Collin Sims DA

08/28/2026

PROTECTING CHILDREN THROUGH PARTNERSHIP

We are proud of Detective Brian Brown for leading an internet safety training focused on protecting children. Detective Brown serves with the Covington Police Department and as an investigator with the 22nd JDC District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit.

Thank you to Hope House and the Northshore Community Foundation for supporting this important work.

08/28/2026

JUSTICE SERVED: 30-Minute Jury Verdict Yields Second-Degree Murder Conviction for Fentanyl Dealer

A Washington Parish jury needed just 30 minutes to deliver a guilty verdict against Derrick Fairley, 43, for Second-Degree Murder and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl following the lethal overdose of 34-year-old Roxanne Fortenberry.

When dealers bring deadly poison into our streets, they will be held fully accountable. As ADA Iain Dover stated during closing arguments: "The defendant sold the victim a death sentence, and with the money he received, bought himself a life sentence."

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, the DEA Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), the U.S. Secret Service, Louisiana State Police, Covington Police Department, and the Bogalusa Police Department for their rapid, thorough investigation. Fairley faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence when sentenced on September 4, 2026.

Click the link below for the full press release.

Jury Deliberates Just 30 Minutes Before Returning a Guilty Verdict District Attorney J. Collin Sims reports that on Thursday, August 27, 2026, a Washington Parish jury returned a guilty verdict in just 30 minutes, finding Derrick Fairley, 43, of Angie, Louisiana, guilty as charged of Second Degree M...

08/27/2026

Bogalusa Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for 2022 Murder of Local Business Owner

David Huey Rester, Jr., 54, of Bogalusa, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence following a guilty plea to First-Degree Murder for the March 2022 shooting death of local business owner Marl Wayne Smith.

District Judge Martin Coady handed down the life sentence after Rester pled guilty as charged. Assistant District Attorneys Jay Adair and Christina Fisher prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.

On March 2, 2022, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call at The Pub Lounge on South Columbia Street in Bogalusa, where they found Smith deceased behind the bar. A comprehensive investigation led by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office - alongside the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, and Mississippi law enforcement agencies - tied surveillance footage, ballistics, and firearm purchase records directly to Rester.

"This conviction ensures that a dangerous offender will spend the rest of his life behind bars," said District Attorney Collin Sims. "Marl Wayne Smith was a valued member of the Bogalusa community, and while this life sentence cannot replace the loss felt by his family and friends, we hope it brings a measure of justice and closure to all who loved him. I commend the thorough investigative work of the law enforcement agencies involved and our prosecution team for securing this result."

Click the link below for the full press release.

District Attorney J. Collin Sims reports that on Thursday, August 27, 2026, 54-year-old David Huey Rester, Jr., of Bogalusa, Louisiana, pleaded guilty as charged to First Degree Murder in connection with the March 2022 shooting death of local business owner Marl Wayne Smith.  Following the guilty p...

08/26/2026

PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY | NORTHSHORE PARISHES

DEA New Orleans has issued an urgent warning for St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington Parishes following a recent spike in fatal overdoses.

DEA has identified nitazenes, powerful synthetic opioids that can be stronger than fentanyl, in the local drug supply.

Please review and share this important information. Never take a pill that was not prescribed directly to you and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy. Carry naloxone when possible and call 911 immediately in a suspected overdose.

08/21/2026

NATIONAL FENTANYL PREVENTION AND AWARENESS DAY

Today, the Office of the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District joins communities nationwide in raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and the importance of prevention.

“Every life lost to fentanyl is one too many. We will continue working with our law enforcement and community partners to hold those who distribute this deadly drug accountable and support efforts that save lives.”
– District Attorney J. Collin Sims

08/20/2026

LOOKING AHEAD | A MESSAGE TO OUR TEAM

Following his qualification for another six-year term, District Attorney J. Collin Sims spoke directly to the men and women of the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office recently about the work they do every day, the progress they have made together, and the mission ahead.

“Stay the course. Continue to do good work.”

08/20/2026

LOOKING AHEAD | THE NEXT SIX YEARS

It is a privilege to serve as District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that service for another six years.

As we look ahead, I recently met with our team to reflect on the work we have done together and the mission that remains in front of us.

From the prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates to our juvenile, diversion, appellate, domestic violence, specialty courts, support staff, non-support (child support), task forces, and every person in this office plays a role in the work we do.

Together, we have strengthened our response to violent crime, supported victims, expanded proactive efforts through our Special Victims Unit, helped drive down overdose deaths through our Opioid Task Force, and continued to give people opportunities for a better path.

I am proud of what this team has accomplished, but our work is not finished.

For the next six years, we will stay focused on what matters: doing our jobs with integrity, making fair decisions, keeping people safe and serving the people of St. Tammany and Washington Parishes.

It is the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your District Attorney.

08/20/2026

Celebrating the Grand Opening of Brooke’s Place

Members of the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office joined Children’s Advocacy Hope House today for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Brooke’s Place.

First Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Authement attended alongside ADA Zachary Popovich, Investigator Anna Thomas, and Covington Police Detective Brian Brown, an Investigator in our Special Victims Unit.

We are grateful for Hope House and its continued commitment to providing a safe place, support, and advocacy for children and families in our community. Congratulations on this important new chapter.

08/19/2026

District Attorney Collin Sims was the guest speaker yesterday at the Metropolitan Crime Commission meeting, where he discussed the state of the District Attorney’s Office, our task force initiatives, the overall health of the criminal justice system in the 22nd Judicial District, and the funding challenges facing the District Attorney’s Office, courts and criminal justice system.

DA Sims is pictured with Rafael Goyeneche III, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. We appreciate the opportunity to share the work being done across the 22nd JDC and the challenges ahead.

08/14/2026

Supporting Victims On and Off the Job

We’re proud to recognize Assistant District Attorney Amanda Gritten, who has been selected as one of the 2026 Real Superheroes of Safe Harbor.

Amanda has dedicated much of her career as a prosecutor to handling domestic violence and sexually violent crime cases and supporting victims and their families through some of their most difficult moments.

Her commitment to victims extends beyond the courtroom. Through the Real Superheroes campaign, Amanda is helping raise funds for Safe Harbor and its mission to provide support and resources to survivors of domestic violence.

We’re proud of Amanda and the work she does each day for victims in our community. Please join us in supporting her and Safe Harbor.