MINDEN, Louisiana — An 11-year-old boy is in custody after allegedly confessing to police that he pulled the trigger in a double homicide Sunday morning, Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said.
He confirmed the identities of the victims as Joe Cornelius, 82, of Minden and his daughter Keisha Miles, 31.
Neither the identity of the teenager nor his relationship to the victims were disclosed.
Cornelius is a former Minden City Councilman and served as mayor-appointee for several months following the death of Mayor Bill Robertson.
Current Mayor Nick Cox issued the following statement in response to Cornelius’ death:
“It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Joe Cornelius Sr., a former long-time Minden City Councilman and former appointed Mayor of Minden.
Joe Cornelius’ years of service in Minden were marked by his dedication and commitment to the betterment of our community. Personally, I am grateful for his friendship and the many ways in which he supported me and others in our city.
During this incredibly difficult time, I ask that we all keep Joe’s family in our thoughts and prayers. May they find comfort and strength in the midst of this tragedy.
Let us come together as a community to honor Joe’s memory and support one another during this time of grief.”
Detectives completed their investigation of the crime scene shortly before noon on Sunday.
Minden Marshal Dan Weaver (right) congratulates Deputy Marshal Joe Cornelius on his retirement in December 2022. (Courtesy: Webster Parish Journal)
Police responded to a shooting call at about 6:30 a.m. and discovered Cornelius and Miles in a home on Austin Street. Both had been shot multiple times, McIver said.
There are still many unanswered questions for investigators.
“We have a confession. But in cases like this, it’s very delicate. When you’re dealing with a child of that age, you know, at that stage, we look at was there a motive, what was the motive? What were the causes, what triggered it, you know, since the victims were shot? I can tell you that both victims were shot multiple times. And, you know, there’s a lot of thoughts that run through your mind when you’re dealing with somebody of that age. How, why, how did you know? We know where the firearm that was used came from. And it’s just one of those things where we still have a lot of unanswered questions,” McIver told KTBS.
He described the youth as “terrified,” although he “seemed to have the mindset to commit such a crime.” The child’s grandmother is his legal guardian and accompanied him during questioning, as required by law, McIver said.
Joe Cornelius in a 2013 mayoral campaign photo
“But it’s a sad situation. The community is just mourning the loss of Mr. Joe Cornelius, who, as you know, was a former mayor, a former city councilman, and at times a city marshal,” McIver said. “Mr. Joe is always nice to the police, you know, he always has a joke and stuff. I mean, at his age, 82 years old, he’s still out and about and doing things. And people love Mr. Joe. I’ve never heard anyone say anything negative about him. And then, you know, this woman, his daughter. It’s a terrible situation.”
Cornelius was a Ward A alderman when Robertson died in office in July 2013. He was appointed to serve the remainder of Robertson’s term until an election in the fall. Cornelius was unsuccessful in his bid for the full-time position of mayor.
Cornelius retired as a deputy marshal with the Minden Ward Marshal’s Office in December 2022. For more than two dozen years, Cornelius was known for his work with area youth through an organization called Concerned Citizens of Minden.
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Editor’s note: The age was corrected by the Minden police.
