An 18-year-old man was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree homicide of another 18-year-old man at an apartment complex on Iris Street, city police said.

Deputy Chief Mark Kraus said city police were called early Sunday morning to the apartments at 710 Iris St., where they found Edward Wilkes bleeding. Wilkes, who resides in apartment No. 302, was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

After an investigation, police obtained an arrest warrant for Cody Ray Lucero, 18, who is also a resident of the complex, No. 206.

He was arrested in Kinder and booked into the Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office jail. He will be brought back to Lake Charles.

Kraus said police know how Wilkes died but are not releasing that information to the public because the investigation is “ongoing.” Kraus also did not say what the relationship was between Wilkes and Lucero other than that they were neighbors. He did not release a possible motive. But Kraus said there was “enough probable cause” to list Wilkes as a suspect in the murder.

One resident on Iris Street told the American Press that the apartment complex is “a known drug haven.” Two other Iris Street residents agreed.

In fact, Lake Charles Police have responded to that particular apartment complex 77 times in the past 24 months, Kraus said. The calls ranged from drug complaints to disturbances and noise complaints, he said.

“Seventy-seven calls is an awful lot of calls for one location for police services,” Kraus said.

Lead investigator is Sgt. Lecia McCullough, who is being assisted by Det. Dustin Gaudet and Sgt. Franklin Fondel.

Lucero’s bond was set at $1 million.

An 18-year-old man was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree homicide of another 18-year-old man at an apartment complex on Iris Street