspect. Deputies say Haynes and Martin knew each other, so the incident was not random.
A regular customer of the gas station calls the news of another young man’s murder a tragedy.
“When you have a gun, it can turn into a bad situation. I believe in my youth, I hope they find a way like I did. You know to get them away from that,” said a resident.
Deputies have arrested Haynes’ girlfriend, 20-year-old Megan Coleman, and booked her with principal to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
Residents are happy to hear about some quick justice and hope this doesn’t negatively affect their community.
“Trouble can come from anywhere, you don’t know what’s going to happen from day to day. Everybody pretty much knows everybody, gives everybody a ride or whatever,” says a resident.
“I feel that justice will prevail,” said a resident.
The family says there is much more to the story that the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has not released just yet.
Anyone with information on Haynes’ location is asked to call deputies at (985)-898-2338.
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