Trailer park scene of killing

• By BOB ANDERSON
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Nov 25, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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DENHAM SPRINGS — Eastover Estates, the subdivision beset with a crime wave ranging from drugs to robberies to arsons, was the scene Sunday night of the killing of a 16-year-old boy.

Livingston Parish sheriff’s deputies booked an Eastover Estates resident in the stabbing death of the teen, also a resident of the subdivision, authorities said Monday.

Last week, deputies arrested two teenagers in the burning of a church and a mobile home in Eastover. Other arsons at the subdivision are under investigation.

Shortly before the killing Sunday night, deputies arrested two other men in an unrelated robbery and battery in the subdivision, Chief Deputy Jason Ard said. Earlier in the weekend, deputies investigated another robbery and made a drug arrest in Eastover, he said.

“Of every subdivision we have in the parish, we do more patrols in Eastover than any other one,” Ard said. “We stay in there either on calls or patrols.”

A lot of good people live in that subdivision, but there has also been a lot of crime and a number of arrests, including some for drug activity, he said.

Events leading to Sunday night’s killing began with an afternoon argument between three people at the residence of Michael Burkes, detectives said.

About 11 p.m., Burkes went for a walk and was confronted by the same two people, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The altercation resumed and Burkes stabbed Sebastian Aaron Rogers, 16, of nearby 8864 Cheyenne St., Ard said.

Burkes returned to his home and the other man involved in the dispute followed him there and began breaking windows, Ard said.

As deputies arrived at the scene, Burkes, 18, was coming out of his residence at 8801 Eastover Blvd. with a machete, according to detectives.

When instructed by deputies, Burkes dropped the machete. He was taken into custody and later booked on second-degree murder, Ard said.

Burkes remained in jail Monday in lieu of $500,000 bail.