Cop haunted for decades by Roxanne Sharp's brutal killing didn’t live to see suspects arrested
Former Louisiana police officer Herbert 'Herbie' Joiner spent decades investigating the 1982 gang rape and murder of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp, storing clues in a briefcase he later shared with state investigators. He died months before four suspects were arrested in April 2026, following new leads from a true crime podcast and advances in DNA technology. The case, which had long haunted the small city of Covington, saw renewed momentum when detectives re-examined evidence and interviewed witnesses starting in 2023. Joiner’s son believes his father played a crucial role in keeping the case alive and helping bring the suspects to justice.
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U.S. newsCop haunted for decades by Roxanne Sharp’s brutal killing didn’t live to see suspects arrestedBut Herbert 'Herbie' Joiner knew detectives were "getting closer," his son said. Four men were arrested this month for the 1982 death after a true crime podcast generated new leads.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A press conference about Roxanne Sharp's cold case homicide investigation.LA State PoliceShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 28, 2026, 5:34 PM EDTBy Stephanie Gosk and Corky SiemaszkoFor decades, former Louisiana police officer Herbert Joiner used a brown leather briefcase to store the records, clippings and clues he had collected about a case that had haunted him since 1982 — the brutal gang rape and murder and 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp.
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