SABINE SHERIFF MITCHELL ANNOUNCES DRUG, GUN ARRESTS
Sabine Sheriff Aaron Mitchell recently announced his office’s drug and gun arrests for the month of November 2023.
Arrested were:
Harvey Isaiah Spikes, age 21, of Many - Warrant for: Possession of schedule I (Marijuana) and Possession of schedule II (Adderall).
Bond was set at $2,500, and he was released.
Casey Tyne Smith, age 38, of Florien - Warrant for Possession of firearm by person convicted of certain felonies.
Bond was set at $10,000, and he remains in jail.
Crystal Renee Campbell, age 34, of Zwolle - Possession of schedule II (Meth), Possession of drug paraphernalia and Failure to signal.
Bond was set at $3,000, and she bonded.
David Albert Andries Jr., age 63, of Many - Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Meth), Possession of drug paraphernalia and Warrant for two counts of Criminal conspiracy to distribute schedule II (Meth).
Total bonds were set at $20,000, and he bonded.
Sarah Jones McLendon, age 47, of Florien - Warrant for: two counts of Distribution of schedule II (Meth) and two counts of Criminal conspiracy to distribute schedule II (Meth).
Bond was set at $30,000, and she remains in jail.
Brandi Owens, age 42, of Milam, TX - Possession of schedule I (Marijuana), Possession of schedule II (Meth), Possession of drug paraphernalia, Failure to register vehicle and Operating vehicle while license suspended.
Bond was set at $2,250, and she bonded.
(A special thank you to Sabine Det. D. W. Seegers for the above report.)
Sales tax collections in Sabine Parish for November were down by $283,257.57 over the same month in 2022, according to a report released by Sales Tax Administrator Wanda Rivers. Collections in November 2023 amounted to $2,321,724.00. The same month a year ago was $2,604,981.57.
Well, we got a report last week that Bigfoot was seen around Fisher again. Bernice DuBose, who has been reporting sightings of the creature for a while, along with members of her family, told Observations that she saw it one evening last week. She said she saw it as she and her husband were going to Many and had to drive slowly because they were having car problems.
Ms. DuBose said they turned north on Hwy. 171, and the sun was down slightly. She looked over in the woods on the left side of the highway and saw it.
“I started screaming at my husband, ‘Bigfoot is in the trees!’” They turned around and went back, but he had already disappeared. She said he appeared to be seven to eight feet tall and had long, stringy hair. Continuing, she stated, “He had something in his hand. It looked big even from [where we were in] the car.”
Ms. DuBose said her son saw Bigfoot in the area of Lyddy Turnpike a couple of months ago. She said it chased her son, but he didn’t get a picture. She said they plan to purchase a trail camera. Other relatives have seen it, she related, and they said they can smell it because it has a bad odor.
In a related matter, back in October, a person in western North Carolina found this 800 lb. rock that they said Bigfoot had tossed into a group of trees knocking them over. The person said the event took place several miles off a road back in the woods. Seems they’re everywhere.
CHARGED: Patricia Tito, above, was charged with the second-degree murder of Lester Rome, whose remains went unidentified for 35 years. The South Louisiana man's skeletal remains were identified by the Sabine Coroner's Office in 2021 following an investigation by the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office.
From KTBS-Shreveport: The investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Lester Rome - a Grand Isle bar owner whose skeletal remains weren't identified until 35 years after they were found at the bottom of an abandoned well - took another turn Thursday, Dec. 7, when a Jefferson Parish grand jury handed up an indictment charging his former female companion with his murder.
Patricia Tito, 59, was charged with "either acting alone or in concert with an unindicted principal" to commit the second-degree murder of Lester Rome, court records said.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office detectives who reopened the cold case suspect Tito was present for Rome's slaying and, for more than three decades, kept those details from law enforcement and Rome's worried family, according to a report in NOLA.com.
Tito is currently serving a 40-year sentence for manslaughter for the 2003 death of a Shreveport woman.
Delvin Avard Sibley has already been arrested in Rome's death. An arrest warrant was issued for Tito, 58, earlier this year.
They are accused in the death of Rome whose remains were dumped in an abandoned water well in Sabine Parish but not identified until two years ago. Before then, the cold case was referred to as "The Man in the Well."
Sabine sheriff's Det. Chris Abrahams got an arrest warrant for Sibley after working on the cold case for 10 months. Sibley bonded out of jail on the second-degree murder charge and returned to his home in Mississippi.
But as a small child, Sibley lived in Sabine Parish. And during his adult life Sibley worked as a firefighter in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.
The Sabine Sheriff's Office handed off Sibley's prosecution to Jefferson Parish prosecutors since their investigation indicates Rome was killed in Grand Isle.
