Natchitoches, LA (March 18, 2024) – Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO) detectives have made a second arrest in connection with the 2023 murder of Mark L. Hailey, a resident of Natchitoches Parish and owner of Fat Daddy’s Crawfish in Shreveport.
Following a year-long investigation, authorities arrested Patrick D. Howard, 35, of Natchitoches, on a charge of Principle to 1st Degree Murder. The arrest came after extensive efforts, including evidence analysis, execution of search warrants, forensic examination, and interviews with acquaintances and family members.
Howard was apprehended without incident on November 6, 2023, at a residence in the 100 block of Vienna Parkway near Natchitoches. He was subsequently booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center, where he remains without bond.
Continuing their investigation, detectives obtained additional evidence leading to the arrest of Rameika L. Franklin, 31, of Lafayette, LA, on charges of Second Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Criminal Obstruction of Justice. Franklin was arrested in Lafayette on March 12, 2024, and later transported to the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center, where she is held without bond.
Sheriff Stuart Wright expressed satisfaction with the progress of the investigation, acknowledging the dedicated efforts of his detectives. While arrests have been made, the case remains active, with ongoing inquiries into any new information obtained.
The investigation into Hailey’s murder began on the evening of March 14, 2023, when deputies responded to reports of an unresponsive male at his residence in Campti, LA. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Hailey deceased, with his Ford F-350 pickup truck missing from the scene.
An autopsy revealed Hailey’s cause of death as blunt and sharp force trauma, prompting the investigation to be treated as a homicide. Subsequent efforts led to the recovery of Hailey’s abandoned vehicle and the initiation of a comprehensive forensic analysis.
Sheriff Wright extended gratitude to Natchitoches Crime Stoppers, the Northwest LA Crime Lab, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, and other cooperating agencies for their support throughout the investigation.
Anyone with further information regarding this case is urged to contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 318-357-7830 or submit tips anonymously through the P3 Tips app or Natchitoches Crime Stoppers hotline at (318) 238-2388. All information will be handled confidentially, with potential rewards offered for tips leading to an arrest.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
