A 34-year-old man from Louisiana, Joshua Brocato, has been arrested in Los Angeles in connection with the shooting deaths of his parents, Marc and Priscilla Brocato, according to CBS Los Angeles. The bodies of the deceased couple, aged 75 and 66 respectively, were discovered on April 3 after deputies with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office (TPSO) were called to conduct a welfare check at their home in Amite City, roughly 75 miles north of New Orleans.
Officials revealed that Joshua was initially sought as a person of interest after he was unaccounted for following the discovery of his parents. Following autopsies, TPSO issued an arrest warrant for two counts of first-degree murder against Brocato. KTLA reports that preliminary investigations by TPSO suggest that the murders occurred between March 31 and April 1.
Josuha Brocato was detained without incident by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) after his vehicle, a white Ford E-150 van, was identified in the 5400 block of Fairfax Avenue in Ladera Heights on April 4. The sheriff's department confirmed that the van matched the description of one involved in the Louisiana homicide. In addition to the murder warrant, Brocato faced several firearms charges, including possession of a loaded unregistered firearm, possession of an assault weapon, and altering or removing a serial number on a firearm. The LASD's Nixle alert detailed that at the time of his arrest, Brocato was found to have body armor and several loaded firearms, including an assault rifle.
As of the latest updates, Joshua Brocato remains at the Marina Del Rey Sheriff’s Station without bail, awaiting a court date scheduled for tomorrow, reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The motive behind the double homicide has not been disclosed, and investigators have not provided further comments on the specifics of the case. Individuals with information about the case are urged to contact either the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office or the Louisiana State Police Suspicious Activity Hotline. They may also provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa.
