On the morning of Saturday, October 1, 2022, the quiet of the 100 block of East 21st Street in Reserve, Louisiana, was shattered by the sound of a gunshot. When deputies from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office arrived, they discovered the body of 70-year-old Andrew Turcuit Sr., a Black/African American male. Emergency medical services were on the scene and administered aid, but Turcuit Sr.
had succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect. Detectives identified 21-year-old Ashley Johnson-Washington, also of Reserve, as the individual responsible for the death of Turcuit Sr. It was determined that Johnson-Washington was the girlfriend of Turcuit's son. Evidence gathered during the initial investigation suggested that an argument had taken place, and Johnson-Washington had fatally shot the elder Turcuit through a closed door. Following the incident, she fled the scene, prompting authorities to issue a BOLO to surrounding law enforcement agencies.
The search for Johnson-Washington was short-lived. On the evening of Sunday, October 2, 2022, she turned herself in to a neighboring agency. She was subsequently transferred to St. John Parish on October 3, where she was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Andrew Turcuit Sr. Johnson-Washington was then booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility. The case brought sorrow to the local community, as friends and family mourned the loss of a man described as a dedicated family man and passionate musician.
