Tagged News

• St. Gabriel police chief booked in jail Saturday; charged with malfeasance, theft & other crimes Play Video

  November 16, 2023 5:29 PM

  PLAQUEMINE- A grand jury in Iberville Parish has indicted the St. Gabriel police chief on a slew of charges including money laundering and malfeasance. The indictment Friday also includes counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering, theft of $25,000 or more, conspiracy to commit theft, and filing false public... more »

• Police chief accused of misconduct rarely seen at work as grand jury looms Play Video

  November 11, 2022 5:20 PM

  PLAQUEMINE - Three months after the WBRZ Investigative Unit exposed Plaquemine Police Chief Kenny Payne allegedly asked for sexual favors in exchange to have someone's charges dropped, sources say they rarely see him at the office. Payne is the target of a grand jury hearing later this month to... more »

• Sheriff's office silent after Livingston deputy's deadly crash Play Video

  October 7, 2022 5:27 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - The mother of 33-year-old Christinia Estave is demanding justice for her daughter, who was killed this summer when a Livingston Parish deputy slammed into her car on Range Avenue. Initially, the sheriff's office said that deputy was responding to a shots fired call but gave limited information... more »

• Deputy cleared by grand jury in shooting death still out of work, but remains commissioned Play Video

  May 19, 2020 5:39 PM

  CLINTON- It's been seven months since Christopher Whitfield was gunned down in the parking lot of a store by East Feliciana Sheriff's Deputy Glenn Sims Senior. Despite a grand jury determining no crime was committed, Sims has not returned to work but remains commissioned. "The sheriff is thinking about it,... more »

• Grand jury clears East Feliciana deputy who shot and killed fleeing thief Play Video

  March 10, 2020 8:13 AM

  CLINTON - A grand jury chose not to formally charge a sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a burglar who stole food from a convenience store. Tuesday marked the second round of grand jury proceedings for the fatal deputy-involved shooting in East Feliciana Parish that left Christopher Whitfield dead.... more »

• Grand jury convenes in WBR deputy sexual misconduct probe Play Video

  November 16, 2018 5:14 PM

  PORT ALLEN- Four months after a WBRZ Investigative Unit report blew the top open about a West Baton Rouge deputy who was disciplined for sexual misconduct on the job, a grand jury convened Friday to determine if criminal charges were necessary. The grand jury was continued to December after sources... more »

• WBR grand jury scheduled to hear case involving deputy accused of sexual misconduct Play Video

  October 1, 2018 5:49 PM

  PORT ALLEN- At least three women have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in the case against West Baton Rouge Parish Deputy Ben Arceneaux, according to Assistant District Attorney Tony Clayton. Earlier this year, one woman alleged Arceneaux pulled her over and demanded that she perform oral... more »

• Grand jury indicts accused East Feliciana killer on murder, attempted murder charges Play Video

  November 13, 2017 9:05 AM

  EAST FELICIANA PARISH- A grand jury has indicted alleged killer Ryan Sharpe in connection with three separate shootings that left two men dead and another wounded in East Feliciana Parish. On Monday, the jury indicted Sharpe on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and attempted murder. Sharpe, 36, confessed... more »

• 12 indicted after deadly inmate attack in Tangipahoa Jail

  May 12, 2017 2:03 PM

  TANGIPAHOA PARISH – A Tangipahoa Parish grand jury indicted 12 people for beating an inmate to death. On January 30, 40-year-old Tommy Joe Smith, of Independence, was attacked and beaten to death by multiple inmates while he was in custody at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail. The 12 people... more »

• Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa indicted on bribery charges Play Video

  March 10, 2017 11:25 AM

  GONZALES – Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa has been indicted by a grand jury on public bribery charges. Matassa is accused of offering a bribe to get a man running for office in Gonzales to drop out of the race. Last year, a team of investigators met with District... more »

• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Rape kit never tested in Angola Assistant Warden case Play Video

  March 7, 2017 6:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE- There's a twist tonight in an alleged rape case in West Feliciana Parish . The district attorney now admits an assistant warden and a woman had sex, but claims it was consensual. Tonight, we've learned the rape kit administered in this case wasn't even tested. All of this... more »

• Grand jury to hear evidence in Kenny Matassa bribery case

  February 13, 2017 1:23 PM

  GONZALES – A grand jury is hearing testimony Monday about the bribery case against Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa. Matassa is accused of offering a bribe to a man running for Gonzales City Council to drop out of the race. District Attorney Ricky Babin scheduled a grand jury... more »

