NOPD Makes Arrest in Murder of College Student; Shooting of Her Boyfriend

Less than two days after a local college student was killed and her boyfriend severely wounded in a New Orleans East shooting, NOPD detectives have arrested the suspected gunman.

Investigators say 21-year-old Jeffery Washington fired a gun through the bedroom window of a home in the 7700-block of Branch Drive, killing 18-year-old Marguerite Washington and wounding19-year-old Justin Alexander.

After collecting evidence from the scene, interviewing several witnesses who were in the area and having them review photo line-ups, homicide detectives obtained a warrant for Jeffery Washington’s arrest.

Members of the Violent Offenders Warrants Squad (VOWS) set out last night in search of Washington, and early this morning located him at a friend’s home in the 15,000-block of Duane Street.  Washington was arrested without incident.  He was brought to the NOPD’s Homicide Unit and then to Central Lock-Up, where he was booked with Second Degree Murder and Attempted Second Degree Murder.

Jeffery Washington had been previously arrested for Domestic Battery.

“This young woman who was murdered had never been in trouble with the law, had just graduated from high school and had just started as a freshman at a local university.  This was a senseless crime that robbed a young person of a promising future”, said Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

“I want to thank our homicide detectives for staying right on top of this crime and gathering the information they needed to make a speedy arrest.”