A 10-year-old boy is in custody after confessing to fatally shooting his elderly relative, former Louisiana mayor Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, and his adult daughter, Keisha Miles, 31. The tragic incident occurred Sunday morning in Minden, a small city east of Shreveport, leaving the community in shock, told People.
Police were dispatched to Cornelius’ home where they found the bodies of Cornelius and Miles, both with multiple gunshot wounds. Minden Police Chief Jared McIver, who spoke about the case on Monday, revealed that two handguns were used in the shooting, and both magazines were emptied. The boy, who is a relative of Cornelius, initially provided a different account of what happened, but by Sunday afternoon, he had confessed to the shooting in the presence of his grandmother.
“Our city is in shock,” McIver said. “How does a 10-year-old commit something so malicious?” The motive behind the killings remains unclear, and McIver declined to provide further details about the boy’s relationship to Cornelius or his possible reasons for the crime. The child is currently being held on two counts of first-degree murder. It is not yet known if he has legal representation.
In a heart-wrenching detail, a 6-year-old child was also present in the home during the shooting but was not injured.
Joe Cornelius Sr. was a respected figure in Minden, known for his dedication to the community. He served as a City Council member, deputy ward marshal for the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office, and in 2013, was appointed interim mayor after the sitting mayor passed away. Cornelius was widely recognized for his commitment to bettering the lives of those in his city.
Minden Mayor Nick Cox expressed his deep sorrow and gratitude for Cornelius’ contributions to the community in a statement released Sunday. “Joe Cornelius’s years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community,” Cox said. He urged the community to come together in support of one another during this time of profound grief.
The devastating loss of Cornelius and his daughter has left the city grappling with unanswered questions and an overwhelming sense of tragedy, as they mourn the loss of two cherished members of their community at the hands of a child.