Man to spend life in prison with hard labor for 2021 violent crime spree in Bogalusa
BOGALUSA, La. (WGNO) — An Angie man was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison with hard labor after he was found guilty of a 2021 crime spree that left a high school senior dead and a 13-year-old shot.
The Office of District Attorney Collin Sims originally reported that 21-year-old Andrew Pernell and two others fatally “gunned down” Aaron Brown, a Bogalusa High School senior who was walking home from school, on Aug. 23, 2021.
Kenner home burglarized while person was asleep upstairs
The Bogalusa Police Department reported officers responded to gunfire near Hickory Avenue and Dan Street, where they found Brown and pronounced him dead at the scene.
On Sept. 15, 2021, court documents state Pernell fired about 18 shots at an occupied home on Main Street in Bogalusa with an AK-47. No injuries were reported.
Additionally, on Sept. 20, 2021, court document state that Pernell shot a 13-year-old who was getting off a school bus on Main Street. The 13-year-old was airlifted for emergency treatment of multiple gunshot wounds.
The district attorney’s office reported Pernell fired nine shots before trying to leave the scene and crashing his vehicle.
Bogalusa police then took Pernell into custody and searched the area. During the search, Bogalusa officers said they found a gun in the woods.
According to the district attorney, an analysis of the gun found in the woods and DNA determined that it was the gun used to shoot the 13-year-old boy.
In a search of Pernell’s home, court documents state detectives recovered an AK-47 that was later determined to be the one used during the Sept. 15, 2021, drive-by shooting.
Feud between family members leads to Kenner homicide
A search of Pernell’s phone reportedly revealed texts discussing how Pernell got the AK-47 used in the drive-by shooting and the AR-15 used to shoot Brown.
Court documents state Pernell was messaging a “strawman” to buy weapons, stating he needed them because “I kill ppl.”
The district attorney’s office reported a search of another person’s phone revealed messages with Pernell laying out “plans to engage in a shooting once students started walking home from Bogalusa High School after classes ended for the day.”
On Friday, June 28, a jury convicted Pernell after deliberating for 27 minutes. He was found guilty of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and assault by drive-by shooting.
Judge Ellen Creel sentenced him on Monday, Aug. 5 to serve life in prison at hard labor without parole for Brown’s murder. He received 50 years in prison at hard labor without parole for the attempted murder of the 13-year-old. The court ordered both sentences to run consecutive to each other. Additionally, Pernell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and 10 years in prison for the drive-by shooting with those sentences being ordered to run concurrent to the life and 50-year prison terms.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
Latest Posts
The bloody history of Place de la Concorde makes it a unique venue for the Olympics
WATCH: Florida deputy rescues missing 5-year-old found clinging to log in large pond
Suspects in foiled plot at Taylor Swift shows hoped to kill as many people as possible: officials
What to watch Thursday: Men’s basketball semifinals, Noah Lyles in the 200
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