Tito implicated Sibley as the person responsible for Rome's homicide, JPSO Capt. Jason Rivarde said in a statement in March.
Rome was reported missing in January 1984 to the Grand Isle Police Department. JPSO investigators became involved in the case in February 1984.
At the time of the initial investigation, Tito was living in Rome's home and operating his business. She claimed then Rome had simply gone on a trip and denied any knowledge of foul play. The missing persons case was eventually suspended after all investigative leads were exhausted.
In April 1986, the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office opened a homicide investigation after human remains were recovered from a water well in the 1000 block of Recknor Road in Many. The remains were unidentified for 35 years, and the case became known in that area as "The Man in the Well." The remains were identified by the Sabine Parish Coroner's Office in 2021. Rome died as the result of blunt force trauma and possible stab wounds.
Left, Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office personel and Sabine firefighters earlier conducted an extensive search of the well where a man's body was dumped years ago. Right, Delvin Sibley, former friend of murder victim Lester Rome, who was known only as "the man in the well" for 35 years before his remains were identified by the SPSO.
Investigators from the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office contacted JPSO, and the agencies exchanged information about the cases. SPSO interviewed Tito and provided information from that interview that indicated Rome had been killed in Grand Isle before his remains were dumped in Sabine Parish. The case was eventually transferred to JPSO for further investigation.
In spring 2022, JPSO investigators interviewed Tito, and she agreed to take them to the location where Rome was murdered on Grand Isle near Elmer's Island. She told investigators she was present during the murder but placed responsibility for the crime solely on Sibley.
Tito said when Sibley eventually left the Grand Isle area, he did so in possession of Rome's remains. As the JPSO investigation continued, detectives learned that the well in which Rome's remains were located was on a property formerly owned by Sibley's family.
JPSO officials have identified Sibley as a person of interest, but he had not been arrested in connection with Rome's death as of Monday, Rivarde told NOLA.com.
Tito is imprisoned at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel, where she is serving a sentence for the death of Judie Winn, 59.
No arraignment date has been set in Jefferson Parish for the murder charge. The court set Tito's bail at $750,000.
Woodhaven Estates' Cedar Lane near Many High School
Observations has received questions about the re-surfacing of Cedar Lane in the Woodhaven Estates near Many by the Sabine Parish Police Jury. The road is in District 3, which is represented by Juror Stephen Steinke who lives on the road.
Bruce Taylor, who will take Steinke’s place on the Jury come January said people have been calling him about the road, and he wants the public to know that he had nothing to do with the recent overlay.
He posted on Facebook, “I would not have approved this to happen when we have roads in horrible shape and overlay a street that didn’t have a pothole.”
Bruce continued, “Calls should be directed to Mr. Steinke who is Juryman as of now and from what I understand is responsible for the overlaying of Cedar Lane. I can and don’t mind hearing the complaints but can’t do anything about Cedar Lane, and I do understand the ones that called have concerns.”
Observations contacted Stephen, and he was very forthcoming in a discussion about the road. He said his brother David had moved to the subdivision on the one-half mile road in 2000, and it was in the parish road system at that time and that he, Stephen, had moved there in 2003.
In beginning his remarks, he said that property taxes are very unfair because a large percentage of the people in the parish are under homestead exemption and pay no property taxes. He obtained values from the Tax Assessor’s office for roads in his district and had done an analysis of them.
He said the 29 homeowners who live on Cedar Lane pay property taxes of 10.8 mills to Ward 4 Road District 17. This represents taxes of $4,866.00 per year. Overlaying the road cost $65,000. He said this figure divided by the annual amount of road taxes would take 13 ½ years for cost recovery.
Stephen said Road Superintendent Bobby Hughes approached him in October and said there was room for one-half mile of overlay in his district and that is how the project came about. “We want to receive something for our tax money,” he said.
He pointed out that the pipeline companies damage roads in the parish, and that those roads will not be repaired until the companies’ projects are completed. He said there are two pipelines at present coming through the parish. In addition, he said improvements for Petty Road, Rabbit Run and Tara Place are in the works.
PLEASE NOTE: the following came from Police Juror Steinke at 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13:
“I read your Observations and noticed the following correction(s) needed ASAP. You said at [the] end ‘improvements for Rabbit Run and Tara Place were in the works.’ That isn't what I said. Those two roads were the second and third roads in the analysis of road property taxes paid per 100 yards of road. There are no plans for anything to be done on them before I leave office on 1/7/24. That would be up to Bruce at that point in time. Petty Road is on the PTA list in 2025 for one mile of overlay to the end of current asphalt.” He continued, “You left out some details that I discussed about the property taxes being the major source of annual funds to the Road District account (95%). But I understand you couldn't get it all into your post.”
That is indeed the case. When Observations interviewed Mr. Steinke, he shared some 20 minutes worth of information, which proved too lengthy to include in its entirety. We appreciate his clarifications.
