BOBBY ARDOIN Editor/Consulting Writer
Former Opelousas resident Annie Weinstein Richardson, has died of injuries sustained last week in Ruston, after she and three other women were apparently victims of a knife attack that occurred on the Louisiana Tech campus, according to Ruston mayor Ronny Walker.
Walker told the Ruston Daily Leader in a published story that Richardson, 67, who has been living in Ruston since the mid-1980’s, died at a Shreveport hospital two days ago.
The Daily Leader Story also indicated that Ruston police have arrested Jacoby Johnson, 23, of Rayville in connection with the incident. The original charges against Johnson have been upgraded to second degree murder, according to the story.
Richardson, who maintained an art studio in Ruston, was stabbed outside the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center on the Louisiana Tech campus, Ruston police department reports have said.
The published Daily Leader Story also indicates that Richardson and retired Third District Judge Cynthia Woodard, Louisiana Tech graduate student Dominique McKane and retired teacher Debby Hollimon were leaving an exercise class with Richardson when they were allegedly confronted by Johnson.
Ruston police chief Randal Hermes, said in the published story, that the attack on the women appears at this point to be a random incident. However Hermes added the investigation into the incident is continuing.
A 2018 article in Bayou Life Magazine said that Richardson, who is married to Peter Richardson, has maintained an art studio in Ruston. Her art, which she previously described as mixed media art, has normally been featured on canvas.
Since the 2000’s the art created by Richardson has been featured at exhibits throughout the Gulf Coast.
Richardson has studied art at Newcomb College, the Sarah Lawrence College of Art in LaCoste, France, Louisiana Tech and at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she graduated.
