District Attorney Charles Ballay, reports that on September 23, 2025, a grand jury in Plaquemines Parish indicted three brothers—Josiah D. Cottrell (28), Timothy J. Cottrell (25), and David Michael Cottrell (22)—on charges of Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice. The indictment was based on the death of Thomas Johnson, who was killed on August 28, 2025, aboard a Daybrook Fisheries pogy boat during a work-related incident involving the brothers.
The bond for each of brothers was set at $1 Millon for the Second-Degree Murder charge, while the bond for the Obstruction of Justice was set at $250,000 each.
Assistant District Attorney Jason Napoli presented the case to the Grand Jury.
