Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A Ouachita Parish man in the Ouachita Correctional Center (OCC) faces serious consequences following the aftermath of a fatal house fire. On Friday, March 31, 2023 at around 11:50 PM, deputies from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's office, along with firefighters from the Ouachita Parish Fire Department, responded to a reported house fire on Davison Street in Monroe, LA. Firefighters extinguished the flames upon arrival, and as they searched the dwelling, they made a gruesome discovery. Firefighters found deceased bodies. The Sheriff's office reportedly said that the four deceased individuals were victims of a homicide. An investigation was done by Ouachita Parish Sheriff's investigators that led to the arrest of a suspect. Investigators announced that they had arrested Michael J. Cooper in connection to the fire. No other additional information has been provided. Cooper has been charged with four counts of First-Degree Murder, one count of Aggravated Arson, and one count of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. The Sheriff's office also announced that the four victims' bodies will be sent for autopsies, as the investigation is ongoing with the Louisiana State Marshal's office. As of press time, all of the victims have not been identified. One of the victims was Betty Martin. There is a B.A.L.M. in Monroe, a Spiritual solution to a social problem. A B.A.L.M. in Monroe is a collaborative plan that every citizen, elected and appointed official, clergyman, and organization can participate in to help improve the image of Monroe while inspiring at-risk males to take more responsibility for their actions and respect the lives of others - a balanced approach to lower the violent crime and murder rate in Monroe, LA. Praise God for law enforcement! There are three sides to every story. This was one side of this story. The Monroe Dispatch welcomes the other or another side of this story.

Michael J. Cooper