Aggrostats

May 20, 2010

“Cold Case” Arrest in East Carroll Parish Homicide

An arrest has been made in a homicide case being investigated by the Louisiana State Police and the East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office since 2000.

On October 10, 2000 Louisiana State Police Detectives and the East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating a robbery and homicide that occurred at the Sonic Drive-In in Lake Providence on that date. The manager of the Sonic, identified as Spencer Washington, who was 31-years-old at the time, was closing up for the night and was leaving the building when he was robbed and shot to death in the parking lot.

The investigation, at the time, resulted in identifying Tyrone Bowman from Lake Providence as a suspect in the robbery and homicide. Detectives were not able to generate enough evidence against Bowman to obtain an indictment.

Numerous items of evidence were sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for processing over the entire course of the investigation.

In March of 2009, LSP Detectives received lab reports indicating that DNA found at the scene was a match to Bowman.

In February 2010, new leads were developed in the case that led to witnesses that had not been previously identified. Investigators also learned that Bowman had fled to Milwaukee, WI.

On May 18, 2010 the East Carroll Parish Grand Jury returned indictments against Bowman for Armed Robbery and First Degree Murder. After the indictments were returned, Bowman was entered into NCIC and the lead LSP Detective in the case contacted the Milwaukee Police Department for assistance in locating the suspect.

At approximately 10:40 pm on May 18, 2010 the Milwaukee Police Department’s Fugitive Team arrested Tyrone Bowman, who is now 32-years-old, on the warrants.

Bowman is currently awaiting an extradition hearing in Wisconsin and will ultimately be transferred back to East Carroll Parish.

Lt Lee Harrell, the LSP Investigative Supervisor, said that it is a “relief to the family to have some closure on this case. It shows the tenacity of the detectives involved and the LSP Crime Lab. They were not willing to just let this case or any other cold cases go unsolved.”

Contact Information,
Trooper First Class Mark Dennis
Louisiana State Police
Troop F Public Affairs
Office: (318) 345-2810