LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / November 15, 2000

LAPLACE – A 35-year-old man found himself charged by the St. John theBaptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Saturday with the attempted second-degree murder of his wife.

Capt. Michael Tregre reported that deputies were called by neighbors whoreported a gunshot in the 100 block of Apple Street, LaPlace, at 10:07 p.m.Officers responding found Reginald McCoy, 35, of 119 Apple St., kneelingbeside his wife in the walkway adjoining the house.

She was lying on her back, having sustained a gunshot wound to the chest which passed completely through her torso, and he was apparently trying to administer first aid.

Anitra Scott McCoy, 27, told detectives her husband was cleaning his firearm when it discharged and struck her in the chest while she was sitting on the sofa inside the house.

Reginald McCoy, questioned by detectives, only said he “didn’t know what happened.”The weapon has not yet been recovered, Tregre said, and investigators had a search warrant executed in an attempt to locate the missing firearm.

Acadian Ambulance transported her to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace, and she has since been transferred to Kenner Regional Medical Center.

McCoy was booked and 40th Judicial District Judge Mary Hotard Becnel placed a $100,000 bond. He remained in custody Monday, Tregre said.Detective Sgt. Felix Joseph is in charge of the investigation.”It’s a big puzzle, and we’re missing a lot of the pieces,” Tregre commented.

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