ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. (WVUE) - A 22-year-old St. Bernard Parish man accused of killing his mother and grandmother on Easter Sunday was captured Monday (April 6) in Mobile, Ala., authorities said.
The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said Lee Collins III was apprehended by the Mobile Police Department and is being held while awaiting extradition back to Louisiana.
The agency said Collins fled after the Sunday night shooting, which happened around 7:45 p.m. in the 2200 block of Centanni Drive.
Alabama authorities told Fox 8 that Collins was brought to a mental health facility by a law enforcement agency after giving a false name. Once his identity was discovered, he was arrested.
"The Mobile Police Department responded to a call within our jurisdiction for a subject who was brought to AltaPointe Health by a neighboring law enforcement agency late Monday afternoon," an MPD spokesman said in an emailed statement.
"Through the course of AltaPointe's thorough intake measures, the staff realized right away the subject was not who he claimed to be. It was discovered he gave the previous law enforcement agency false information. Once their suspicions were heightened, the Mobile Police Department was notified immediately. Our officers responded and were able to properly identify the subject as Lee Collins III, who is wanted on two counts of murder in Louisiana.
"We notified the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, and they are coming to interview the subject and begin the process of having him extradited back to Louisiana."
When St. Bernard deputies arrived at the Collins home Sunday night, they found two women with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a hospital, where they later died.
Authorities identified the victims as Collins' mother, 55-year-old Trenelle Collins, and his grandmother, 75-year-old Mary Major.
"All I remember, I just seen a lot of cops. And when I got here, my mom and them told me what happened," Derrick Alvaris, who lives on Centanni Drive, said. "I just can't believe it happened. I just can't believe it."
Investigators said Collins is believed to have stolen a white 2019 Ford stake-bed truck from a business after the shooting. The truck bears Louisiana license plate Z258037.
Sheriff James Pohlmann said Collins was last seen Sunday night driving the truck on Interstate 10 into Mississippi.
Investigators believe Collins got into an argument with his mother and grandmother before opening fire, Pohlmann said. The sheriff also said Collins then allegedly tried to shoot his father, but missed.
"From what we understand, he was homeschooled, never had any problems with the family or any indications that there was any form of violence, particularly at this level. Inside that home, after he shot both the mother and the grandmother he attempted to shoot the father inside the home, but he missed," Pohlmann said Monday.
Deputies have obtained an arrest warrant for Collins on two counts of second-degree murder.
Pohlmann said Collins does not have much of a criminal history.
"He never got into trouble, never did nothing. He was always homeschooled, so yeah, that was the truth. He never got in trouble. It's just a sad story that it happened," Alvaris said of the suspect.
A neighbor called the killings a tragedy and said the community is praying Collins is found safely.