Chalmette man found stabbed to death in his apartment on Sunday; A woman he knew and a man were arrested within hours of the discovery; They had victim’s credit card and his SUV was found in N.O.
A 68-year-old Chalmette man was found stabbed to death in his apartment on Sunday, Jan. 6, and a woman he knew and a man were arrested within hours of the discovery, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
The two suspects had the victim’s credit card when they were stopped at a Chalmette trailer park where they had been staying, Also, the victim’s missing SUV was found by New Orleans police.
“Fast work in checking out leads led to a quick arrest in this murder case,” Sheriff Pohlmann said.
Joseph Spurlock, 3313 LaPlace Drive, who was employed as a security guard by Bayou State Security in New Orleans, died of several stab wounds to the upper part of his body, Sheriff Pohlmann said. He was found when someone from his work place went looking for him Sunday when he hadn’t come to work since getting off early Friday, Jan. 4.
The victim was likely killed sometime early Friday morning after neighbors heard a woman’s voice in the apartment, the sheriff said.
Booked Sunday evening with first-degree murder were Shari Head, 43, a known friend of the victim, said Sheriff Pohlmann. She lists a New Orleans address that was an abandoned residence and is believed to have been staying with a man at 1929 Laura Drive in Chalmette, a trailer in a trailer park between East St. Bernard Highway and the Mississipi River.
Also booked with first-degree murder is Chris Geeting, 39, who Head allegedly had been staying with Head at the trailer park.
Head has a criminal history including arrests for shoplifting, prostitution, theft and currently was sought on a warrant alleging armed robbery by New Orleans police, St. Bernard authorities said.
Because she knew the victim and because of her criminal history, Head was being sought for questioning in the murder when sheriff’s detectives found her and Geeting outside 1929 Laura Street, preparing to leave in a pickup truck that had numerous items packed in the back.
Head, who recently served time in a St. Tammany Parish jail for shoplifting, had listed the Laura Drive address as her residence when she was arrested in that parish, which led St. Bernard authorities to the trailer park, Sheriff Pohlmann said.
Geeting, who also was booked with shoplifting with Head in St. Tammany Parish, has a criminal history that includes serving prison time for drug and theft convictions, Sheriff Pohlmann said.
Both Head and Geeting were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison.