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Woman was in the room when deputy fatally shot her boyfriend Thursday night; state police still investigating

4 years 8 months 3 days ago Thursday, July 25 2019 Jul 25, 2019 July 25, 2019 7:26 PM July 25, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

PORT ALLEN - Louisiana State Police are still working out what happened during a deadly deputy-involved shooting at a Port Allen motel Thursday evening.

Law enforcement is releasing few details at this time, but the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office confirmed it happened at the Budget 7 Motel on Highway 190 in Port Allen.

Friday, Barbara Major said her daughter was inside the motel room when her boyfriend was killed. Jessica Clouatre was arrested and booked into the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail. But, police have yet to say why she's in jail or release a mug shot.

"I want the truth," Major said. "I want the truth to come out."

But, Major said she is not confident the truth will ever be revealed. She believes State Police worked to cover up her other daughter's sexual assault by West Baton Rouge Deputy Ben Arceneaux. Major spoke for the first time Friday. Major said her daughter told her to speak up because enough is enough.

"The state trooper that handled my other daughter's case wanted her to come back and do her testing," Major said. "They said it malfunctioned. But they told me they forgot to turn on the camera. I don't trust them [state police] either."

LSP spokesperson Taylor Scrantz says a sheriff's deputy was executing a search warrant at the motel when the shooting occurred but did not clarify the nature of the warrant.

"During the course of serving the warrant, a deputy discharged his firearm and struck a suspect," Scrantz said. "The suspect sustained fatal injuries."

Scrantz was not able to comment about if the deceased had a weapon. The deputy involved has been placed on paid administrative leave, as is protocol.

More than a dozen family members of the deceased waited for hours Thursday night on the edge of the crime scene while police investigated. Family identified the man as 38-year-old Josef Delon Richardson of Port Allen.

They say he was a father of four who recently had two of his daughters staying with him.

"He took them home yesterday," said Maudess Sandra Douglas, the mother of the deceased. 

Friday, Douglas said state police still had not contacted her to make a proper notification. She is also skeptical if the truth will ever come out.

"I've lived here my whole life, and I'm 74 years old," Douglas said. "I just made a birthday the other day and I know how these people are over here in Port Allen."

Sources said Richardson was shot from a single bullet damaging the back of his head and neck.

Many at the motel told WBRZ they suspected the two were involved with prostitution because they had draped a red towel over their outside light as a type of signal. Douglas said that was not the case at all.

"He did not deal in prostitution," she said. "If they say he was dealing in drugs, I'll believe that."

Douglas said her son had been to jail a few times in the past for drug crimes, but added he was not a violent person and didn't own a gun.

"They murdered my son, this is not the end of it," said Douglas. "We are not a violent family and we are going to handle it the way it's supposed to be handled."

The investigation by state police is ongoing.

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