Mandeville man pleads guilty in 2005 shooting death

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 8:57 AM CDT

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

A former Mandeville man who shot and killed a 21-year-old during a 2005 party pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

On Thursday, Judge Patricia Hedges sentenced Mark Anthony Schofield, 27, for the Dec. 11 killing of Louis O’Neal, found shot in the back and lying in a ditch near Lafayette Street.

O’Neal, a 21-year-old from Lacombe, was last seen alive leaving the party with Schofield. Moments later a gunshot rang out, and responding St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies discovered O’Neal’s body.

Schofield likely accepted the plea bargain after facing mandatory life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder, the district attorney’s original charge, District Attorney Walter Reed spokesman Rick Wood said.

There were no witnesses, and no murder weapon was ever found, Wood said.

Several fights erupted during the party, likely fueled by territorial disputes between Lacombe partygoers and those from Mandeville, Wood said.

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Comments

No comments posted.

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The St. Tammany News is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in thesttammanynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the St. Tammany News. The St. Tammany News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized St. Tammany News spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.