In the late summer of 2020, the community of Abita Springs, Louisiana, was shaken by the violent death of one of its own. On August 12, 61-year-old Everett Wayne Finley, a male resident of the area also known by the nicknames James Finley and 'Gator,' was found with a gunshot wound at a home on Wilson Road. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, but tragically, he did not survive his injuries and passed away. The incident prompted an extensive investigation by the St.
Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office as they sought to piece together the events that led to Finley's untimely demise and bring those responsible to justice.
After months of dedicated detective work, a breakthrough in the case came when investigators zeroed in on a former co-worker of Finley's, 57-year-old Robert Dickerson. When brought in for questioning by detectives, Dickerson reportedly confessed to the shooting. His confession led to his arrest on a charge of second-degree murder. Further investigation revealed additional alleged criminal activity, and Dickerson was also booked on outstanding warrants for one count of possession of stolen firearms and one count of illegal possession of unregistered weapons. He was subsequently incarcerated at the St. Tammany Parish Jail.
The investigation didn't end with Dickerson's arrest. Authorities also implicated a second individual, 24-year-old Melissa Smith, in connection with Finley's murder. It is alleged that Smith assisted Dickerson in his attempt to conceal evidence related to the crime. Law enforcement tracked her to a residence in Waynesboro, Mississippi, where she was taken into custody. Smith was booked into the Wayne County Jail as a fugitive from St. Tammany Parish, awaiting extradition to face charges for her alleged role in the aftermath of the fatal shooting.
