Louisiana news briefs

New Llano man arrested in case of missing man
CENTERVILLE (AP) — Sheriff’s deputies say a third man has been arrested in the case of a missing man whose remains were believed to have been discovered last week in Vernon Parish.
Sheriff Sam Craft said 28-year-old Matthew Andrews, of New Llano, was booked with being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder.
Andrews’ bond was set at $75,000.
Craft says the charge is related to the case of James Stephens, a Rosepine man who has been missing since March 29.
On Thursday, detectives arrested a Leesville man and woman — 24-year-old Jose Israel Ayala III and 22-year-old Cassandra Ward — and booked both with second-degree murder.
Bond was set at $200,000 for Ward and $250,000 for Ayala.

Essence Fest hits record attendance at 550,000
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Essence Festival’s 20th anniversary set a record for annual attendance, with more than 550,000 participants celebrating four days of R&B music, community and black culture at the New Orleans’ convention center and Superdome, organizers and city officials said Monday.
That’s about 10,000 more than attended the 2013 festival, which included a sold-out performance by Beyoncé.
“I woke up this morning and felt a great sense of pride and gratitude,” Essence Communications Inc. president Michelle Ebanks said during a news conference about 12 hours after the last strains of Lionel Richie performing “All Night Long” rang throughout the Superdome.
More than 80 musical performances highlighted by Prince, Richie, Charlie Wilson, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Janelle Monae, Trey Songz and The Roots highlighted the event which also saw more than 150 speakers addressing everything from solutions to crime and violence to growing entrepreneurs and maintaining healthy relationships.
“For us the highlight is the deep community collaborations we created that hopefully have left a lasting impact on the city,” said Joy Profet, general manager of Essence.
She noted that 200 young girls and boys created and pitched new apps and web-based solutions as part of the #YesWeCode initiative, and an entrepreneur won $25,000 in seed capital as part of the PowerMoves Nola program for budding business owners.

Ex-sheriff in East Carroll Parish sentenced
MONROE (AP) — The former sheriff of East Carroll Parish has been sentenced to three years of probation for hunting with a convicted felon who was sentenced prior to 2014 and barred from possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley said.
U.S. District Judge Robert G. James sentenced 52-year-old Mark Wayne Shumate, of Lake Providence, on Monday for one count of aiding and abetting a felon in the possession of a firearm.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Shumate and the convicted felon went hunting on Jan. 8. Finley says Shumate had full knowledge that the person accompanying him was barred from possessing and firing a firearm.
Shumate, who was elected sheriff of East Carroll Parish in 2000, was defeated by Wydette Williams in 2012.

Baton Rouge bank robbed, police search for suspect
BATON ROUGE (AP) — East Baton Rouge authorities are looking for a man wanted in the robbery of a Chase Bank branch.
Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokeswoman for the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, says the man, described as about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing between 180 and 190 pounds, entered the bank about noon Monday and passed a note to a teller that indicated he was armed and demanded money.
Hicks said a weapon was not seen in the man’s possession during the robbery.
She says the man fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash in a silver or gray older-model Toyota Camry.
No one was injured during the robbery.