Minden PD: 11-year-old held on $500K bond, arrested for fatally shooting family members

MINDEN, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – The Minden Police Chief will hold a news conference regarding the homicide of former city council member and mayor Joe Cornelius, Sr., and his daughter .

The chief will address the Minden community and media members and provide an update on the case, which you can watch live on KTAL News Now at 2 p.m.

Mayor Cox started the press conference by offering support for Joe Cornelius’s family and the impact he has had on the city of Minden.

Chief McIver said on Sunday, Sept.1, at approximately 6:30 am, that two people were dead at the location. When officers arrived, they confirmed that Cornelius and a female victim were both in the home, injured with multiple gunshot wounds.

Two firearms were found. However, due to an ongoing investigation, the chief did not disclose the caliber. An interview with a juvenile who police confirmed was an 11-year-old family member gave investigators a story that Iver said did not seem likely – but the youth ultimately confessed to police.

However, they do not have an actual motive to explain why the youth shot his family members, and because of the offender’s age, it will not be disclosed.

Police confirmed a family member did accompany the juvenile during the interview with police a few hours after police were informed of the double homicide.

Bond was set at $500,000; $250,000 for each count of first-degree murder.

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