Covington, Louisiana — A decades-old murder case that haunted a former police officer for most of his life has finally seen a breakthrough, but the investigator who spent years chasing the truth did not live to witness the arrests.
Four men have been taken into custody in connection with the 1982 killing of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp, a case that remained unsolved for more than four decades until renewed investigative efforts and a true crime podcast helped generate new leads.
Retired Officer Spent Years Chasing Answers
Herbert “Herbie” Joiner, a former Covington police officer, dedicated years after his retirement to privately investigating the brutal case. He kept a brown leather briefcase filled with case files, newspaper clippings, and personal notes documenting every lead he could find.
Joiner, who died in October at the age of 68 from a heart attack, had long believed he was close to solving the case before his death. According to his family, he had recently met with Louisiana State Police investigator Stefan Montgomery and shared his accumulated materials, marking one of his final efforts to advance the investigation.
His son, Justin Joiner, said his father had grown increasingly convinced that authorities were narrowing in on the suspects he had long suspected.
1982 Murder That Shocked a Community
Roxanne Sharp was a 16-year-old girl and young mother when she went missing in February 1982. Her body was discovered three days later in a wooded area of Covington, a small Louisiana city across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.
The violent nature of the crime deeply affected the local community, where residents often avoided discussing the case publicly for decades. Investigators at the time struggled to identify suspects, and despite early leads, the case eventually went cold.
New Evidence and Podcast Spark Breakthrough
Authorities said the recent arrests were made possible through a combination of modern DNA testing, renewed witness interviews, and previously unexamined evidence.
A major turning point came in 2025 with the release of a true crime podcast titled “Who Killed Roxanne?”, produced in collaboration with local media. The series brought renewed public attention to the case and encouraged witnesses to come forward with new information.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that the podcast helped uncover leads that had not previously been available to investigators.
Four Suspects Arrested After Decades
Louisiana State Police announced the arrests of four men — Billy Williams Jr., Darrell Dean Spell, Perry Wayne Taylor, and Carlos Cooper — all of whom had long been considered persons of interest in the case.
Authorities have not yet disclosed detailed evidence against the suspects due to ongoing legal proceedings, but officials say DNA advancements played a critical role in linking them to the crime.
District Attorney Collin Sims described the development as a result of “persistence, collaboration, and technological progress” in modern forensic science.
Officer’s Long Obsession With the Case
Family members say Joiner never let go of the case, even after leaving law enforcement and taking a job as a school bus driver. His son said the investigation remained a deeply personal mission.
“He rarely spoke about what he saw that day,” Justin Joiner said, referring to the crime scene in 1982. “It stayed with him for life.”
Joiner also had a personal connection to the victim’s family, which made the case even more emotionally difficult for him.
Renewed Investigation Began in 2023
State police reportedly reopened the case in 2023, re-examining original evidence and resubmitting materials for DNA testing. Investigators also revisited witnesses and persons of interest, gradually rebuilding the case file with modern forensic tools.
Officials confirmed that Joiner’s earlier research and preserved documents were shared with investigators during this renewed effort.
Community Still Processing Long-Awaited Arrests
For residents of Covington, the arrests have brought a mix of relief and reflection after more than 40 years of unanswered questions.
Local media host Charles Dowdy, who helped produce the podcast, said the response from the community showed how deeply the case remained embedded in local memory.
Family members of the victim, including her niece Michele Lappin, said they never gave up hope that justice would eventually be served.
Justice Arrives After Decades of Uncertainty
While the legal process is only beginning, authorities say the case demonstrates how cold cases can be revived through persistence, community involvement, and advancements in forensic science.
For the family of Herbert Joiner, however, the resolution carries a bittersweet weight — the former officer who spent decades chasing justice for Roxanne Sharp never lived to see the arrests that may finally bring closure to one of Louisiana’s most haunting unsolved murders.
