HAYNESVILLE, La. — A tragic domestic violence incident in Haynesville on the night of July 1 has left a woman dead and her husband fighting for his life. The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Spring Drive and was first reported by the couple’s two children, ages 13 and 15, who called 911 in distress, telling dispatchers, “Daddy had shot mama.”
Responding officers from the Haynesville Police Department arrived to find 48-year-old Rochelle Lewis deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. According to statements from one of the teens, their father, Shamarcus Lewis, entered the home and shortly after began shooting. Rochelle had an active restraining order against her husband at the time of the incident, issued in Caddo Parish following a previous domestic violence case.
Authorities revealed that Shamarcus Lewis was under legal monitoring and wearing an ankle bracelet due to a 2024 domestic violence charge in which he allegedly rammed Rochelle’s vehicle. That case was still pending, with a court date set for August. The couple, longtime residents of Haynesville, also maintained a residence in the Cross Lake area of Shreveport.
After the shooting, Shamarcus fled the scene in his vehicle. A BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert was issued, and police in Minden located the vehicle roughly 30 minutes later. A short pursuit ended when Shamarcus crashed his car. During a standoff that followed, he reportedly shot himself in the head. He was transported to a hospital in Shreveport, where he remains in critical condition.
Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart Sr. expressed condolences to Rochelle’s family and stressed the seriousness with which his office handles domestic violence cases. He highlighted the work of the Special Victims Unit, which was created to prevent such tragedies and offer support to survivors.
The couple’s two children are now in the care of relatives, as the community reels from the trauma of the incident. The case has raised urgent questions about how protective orders are enforced and how individuals with a known history of violence are supervised. As the investigation continues, local officials and advocacy groups are expected to offer resources and support to those affected by this devastating loss.