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Roommate of man accused in trooper's murder found dead

8 years 7 months 3 weeks ago Monday, August 24 2015 Aug 24, 2015 August 24, 2015 2:28 PM August 24, 2015 in News
Source: WBRZ
By: Russell Jones

BELL CITY, La. - The roommate of the man accused of shooting and killing Trooper Steven Vincent was found dead Monday morning and homicide is suspected, according to Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso

Sheriff Mancuso said deputies found the body Monday morning after the man did not go to work. The man was not identified, but deputies did confirm he was the roommate of 54-year-old Kevin Daigle, the man who was accused of the first-degree murder of 43-year-old senior trooper earlier in the day.

The head of Louisiana State Police said Monday murder charges will be filed against the man accused of shooting and killing Trooper Steven Vincent this weekend.

Col. Mike Edmonson said Vincent died earlier Monday at a hospital in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He said Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles faces charges of first-degree murder of a police officer for the shooting Sunday afternoon.

Edmonson said Vincent had "a tremendously enriched life in his faith and his family," and had just run a marathon the night before he was killed.

"Nobody wore this badge more proudly than Steven Vincent," Edmonson said.

Investigators said Vincent stopped to help Daigle, whose pickup was stuck sideways in a ditch. Edmonson said Daigle shot Vincent in the head with a sawed-off shotgun, then wandered out to see if he was alive.

Edmonson said the dash camera video of the shooting, which was not released, was "frightening" to watch.

"You could hear him (Daigle) breathing, telling (Vincent), 'You're lucky. You're lucky - you're going to die soon.' That's the words that came out of his mouth," Edmonson said.

Edmonson said another motorist, Robert LeDoux from the nearby town of Iowa, was in the area when he heard from another driver a trooper had been shot. Edmonson said LeDoux sped to the scene and confronted Daigle, wrestling the shotgun away from him.

Edmonson said three other people wound up helping to subdue Daigle before LeDoux used Vincent's radio to call for help and say an officer had been shot.

"This is a hero," Edmonson said when he introduced LeDoux during Monday's press conference.

Edmonson says Vincent was a 13-year Louisiana State Police veteran who was married and has a nine-year-old son. Edmonson said one of Vincent's brothers is also a state trooper, while another is police chief in the town of Iowa.

Governor Bobby Jindal ordered flags at half-staff Monday to honor the slain officer.

"Brave men and women like Steven put their lives in danger every day to protect our families, and we are extremely grateful to them for keeping us safe," Jindal said.

Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach says Vincent was also "a military veteran; and a man who loved his community and his profession." He says times like this remind us that men and women in law enforcement "day in and day out work willingly, selflessly and heroically, to protect the rest of us."

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says, "Louisiana State Police officers are integral members of our New Orleans family, so our city joins the rest of the state in mourning this tragic loss."

An LSP spokesperson said Daigle was moved to the Calcasieu Parish Jail from the hospital late Sunday night or early Monday morning. Daigle was hospitalized to treat minor injuries he received while motorists wrestled the man away from the fallen trooper's body before he was placed in handcuffs.

Daigle has several arrests on his record including "numerous DWIs" and other charges that state police said they were unsure could lead to additional convictions.

 

 

 

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