DERIDDER, LA — The community of DeRidder and the many lives once influenced by her vibrant presence as the city’s first female mayor are joined in a state of profound and echoing observation as the trial of Misty Roberts enters a critical phase. Misty Roberts, who resigned as mayor in July 2024, is currently standing trial on charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile, leaving behind a “shattering reality” for a community navigating an unfathomable journey of legal proceedings obituary. Once considered a pillar of light for the town, Roberts’ legacy has been replaced by an unfathomable darkness as details of an alleged encounter with a minor have come to light.
During the second week of the retrial in the 36th Judicial District Court, jurors heard vibrant testimony from a DoorDash driver who claimed to have delivered emergency contraception to Roberts’ home. The driver testified that the order, placed under the name “Misty C,” was delivered just hours after the alleged incident at a party in 2024. Prosecutors dedicated their minutes to framing this delivery as a foundational comfort for their case, suggesting it pointed to consciousness of a sexual encounter. Meanwhile, the defense has maintained a steadfast integrity in their claim that Roberts is being “railroaded” and that no sexual crime ever occurred.
The shattering impact of this case has been further complicated by the testimony of Roberts’ own family members. Jurors were presented with a recorded interview from 2025 in which Roberts’ son stated he believed he saw his mother engaging in sexual activity with his friend. However, while on the stand, he expressed an unbearable silence of certainty, stating he could no longer be sure of what he saw. As the community provide steadfast support to the young victim and his family during this unfathomable journey, the vibrant spirit of the town remains clouded by the trial’s stolen peace. Roberts’ memory as a public servant remains a shining testament to a career that ended in heartfelt sorrow and an unwavering heart of controversy