Natchitoches man killed; Natchez man arrested

NATCHEZ, La. (KSLA) – A Natchitoches man is dead and a Natchez man is in custody following a shooting in the Natchitoches Community Village in Natchez.

It was 8:16 p.m. Tuesday (May 7) when Natchitoches Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting in the 100 block of Louisiana Highway 119 in Natchez.

When they arrived at the scene south of the Natchez Place Apartments, they found Jonathan T. “Debo” Howard suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

The 44-year-old was taken to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center but died shortly after arriving at the Natchitoches hospital, the sheriff’s office reports. His body was taken to Shreveport for an autopsy.

The suspect, a convicted felon who was believed to be armed, had fled the scene but was arrested on Wednesday (May 8).

Natchitoches SWAT, sheriff’s detectives, patrol officers and the Winn Parish K-9 Tracking Team took 30-year-old Michael K. Wills into custody around 9:14 a.m. at a residence in the 1200 block of Old River Road near Natchez. Searches turned up three semi-automatic handguns.

Wills was interviewed and then booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a firearm. No bonds have been set.

Additional charges are pending as the investigation progresses, authorities said.

They are asking anyone with information or video related to the murder to call the Sheriff’s Office at (318) 357-7851, Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388 or the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau at (318) 357-7830 to call.

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