Louisiana teen booked in murder of parents, friend
DOUG SIMPSON
Associated Press
FERRIDAY, La. - A 15-year-old boy was arrested and booked with three counts of first-degree murder Wednesday, accused in the shooting deaths of his parents and a 16-year-old friend.
The role of the dead teenager in the early-morning mayhem in this small northeastern Louisiana town was unclear. The 15-year-old initially told investigators that the older boy was an intruder who shot the parents while they were sleeping. He claimed he found a gun and shot the boy after hearing the shots that killed his parents.
"Later in the morning however, the youth changed his statement to reveal an alleged conspiracy between the two teens to kill the couple," the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
The slain teen's family strongly disputed that version of events, saying the youth in custody was probably responsible for all three deaths.
It was unclear whether investigators believe the dead teen was involved in the shooting of the parents. The sheriff's office did not return calls for follow-up questions to the news release.
The sheriff's office identified the dead couple as John Wood, 42, and Jerri Wood, 40.
Police did not release the names of the couple's son or of the dead youth. But, Lanie Whittington, an uncle of the slain boy, identified the 16-year-old as Matt Whittington, a student at a private school in nearby Natchez, Miss., and a friend of the Woods' son.
Lanie Whittington said his family strongly disputes the notion that Matt might have been involved in killing the Woods.
"We believe that Matthew was as much a victim as the parents were. We believe he was lured to that house."
The uncle described Matt Whittington as "a good kid, a quiet kid," a Boy Scout who was close to earning the rank of Eagle.
The shootings happened in a quiet middle-class subdivision of Ferriday, a town of about 3,700 people most notable for its proximity to the historic rivertown of Natchez, and for four of its celebrity native sons: evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, the late broadcast journalist Howard K. Smith and entertainers Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley.
Blood stains were visible in the carport of the one-story brick house where the shootings occurred and where the parish coroner said all three died.
Neighbors, none of whom would give their name, said John Wood had made a living farming leased land and that he also worked as a hunting guide.
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