BRIEFS

and arson.

Cowan’s girlfriend, Kayla Marie Morris Johns, 28, was charged with accessory to murder, and an additional suspect, Melonie Elizabeth Tate, 38, was also charged with accessory after the fact in the case, the sheriff said.

Authorities have not said what evidence led to the arrests in the case or commented further on Cowan’s death and the circumstances surrounding

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana is closing some areas to shrimping so large numbers of white shrimp found there can grow to marketable size, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in a news release Thursday.

Areas being closed include Lake Pontchartrain and several nearby waters, as well as outside waters between Caillou Boca and Freshwater Bayou Canal.

The area from the Texas state line to Freshwater Bayou Canal will remain open. So will the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sound and outside waters from there to Caillou Boca.

The area including Lake Pontchartrain also includes Lake Borgne, the Mississippi Sound, Chef Menteur and Rigolets Passes, and part of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.

A map is available at the department website.

Biologists will keep checking areas still open and will close them when biologically appropriate, the statement said.