Police receive tip on killer
Witness details truck near crime scene
By Samantha Sieber, Staff Writer
After months of asking the public for help, the Baton Rouge Homicide Task Force has received another tip concerning the white truck seen exiting I-10 at Whiskey Bay the morning of July 13.
Last week a third witness called the tipline, giving his account of a white truck. The third witness was traveling westbound on I-10 and observed the same white truck the first witness saw in July.
The witness described the truck as a white, single cab, late-’80s model General Motors pickup truck. The truck had a black bumper with bad window tint and a dull paint job. The witness also reported dark splotches in the paint on the roof of the truck, possibly from peeling.
In the bed of the truck, the witness observed a folded tarp. The witness described the driver of the truck as a white male wearing some type of plaid or checkered clothing.
In connection with the first witness’s account in July, the third witness also saw the truck exit at Whiskey Bay.
Cpl. Mary Ann Godawa of the Baton Rouge Police Department said the task force believes both witnesses saw the same white truck.
Though the witnesses’ descriptions contained some discrepancies, the task force said it only is searching for one white truck.
Godawa said the tipline received numerous calls concerning white trucks during the past week.
“This truck may not still be in the Baton Rouge area or on the road,” Godawa said. “Citizens need to think back and try to remember if a suspected individual ever had access to a white truck.”
Last week the task force released information concerning a second witness’s account of a white truck.
This witness described the truck as a white General Motors single-cab pickup truck, either stepside or fleetside, with a small fish symbol attached to the upper left portion of the tailgate. Police released that the license plate possibly bears the characters JT341 in any configuration. The state on the license plate was not identifiable.
Godawa said the task force is not ruling out the second sighting, but citizens should take into account all information released concerning the trucks.
“Don’t discount any truck just because one piece doesn’t exist,” said Detective Sgt. Ike Vavasseur of the task force.