RESERVE, La. — A 15-year-old boy was arrested in the fatal shooting of the sister of a St. John the Baptist Parish councilwoman in Reserve.
According to investigators, the shooting happened before 1 a.m. in the 100 block of West 17th Street. Deputies found 47-year-old Rechelle Hotard with gunshot wounds to her body outside her home. The St. John the Baptist Parish Coroner's Office pronounced Hotard dead at the scene.
According to St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre, the 15-year-old suspect and Hotard knew each other based on information from neighbors in the area.
Tregre said the sheriff's office has surveillance video, along with neighbors' statements, indicating a man fled the area after gunshots were heard around the time the incident occurred. A motive has not been released at this time.
According to Tregre, the 15-year-old faces a second-degree murder charge.
The sheriff's office said Hotard is the sister of St. John the Baptist Parish Councilwoman Jaclyn Hotard.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111, the SJSO TIPS Line at 985-359-TIPS, or the Criminal Investigations Division at 985-359-8775.
Stay with Eyewitness News on WWL-TV and WWLTV.com for more on this developing story.