11-year-old charged with first-degree murder in Minden, La., double homicide

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- An 11-year-old boy is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two family members inside a home in Minden, La., early Sunday morning.

He is being held with a $500,000 bond set, Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said during a 2 p.m. CDT news conference Tuesday.

"We're leaning towards only one shooter," McIver told reporters. "That's not a conclusion" but "we're not seeing evidence there's another shooter."

The unidentified boy, 11, is a family member of the two deceased shooting victims, who are Joe Cornelius, 82, and his daughter, Keisha Miles, 31.

McIver declined to say how the boy is related to the two victims and said the local prosecutor has not determined if the boy will be charged as a juvenile or an adult.

Police received an emergency call reporting gun shots at a home on the 111 Austin St. at 6:30 a.m. Sunday and found Joe Cornelius and Miles dead after each had been shot multiple times.

The officers also found the boy, whose age initially was reported as 10, and two hidden firearms, McIver said.

McIver said investigators believe both firearms were used in the shootings but are awaiting forensics to confirm they were the only ones.

A guardian was present when investigators questioned the boy, who initially "gave a story that didn't add up" but eventually admitted to the shooting and how he obtained the firearms, McIver told media.

He declined to say how the boy obtained the firearms when asked by a reporter.

"If a person wants to do harm to someone, they are going to do that," McIver said. "It doesn't matter what weapon was used."

He said the next step in the investigation is to get all evidence to ensure there was no other weapon used and wait for autopsies on the victims.

A neighbor on Sunday told a reporter for KSLA News he heard about eight gunshots fired inside the home.

The neighbor said he is Cornelius' cousin and heard the boy and man arguing shortly before hearing the shots.

McIver said a family member placed the 911 call Sunday morning and the boy allegedly used two firearms to shoot and kill Cornelius and Miles, McIver said.

McIver also said investigators don't know the motive and hope to learn soon, adding that talk of the boy using a credit card for video games leading to the argument and shootings is a "rumor."

Cornelius was a "great-natured man" who worked with the city marshals and frequently made friendly visits the police station," McIver said, adding that the "shock factor" of the double homicide has affected much of the local community.

"It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Joe Cornelius Sr., a former longtime Minden City councilman and former appointed mayor of Minden," the town's Mayor Nick Cox said Sunday in a prepared statement .

"Joe Cornelius' years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community. On a personal note, I am grateful for his friendship and the many ways he supported me and others in our city," Cox said.

He asked local residents to "keep Joe's family in our thoughts and prayers."

Minden is located about 30 miles east of Shreveport, La.