Louisiana news briefs

Murder suspect accused of tampering with camera
THIBODAUX (AP) — Deputies say a suspect in a Thibodaux double murder is accused of setting a towel on fire before covering a camera at the parish jail.
Lafourche Parish sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne said 21-year-old Alfred Starks, of Thibodaux, faces additional charges of aggravated arson and tampering with a surveillance system.
Thibodaux police arrested Starks on Sept. 25, 2013, after 19-year-old Tre Scott and 26-year-old Jordy Williams were found shot dead in a car. Police say Starks was in a crowd of onlookers who gathered at the scene as officers investigated.
When a fire alarm sounded Friday afternoon, Matherne says correctional officers saw that Starks had set the fire.

VA names director for new New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care network that covers Washington, D.C., will take over the leadership of the VA’s New Orleans system, including the $1 billion hospital now under construction.
The system is responsible for providing care to 66,500 veterans in the region and operates clinics in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Slidell, Hammond, Bogalusa, Franklin, Houma and St. John Parish.

Man arrested after police find he had drugs shipped
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A 20-year-old man is in custody after an investigation revealed that he was having marijuana shipped to an apartment behind his home and picking it up while the tenant was out.
New Orleans police said Tuesday that Dominic Angelica was booked with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and five warrants from Jefferson Parish. It was unknown if Angelica has an attorney.
Police began investigating last week after a resident in the Lakeview neighborhood received a package in the mail and discovered five vacuum sealed bags of marijuana inside. The resident notified police who uncovered an operation that had been going on for some time.
Police also confiscated $10,000 in cash, nearly 10 pounds of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Reward offered in black bear death
BATON ROUGE (AP) — A $7,000 reward is available for information leading to whoever’s responsible for the illegal killing of a black bear found in Avoyelles Parish.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Operation Game Thief program and its foundation are contributing $2,000 while The Humane Society of the United States and The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are contributing $5,000.
The Louisiana black bear has been listed as a threatened species since 1992. Killing one is a violation of both state and federal laws.
A citizen alerted authorities Dec. 5 about a dead bear on Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge. A necropsy revealed it was shot and had likely been dead for about two weeks before being found.
Anyone with information about the killing should call the Game Thief hotline at 1-800-442-2511.

Baker man booked for dogfighting
BAKER (AP) — A Baker police officer investigating a tip about possible dogfighting arrested the owner of 17 to 20 pit bulls on dogfighting and weapons counts.
An officer located the source of the noise at a home on McHugh Road, where Eugene Bernard Grayer allowed the officer to observe the dogs in the backyard Monday night.
The arrest report says the officer asked Animal Control for assistance, and with the permission of Grayer, searched the home, where they found weight training equipment and a treadmill for the dogs.
From The Associated Press.
Police also seized a 9mm gun and a 12 gauge shotgun with a pistol grip.
Grayer was booked with training dogs for fighting and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
From The Associated Press.