NATCHITOCHES, La. – A second arrest has been made in the 2023 death of a Shreveport business owner who lived in Natchitoches Parish.
Natchitoches Parish sheriff’s deputies arrested Rameika L. Franklin of Lafayette on charges of second-degree murder, armed robbery and criminal obstruction of justice. She remains without bond in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.
Franklin is accused in the death of Mark Hailey of Campti. Hailey was the former owner of Fat Daddy’s Crawfish in Natchitoches and the owner of Fat Daddy’s Crawfish in Shreveport.
Hailey, 71, was found dead by a relative late on the night of March 14, 2023 in his home on Jim Bell Road north of Campti. An autopsy determined Hailey died of apparent blunt and sharp force trauma.
During the year-long investigation, detectives submitted evidence to the crime lab, executed at least a dozen search warrants, interviewed Hailey’s family and friends and followed up on tips to Natchitoches Crime Stoppers. That eventually led to sufficient evidence to get an arrest warrant for their first suspect, Patrick D. Howard, 35, of Natchitoches.
Howard was arrested on Nov. 6. He’s held without bond on a charge of principal to first-degree murder.
The investigation continued and led to Franklin’s arrest. Lafayette Parish sheriff’s deputies picked up Franklin on Tuesday, and NPSO deputies transferred her to Natchitoches Parish the next day.
“We are pleased that arrests have been made in the senseless murder of Mr. Hailey. Our detectives worked tirelessly from the beginning on this case, although the case remains active and ongoing we are continuing to investigate any additional information we gather. The investigative process which included submitting numerous pieces of evidence to the crime lab, NPSO High Tech Crime Unit reviewing forensic evidence, securing search warrants, and speaking to family, friends, and other sources took some time,” Sheriff Stuart Wright said.
