NEW ROADS — A Pointe Coupee Parish juvenile pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder for a New Year's Eve shooting in 2023, the District Attorney said.

The juvenile, who was 14 at the time of the shooting on Dec. 31, 2023, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated damage to property on Tuesday. He was sentenced to serve juvenile life, which means he will be in custody until he is 21.

According to the DA, the juvenile killed 19-year-old Princeton Howard during an altercation at a New Year's Eve party. Eyewitnesses and home video surveillance video showed the teen walking up to a truck with four passengers and shot
into the back windshield.

Howard was rushed to Pointe Coupee General Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The juvenile also injured three others in the truck, and caused significant damage to the vehicle and to neighboring properties, the DA said.

“This is a very sad case of a juvenile choosing to use a gun to settle a dispute, and it was life- ending for a young man, and has life-long repercussions for numerous families,” District Attorney Tony Clayton said.