On Tuesday, May 18, a New Orleans man was booked into the Winnfield City Jail on the charge of 2nd Degree Murder for the August 2020 shooting of local resident Antheus Johnson.

 

Winnfield Police initially responded to a call of a Motor Vehicle Accident on E Lafayette Street on the afternoon of August 20 only to discover shooting victim Antheus Johnson unresponsive in the car. He had several bullet wounds. Efforts to revive Johnson on scene and at the emergency room were unsuccessful.

 

The initial investigation led police to the scene of the shooting on Lena Street in Winnfield. After several days of investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for the suspect, Richard Harris, Jr, age 20, who had been living in Winnfield at the time of the shooting. Harris had departed the area and eluded capture for almost 2 months. With assistance from the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, officers were able to determine he was in the New Orleans area. In conjunction with the Jefferson Parish’s Fugitive Task Force and the US Marshal’s Office, Harris was located and arrested in November 2020. He had additional, unrelated charges in Jefferson Parish and was held until he was indicted by a Winn Parish Grand Jury on May 10th.

 

He is currently being held in the Winn Parish Detention Center on the charge of 2nd Degree Murder with a bond of $1,000,000.

 

Chief Johnny R Carpenter wishes to thank all of the agencies involved in the capture as well as the grieving family of Antheus Johnson for their patience in the justice system.