Globaltimes How I Killed 82-Year-Old Former Louisiana Mayor, Daughter-
Boy, 10, Reportedly Confesses
A 10-year-old boy in Louisiana is in custody after he reportedly admitted to fatally shooting an 82-year-old former mayor and his 31-year-old daughter.
Joe Cornelius and his daughter Keisha Miles were found dead inside a Minden residence on Sunday, Sep. 1, according to local police, KTBS, the Minden Press-Herald and the Webster Parish Journal report.
The victims had been shot several times, police said, per KTBS.
“We have the suspect in custody now,” Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said of the 10-year-old, per Minden Press-Herald, adding, “We have a confession from the suspect.”
However, McIver also told KTBS that cases involving juveniles are complex.
“We’ve got a confession. But in these cases when you’re in, it’s very delicate. When you’re dealing with a child of this age, you know, in their stage, we’re looking at … was there motive, what was the motive?” he told the outlet.
“It’s one of those things that we’ve still got a lot of unanswered questions,” McIver continued.
He added that although the child was “scared,” he appeared to have a “mindset to commit a crime like this.” It wasn’t immediately clear what type of mindset McIver was referring to.
Authorities did not release information about the nature of the child’s relationship with the victims.
The child was accompanied by his grandmother, who is his legal guardian, for questioning during the investigation,McIver said, according to KTSB. It wasn’t immediately clear what charge the child was arrested for or if he’s retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Minden police were unavailable for comments on Monday, Sept. 2.
Cornelius was well-known in the community and briefly served as interim mayor of Minden in 2013, per the Webster Parish Journal and KTBS.
A former Minden city councilman, he was known for his work with local youth and earned the nickname “Mister Joe,” according to a 2003 newspaper clipping shared by KTLA.
In 1990, he founded the Concerned Citizens of Minden after a 10-year-old named Tray Day told him there were no activities for children in the summer, KTLA reports. The organization would go on to raise funds for scholarships for students.
In a statement, Minden mayor Nick Cox remembered him as a good friend and a politician devoted to his community.
“Joe Cornelius’s years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community,” Cox said in a statement, according to KTLA and KTBS
