Alyssa Neitz, a 17-year-old Caucasian female from Monroe, Louisiana, had a life full of promise and a spirit that brought light to those around her. Known for her passion for life, she was a fearless young woman who loved deeply and was deeply loved in return. She was a student at Sterlington High School and was known for her kind and loving nature.
Her family and friends remember her as someone who made the most of every day she was blessed with and whose presence made every life she touched better.
On the afternoon of Friday, February 23, 2018, a tragic event unfolded in the Swartz-Fairbanks area. Just before 4 p.m., Alyssa was fatally shot. The Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office responded to the scene where she was pronounced dead. The news of her sudden and violent death sent shockwaves through the community, leaving her family and friends in deep mourning. Her life, so full of potential, was cut short in a moment of senseless violence.
In the wake of the shooting, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office began an investigation that quickly led to an arrest. A 13-year-old boy was taken into custody in connection with Alyssa's death. Due to his age, his identity was not publicly released. He was charged with negligent homicide and was held at the Green Oaks Detention Center. The community was left to grapple with the fact that someone so young was responsible for such a devastating act. The boy later pleaded guilty to the charge of juvenile negligent homicide and received the maximum possible sentence for his crime.
