FPD News Release

Per FPD Major Justin Brown - Two releases 7/24/2013

On July 4th, Sgt. James Holmes took a report in reference to three news paper boxes belonging to The Era-Leader being broken into. Sgt. Holmes was able to obtain video of the suspect and turned the investigation over to Det. James Folks. Photos of the suspect were subsequentially loaded on the Franklinton Police Dept. Facebook page and then ran in the Era-Leader. Shortly after the story, Det. Folks received a phone call from an anonymous person who reported the suspects name was Douglas Carter. Cpl. Folks obtained a photo of Carter and learned he was on Probation for unrelated charges. After speaking with Carter’s Probation Officer who confirmed Carter was in fact the suspect in the video, Det. Folks secured a warrant for Carter charging him with 3 counts of theft and 3 counts criminal damage to property of a coin operated device. Carter was located by Probation and Parole Agents at a residence in Ponchatoula, La. and arrested without incident. Carter was booked and turned over to the Washington Parish Jail.

__________________________________________________________________

On July 24, 2013, Quentin Watson was officially sentenced to life in prison without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. Following the trail last week, Watson was found guilty on two counts of 1st degree murder for the deaths of Anita Smith and her nephew William Lewis on February 6, 2008. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict.

The Franklinton Police Department would like to thank the District Attorney's Office, Judge William Knight and the jurors who brought the case to an end. Major Justin Brown would like to recognize Captain Randall Penton, Corporal James Folks, Trooper Richard Newman and Nan Wood for their outstanding work on the case. Chief Donald Folse, Alderman John Daniel and officers of the Franklinton Police Department, your constant support helped maintain us throughout the process. Furthermore, the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab did an amazing job in processing the crime scene and susbsequent analyzing of evidence. We would also like to thank the community for it's continued support throughout the investigation and trial.
To the families of Anita Smith and William Lewis, our thoughts and prayers will forever be with you. We grieve with you and hope that now each of you may somehow find closure and peace.