72°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

Sheriff says rampage suspect found unresponsive in cell

9 years 3 months 1 week ago Friday, August 28 2015 Aug 28, 2015 August 28, 2015 11:31 AM August 28, 2015 in News
Source: WBRZ
By: Russell Jones

SUNSET - Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said a St. Landry Parish man accused of killing two people during a crime spree in a small town was found unresponsive in his cell Friday and taken to the hospital.

Guidroz said guards found Harrison Riley Jr. unresponsive when they went to rouse him for a shower before his scheduled court appearance. The sheriff said he does not believe Riley attempted suicide, and a sheriff's office spokesperson said Riley checked out fine and will soon be back in the jail.

The sheriff held a press conference Friday to announce new charges had been filed against Riley, who is accused of stabbing a woman to death, wounding two others and killing his cousin, Sunset Police Officer Henry Nelson.

The sheriff said that Riley had an extensive criminal record and should not have been a free man. He said Riley now faces long list of new charges, including first degree murder of a police officer, first degree murder, five counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated criminal damage to property and a charge of obstruction of justice.

Several of those charges are capital crimes, and could carry the death penalty if Riley is convicted.

Investigators said on Wednesday Riley stabbed and killed Shameka Johnson at a home on St. Anna Street, and wounded two other women. Authorities said Riley then got into a struggle with Officer Nelson, who had responded to investigate, and shot Nelson with the officer's weapon. Investigators said Riley then stole a car and crashed it into a mini-mart where he got into a standoff with police.

Riiley was arrested hours later, and the store owner said investigators believe his attempts to burn the building down caused a fire later that night at the business.

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days