BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A state auditor is investigating the East Baton Rouge Housing Authority after an official discovered the agency's top two executives were overpaid nearly $74,000.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's office has opened the investigation. Months ago, Housing Authority board chairwoman Dianna Payton noticed that outgoing Executive Director Richard Murray had been receiving an extra $1,000 every other week since 2015, and that Chief Operations Officer Melonie Bayham had been receiving nearly $500 extra every two weeks.

The Advocate reports Bayham and Murray told auditors they didn't notice the extra cash, and paid it back. Payton said a former employee incorrectly entered salaries into the payroll system, causing the overpayment.

Murray said auditors have been pulling records and files since last week. Audit office director Roger Harris would not provide investigation details.