It was a very strange happening: Bobby Dean Birdwell, who lives in the Bethany Community near Marthaville, got up Friday morning, Dec. 8, and his dog, Floyd, was missing. Later in the day, Fire Chief Doug Birdwell, who lives nearby, told Bobby Dean that he had talked to a lineman for SWEPCO and that a power line had fallen and was low to the ground on a dead-end road that goes to Mike Bruce’s house.
The discovery of the fallen power line revealed an extremely unusual situation. The lineman found three deer there, one of them seven points, that had been electrocuted. Also lying dead nearby having suffered electrocution was Bobby Dean’s dog and a buzzard. Really bizarre event. It probably happened Thursday night as next-door neighbor to the property Butch Bruce said the lights flickered at his house that evening.
Thanks to Mike Birdwell for calling this to our attention.
Sabine Chamber Director Shanna Gaspard, left, and Parish Tourist Commission Director Georgia Craven, right, enjoyed visiting with Bonnie Fox-Miles, center, at Tuesday's "Jingle and Mingle” held at the Tourist Commission offices.
Actors from The Bridge Church’s “Journey to Bethlehem” welcomed visitors to the Tourist Commission’s “Jingle and Mingle” on Tuesday morning.
Sabine Clerk of Court Shelly Salter, left, enjoyed visiting with Tourist Commission Office Administrator Krystal Sepulvado, center, and Marketing and Events Manager Kelsi Horn, right.
It was a great Jingle and Mingle at the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission on Tuesday morning, Dec. 12.
The annual holiday event welcomed several from across Sabine from its start at 9 a.m. until it ended at 11:30. Observations was delighted to stop by and enjoy the festivities.
Elected officials in attendance included Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn, Sabine Clerk of Court Shelly Salter and Police Juror Stephen Steinke.
The Tourist Commission’s big upcoming activities now are two national fishing tournaments to be held on Toledo Bend Lake early next year. The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour will be held Jan. 29-Feb. 4, and the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament will be held Feb. 22-Feb. 25.
The two events bring an estimated 10,000 bass fishing fans to the region during tournament weeks to watch the events. Anglers also visit Sabine to pre-fish the lake prior to the tournaments.
For more information, or to help sponsor the upcoming events, contact Sabine Tourist Commission Director Georgia Craven at georgia@toledobendlakecountry.com or call (318) 256-5880.
(A special thank you to my wife Laurie for the above report.)
MORE MANY CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES UPCOMING:
SATURDAY, DEC. 16 - The big Willie Stewart Family & Friends “Stewart Family Christmas” is set for this Saturday night, Dec. 16, at Sabine Theater [Many Community Center] at 7 p.m. The free holiday concert is usually packed, so we advise arriving early to get a good seat.
The group is comprised of patriarch Willie Stewart and his wife, Debbie – they both sing, he plays guitar and she plays percussion; Willie’s son, Bo, who sings, plays mandolin and percussion and usually shoots a lot of humor aimed at Yours Truly; Bo’s son, Kelly, and Kelly’s wife, Clancey – they both sing, he plays percussion and Clancey is a multi-state fiddle champion; father and son Steve and Mark Birdwell from Marthaville on vocals, guitar and mandolin; John Brittain from Hornbeck on upright bass, dobro and guitar; and my wife Laurie on vocals, autoharp and occasional upright bass.
It'll be a stage full of music and fun, and the group said this year’s show will include some carols, several crowd favorites from years past and some modern Christmas songs as well.
As always, light concessions will be available.
SUNDAY, DEC. 17 – The “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” movie starring Jim Carrey will show at 2 p.m. at Sabine Theater [Many Community Center] on Sunday, Dec. 17, and admission is absolutely free. It is presented by the Town of Many, so be sure to mark it down and enjoy the holiday classic with family!
Ms. Nellie Faye Mitcham
We lost a good Christian woman and a family friend when Mrs. Nellie Faye Mitcham of Marthaville died last week. She had lived an abundant life for 91 years.
She was a faithful member of Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church. Mrs. Faye was one of my mother and daddy’s best friends. My mother would travel to Natchitoches with her each month to buy groceries and window shop. They always had a great time.
Ms. Faye worked in the lunchroom at Marthaville School and would come by and visit my parents many afternoons on her way home from work.
When her first husband, Vonnie Bruce, died, my daddy was concerned about her safety as she was living alone with a young son. There was no telephone service in the community at the time. He rigged up some kind of alarm system and ran a wire through the woods for about a mile from our house to her house. If she was in need or if there was an emergency, she was able to ring him up and he would come over to help.
Our deepest sympathy to her only son, Butch, and other members of the family. Our life is better for having known Mrs. Faye.
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