Two NELA men arrested after almost a year-long investigation into woman’s death

CATAHOULA PARISH, La. (KNOE) - The Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested two suspects in connection with the death of a Jonesville woman after her body was found floating in the Black River, according to the office’s Facebook page.

Gaushell Young and Derrick Santroy Bullitts, both of Jonesville, were each arrested on a charge of second-degree murder after an investigation that began in July of 2022.

On July 23, 2022, CPSO and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division recovered a body floating in the Black River, just south of the Black River Bridge.

The body was sent to the Louisiana Forensics Laboratory in Broussard, where an autopsy identified the victim as female. According to officials, the victim was discovered to be 44-year-old Talesha Thrasher from Jonesville.

“This case has taken some time and hard work from my detectives, and because of this work, I hope and pray that Talesha’s family can get some closure and justice for her death,” said Sheriff Toney Edwards.

Young and Bullitts were arrested Monday, March 13.