Jefferson Parish deputies say a husband-and-wife team is behind a brief but unnerving run of drive-by shootings that shook parts of the West Bank this week. The gunfire started Tuesday in Marrero, grazed one man, then jumped to Harvey before detectives tracked the pair down in Westwego. Neighbors told officials the sudden bursts of targeted gunfire at multiple homes left them rattled.
Shooting timeline
According to NOLA.com, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office detectives say the violence began at a home in the 2700 block of Creole Court in Marrero, where 24-year-old Steve Bell allegedly opened fire on a residence he believed belonged to relatives but instead hit the wrong house. A bullet grazed the head of a 39-year-old man, identified as the father of the arrested woman's child. About 13 minutes later, investigators say the couple drove to the 3800 block of Chinkapin Street in Harvey and fired again, though no one was injured at that second scene.
Arrests and charges
Bell and his wife, 38-year-old Joycelyn Eskano, were arrested in Westwego and booked on aggravated second-degree battery, assault by drive-by shooting and two counts of aggravated criminal damage to property, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Officials said the pair were being held without bail at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna as of Thursday.
What officials say
Sgt. Brandon Veal told NOLA.com that detectives quickly pulled together the short timeline of shootings and moved in to make the arrests in Westwego. Veal provided the ages of the suspects and outlined the charges. Prosecutors had not yet said whether they would pursue additional counts or make specific bond recommendations at the time of the reporting.
Legal notes
The charges Bell and Eskano face include felony counts that carry significant prison time under Louisiana law if they are convicted. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has asked anyone who might have surveillance video or other information tied to the Marrero or Harvey shootings to contact investigators as they work to firm up the full sequence of events.
