2-27-24
A VACANT MOBILE HOME ON CONRAD STREET IN LAFAYETTE WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE LAST NIGHT. NEIGHBORS REPORTED THE FIRE AND TOLD FIREFIGHTERS A MAN HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE HOME FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THE HOME HAD NO UTILITIES. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE BACK BEDROOM BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
A BODY FOUND ONE MONTH AGO IN THE OUACHITA RIVER IN CATAHOULA PARISH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD SHERYL TURNER OF IBERIA PARISH. SHE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN EARLY JANUARY. IT WAS A HUMAN TORSO THAT WAS FOUND WITH THE EXTREMITIES REMOVED IN A DELIBERATE AND VERY PRECISE MANNER. THE HOMOCIDE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING AND NO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
GOVERNOR LANDRY’S TOUGH-ON-CRIME AGENDA IS NEARING PASSAGE AS A SERIES OF BILLS HAVE REACHED THE FINAL STAGES WITH FEW AMENDMENTS. THE BILLS WOULD LENGTHEN PRISON SENTENCES AND ELIMINATE NEARLY ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PAROLE. OTHER BILLS WOULD ALLOW THE STATE TO EXPAND THE METHODS OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, TO TREAT SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLDS CHARGED WITH CRIMES AS ADULTS AND MAKE JUVENILE COURT RECORDS PUBLIC. ALL LANDRY-BACKED BILLS HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN EITHER THE HOUSE OR SENATE AND ARE SET TO GO TO THE OTHER CHAMBER LATER THIS WEEK.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY ISSUED A BURN BAN YESTERDAY DUE TO HIGH WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS. ALL OUTDOOR PRIVATE BURNING IS PROHIBITED BUT THE BAN DOES NOT INCLUDE PRESCRIBED BURNS. FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN CALCASIEU PARISH ARE AUTHORIZED TO EXTINGUISH ALL FIRES THAT ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE BAN. RESIDENTS WHO VIOLATE THE BAN MAY FACE PENALTIES.
THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT AWARDED TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS TO THE CHILDREN OF KATHERINE MASHBURN, WHO WAS KILLED IN A MURDER-SUICIDE LAST YEAR. DANIELLE DUNCAN HAS MORE.
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A FUNDRAISING EVENT IS PLANNED FOR SATURDAY IN HENDERSON TO HELP KOLE HEBERT, A BREAUX BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, WHO WAS PARALYZED IN JANUARY AFTER BEING SHOT. HEBERT WAS SET TO GRADUATE IN MAY AND HAD A BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIP TO L-S-U EUNICE. THE FUNDRAISER WILL BE AT THE HENRY GUIDRY MEMORIAL PARK IN HENDERSON FROM NINE A-M TO NINE P-M. SEVERAL EVENTS ARE PLANNED INCLUDING A CAR SHOW, A CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT, A WILD GAME COOKOUT, A COLOR RUN AND MUCH MORE.
YESTERDAY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNOUNCED THAT DOCTOR JOSEPH KANTER HAS STEPPED DOWN AS STATE HEALTH OFFICER. KANTER HAS BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR FIVE YEARS IN MULTIPLE ROLES. DOCTOR PETE CROUGHAN WILL SERVE AS INTERIM STATE HEALTH OFFICER. HE HAS BEEN THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
CHURCH POINT POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THREE YOUNGER MALES WHO ARE BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR A STRING OF VEHICLE BURGLARIES. THERE WERE AT LEAST FIVE BURGLARIES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. IN SOME CASES, WINDOWS ON THE VEHICLES WERE SMASHED AND ITEMS WERE TAKEN. THE THREE SUSPECTS SEEN ON SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ARE POSSIBLY JUVENILES AND WERE WEARING BLACK AND GREY HOODIES.