• Suspect in 1991 and 2002 murders indicted by Iberville grand jury

  December 8, 2016 6:09 PM

  IBERVILLE – A grand jury indicted a man for two separate murders that occurred in 1991 and 2002 in Iberville Parish. Tommy Francise, 61, was indicted on two counts of second degree murder for allegedly killing Curtis "Cochise" Smith in 1991 and George Barett in 2002. In October , the... more »

• Grand jury to hear case against Ascension Parish president in November Play Video

  October 21, 2016 11:07 AM

  GONZALES - A grand jury will hear a case involving allegations that Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa bribed a man to not run for a seat on the Gonzales City Council. The grand jury will meet on November 15th, sources told WBRZ News 2 Friday. In September, the district... more »

• New Roads mayor focus of theft, malfeasance grand jury probe Play Video

  July 29, 2016 12:18 PM

  NEW ROADS - The mayor of New Roads received a grand jury target letter , the WBRZ Investigative Unit learned. Mayor Robert Myer has been the focus of an Inspector General investigation into charges on a city credit card. The Investigative Unit found in a series of reports, at... more »

• Grand jury: More evidence needed in deadly 2014 hit-and-run case

  June 16, 2016 4:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Thursday grand jury verdict means more evidence will have to be presented in court in order to prosecute a Vacherie man involved in a hit-and-run crash that took the life of an LSU student in 2014. Investigators believe 37-year-old Janneh Trench was behind the wheel... more »

• No charges for Addis reserve deputy connected to shooting of wife

  May 11, 2016 7:12 PM

  WEST BATON ROUGE- A grand jury decided there was not enough evidence to formally charge an Addis reserve deputy in connection to the shooting of his wife . According to investigators, 29-year-old Ivy Thibodeaux, a reserve officer for the Addis Police Department shot and killed his wife Emiley Gassie Thibodeaux... more »

• Johnny Manziel violence case to go to grand jury Thursday

  April 19, 2016 12:31 PM

  DALLAS - Dallas prosecutors say they will present the family violence case against troubled NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel to a grand jury this week. A spokeswoman for the Dallas County district attorney said the case will be presented Thursday, with a likely decision announced Monday. Manziel, a former... more »

• Today: Duplantier murder suspects set for grand jury hearing

  February 4, 2016 8:53 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A grand jury is expected to meet today to determine the official indictments against the two men accused of killing an elderly couple in Baton Rouge. Ernesto Alonso, 42, and Frank Garcia, 48, were arrested in connection to the kidnapping and murders of Denis and Suzanne Duplantier. The... more »

• Suspected illegal alien smuggler and three others indicted

  December 18, 2015 3:08 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal grand jury returned four indictments in connection with an investigation into the transportation of illegal aliens through Louisiana. On Wednesday, 69-year-old Pedro Torrell-Matos was indicted for transporting illegal aliens within the United States. In a related matter, the Department of Justice said three other... more »

• Police chief's son cleared by grand jury after deadly shooting

  December 10, 2015 4:02 PM

  PLAQUEMINE - A grand jury returned a no true bill in a case against the son of St. Gabriel Police Chief Kevin Ambeau – effectively clearing him of any wrongdoing. The jury met Thursday months after a parish grand jury was set and canceled after the state took control... more »

• Grand jury indicts 16-year-old in teen's slaying

  October 20, 2015 3:56 PM

  GONZALES - A grand jury in Ascension Parish indicted a 16-year-old on second degree murder charges Tuesday. Last week, Jacob Westbrook was moved from juvenile detention to the adult jail when prosecutors successfully argued a judge to allow them to prosecute Westbrook as an adult. Westbrook is accused of... more »

• Grand jury does not indict 19-year-old driver in deadly crash

  October 16, 2015 4:28 PM

  NEW ROADS- A grand jury returned a no true bill in the case against a woman who caused a deadly three-vehicle crash last year. The driver of the car investigators said caused the crash in Livonia, 19-year-old Ansley Deshotel, was ticketed. Family members of the woman who was killed,... more »

• Teen indicted after shooting with Livingston Parish deputies Play Video

  September 1, 2015 5:45 PM

  LIVINGSTON - A Livingston Parish grand jury settled on a lesser charge Tuesday for a teen who was shot by deputies after answering the door with a shotgun in April. Investigators with Louisiana State Police say 19-year-old Matthew Peyronnin aimed a shotgun at Livingston Parish Sheriff's deputies who were responding... more »