Pontchartrain Newspapers

A 46-year-old Franklinton woman and her nephew were found dead in the woman's residence Wednesday, police said.

Anita Smith and her nephew, William Lewis, 32, were killed very early Wednesday morning and discovered by police several hours later in a pool of blood, police said.

Smith

Smith is a former advertising executive for the News Banner and the St. Tammany News.

"It appears to be a double murder," FPD Detective Justin Brown said. "Both victims had apparent gunshot wounds."

FPD responded to a 9-1-1 call at 11:06 a.m. Wednesday and discovered the victims at 1403 14th Ave. The initial discovery was made by one of Smith's daughters, FPD Chief Donald Folse said.

"We're still early on in the case," Brown said. "We're investigating several different leads."

Smith lived at the home with a daughter, who had spent the night elsewhere and was not home during the crime, police said. Lewis, a carpenter who was helping Smith remodel her home, had been staying at the residence for two weeks, police said.

Outside the crime scene on 14th Avenue Wednesday, family and friends of Smith gathered across the yellow police tape that surrounded the home. Many consoled each other and talked on cell phones in between tears.

Nearby, neighbors stood on their driveways and watched as crime scene investigators looked in trash cans, took photos of the Smith's one-story, beige home and continuously went in and out of the front door.

"It's just shocking," said Justin Allen, Smith's next-door neighbor and a police officer. "It's a very quiet neighborhood."

Allen, who works for a state agency, came home from a Mardi Gras detail about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

When he parked in his driveway, he did not notice anything unusual next door, he said. Smith's residence is in East Acres Subdivision, a middle-class neighborhood.

On Thursday, FPD was working with agents from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, who were investigating the crime scene with a dog trained to find gunpowder and other ballistics evidence.

Police ask anyone with information, especially those who may have noticed anything suspicious early Wednesday morning, to call 839-2977.

To remain anonymous, call FPD's toll free tip line at 1-877-887-0882.