The Associated Press
WISNER, La. (AP) - Police recovered a gun believed used to kill this small northeastern Louisiana town’s assistant police chief, authorities said Monday.
Bill “Putt” Linder, 62, was killed Sunday following a struggle at a residence where he had responded to a burglary call, police said.
Linder’s service weapon was found in an abandoned house near the home of Ray Bingham, who faces a first-degree murder charge, said state police spokeswoman Julie Lewis. Lewis said authorities believe Linder was shot several times with the gun.
State police said Bingham had been a problem in the past for Franklin Parish sheriff’s deputies, but they did not elaborate. Franklin Parish authorities would not comment.
Linder was transported to the Franklin Parish Medical Center, where he died shortly afterward. Linder, who was one of a handful of officers in Wisner, was married and had two sons, Lewis said.
Bingham, 43, was being held without bond.
State police said Bingham had been a problem in the past for Franklin Parish sheriff’s deputies, but they did not elaborate. Parish authorities would not comment.
Linder was transported to the Franklin Parish Medical Center, where he died shortly afterward. Linder, who was one of a handful of officers in Wisner, was married and had two sons, Lewis said.
Brooke Ezell, an employee of a Wisner convenience store, said Linder would be missed by the community. “He loved everybody,” she said.
Mayor Cary Cheek said Linder had been on the force for about three years after serving as assistant chief of police in Baskin.
Bill Hales, formerly of the Baskin Police Department, said he helped Linder land his first police job in that Franklin Parish community in the mid-1990s, after Linder’s employment with Winnsboro Beverage ended.
“Being in a small town, you know most of your people. Policing here is going by and drinking coffee with someone, keeping an eye on things,” Hales said.
Linder was one of four full-time officers on the Wisner force, Cheek said.