Louisiana man accused of murdering his parents arrested in Los Angeles
The Brief
Joshua Mercato, wanted in Louisiana for allegedly murdering his parents, was arrested in Los Angeles.
Brocato was charged with additional firearms offenses after deputies found him in possession of body armor and loaded firearms.
Brocato is held without bail, pending a court date on April 8.
LOS ANGELES - A man wanted for allegedly murdering his parents in Louisiana was arrested in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
What we know
The suspect, 34-year-old Joshua Brocato, was wanted by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office on two counts of first-degree murder in Louisiana.
On Friday, April 4, deputies from the LASD's Marina del Rey station saw a van in the 5400 block of Fairfax Avenue that matched the description of a wanted homicide vehicle, authorities said.
Brocato was allegedly in possession of body armor and several loaded firearms including an assault rifle.
He was charged with multiple firearms offenses, authorities said, including possession of an assault weapon and altering a firearm's serial number.
Timeline
The investigation began on April 3 when Tangipahoa Parish sheriff's deputies conducted a welfare check at a home in Amite, Louisiana.
That's where they discovered the bodies of Priscilla and Marc Brocato.
Autopsies led to an arrest warrant for their son, Joshua Brocato, who fled to California shortly after the murders, authorities said.
What we don't know
The motive behind the murders of Priscilla and Marc Brocato remains unclear.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to uncover the reasons behind the crime.
What's next
Brocato is held without bail at Marina Del Rey Sheriff's Station, pending a court date on April 8.
The Sheriff's Department is coordinating with TPSO for Brocato's transfer to Louisiana.
What you can do
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker encourages anyone with information to contact Criminal Investigations at 985-902-2088 or Louisiana State Police Suspicious Activity Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.
If you'd prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa's tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or by visiting tangicrimestoppers.com and clicking on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip
The Source
Information for this story is from a Facebook post by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on April 6, 2025.
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