16-year-old indicted, faces adult murder charge for December 2021 shooting

OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) -- A St. Landry Parish 16-year-old will be tried as an adult after being indicted by a grand jury for a shooting death on New Year's Eve in 2021 while allegedly defending a friend, according to Sheriff Bobby Guidroz.

Michael J. Zachary, 16, of Washington, faces charges of second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm by a juvenile. He was booked into the St. Landry Parish Jail on a bond of $251,500. He was indicted on March 28 in the shooting death of Keith Adam Joseph, 38, of Washington. Zachary was 15 years old at the time of the alleged shooting.

Guidroz said the incident began on Dec. 31, 2021, at a local store when Joseph was asked by an unidentified juvenile to purchase cigars. Joseph instead used the juvenile's money to buy alcohol. The juvenile followed Joseph home in an attempt to get the alcohol and was eventually involved in an altercation with a member of Joseph's household. The juvenile later reported the incident to their parent.

Later that day, the juvenile and Zachary allegedly returned to Joseph's residence, and though Joseph apologized to the juvenile, he got into an altercation with Zachary that Guidroz said ended in the fatal shooting of Joseph, allegedly with a .22 caliber revolver. Zachary then fled the scene.

Guidroz said Zachary told detectives that Joseph had grabbed his friend's arm, and when Zachary confronted Joseph about touching his friend, Joseph allegedly reached for a gun that was later determined to be a BB gun and Zachary allegedly retaliated. Zachary admitted to the shooting to deputies.