Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced an autopsy has confirmed that the body discovered on Saturday in Raceland is confirmed to be a Metairie woman who had been missing since October 7, 2018. The body of Mia West, 43, was discovered near a sugar cane field on Saturday. Her car was also discovered nearby.
As previously released, a farmer harvesting sugar cane in a field along LA Highway 307 in Raceland located an abandoned car several hundred yards from the highway on Saturday morning, October 13. Investigators responded and identified the vehicle as West’s red Nissan Altima. The Lafourche Parish Interagency Crisis Management Unit responded and began conducting an extensive search of the area. Supported by a helicopter from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, her body was located at around 2 p.m. in a nearby wooded area.
An autopsy conducted on Monday, October 15 in Jefferson Parish confirmed it to be West’s body. Due to the condition of the body, the date and manner of death could not be determined. A toxicology test is pending.
The investigation is continuing, and detectives say neither suicide nor foul play has been ruled out as a possibility at this time.
Anyone who may have any information on this case is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a body has been located which is believed to be that of a missing Metairie woman whose car was also found nearby. Mia West, 43, had been missing since October 7, 2018. An investigation into her death is now underway.
At around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 13, a farmer harvesting sugar cane in a field along LA Highway 307 located an abandoned car several hundred yards from the highway. Investigators responded to the scene and identified the vehicle as a red Nissan Altima belonging to West. Detectives began conducting a search of the sugar cane field and wooded area near the car.
Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office assisted with the use of a helicopter. At around 2 p.m. on Saturday, a body was located in a nearby wooded area. An immediate positive identification could not be made, but based on evidence and circumstances at the scene, detectives believe it to be West. Investigators retrieved the remains and an autopsy is pending
The investigation is continuing. Anyone who may have any information on this case is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted for stealing over $5,000 of merchandise from a Cut Off department store.
Shortly after 1:30 p.m. on October 8, 2018, deputies responded to a department store in Cut Off in reference to a theft. In reviewing surveillance footage, deputies learned a woman had attempted to pay for over $5,000 of merchandise and a $300 gift card using a credit card which was denied. At one point, she distracted the cashier and left the store with the merchandise without paying for it. Deputies have also learned the woman later used the gift card at a Baton Rouge store location.
Anyone who can identify the suspect, or anyone who may have any other information on this case, is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Sheriff Craig Webre invites the public to join the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and more than 30 other public service agencies at the 8th Annual Bayou Region Public Safety Expo. This fun-filled event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, 2018, at the Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium, located at 310 North Canal Boulevard in Thibodaux.
This event is free to the public, and there will be information and demonstrations for all ages. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will display vehicles, tools, and technology used by deputies on a daily basis to keep our citizens safe. Those who attend can get a first-hand look at several vehicles used by LPSO including our mobile command vehicle, crime scene unit, water patrol boat, motorcycle, and a bicycle. We will also have a D.A.R.E. car and the M.R.A.P. (mine-resistant ambush-protected) vehicle which can be utilized in search and rescue following major storms and flooding, as well as by our Lafourche Parish Interagency Crisis Management Unit to keep deputies safe. Explorers from POST 323 will be providing Child IDs, fingerprinting and DNA swabs.
More than 30 public agencies from Lafourche and Terrebonne, including law enforcement, fire, medical and emergency preparedness, will be on hand displaying similar equipment and vehicles such as helicopters, tactical equipment, ambulances, fire trucks and much more. Other activities at the expo include K-9 demonstrations, equipment demonstrations, safety demonstrations, interactive training tools, and child safety seat inspections. Food and drinks will also be available to the public.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a FREE Hunter Education Classroom Course and a Hunter Education Field Day in October for anyone ages 10 or older.
CLASSROOM COURSE:
The traditional “Classroom Course” is a two-day course covering topics such as hunter responsibility and ethics, how firearms work and firearms safety, survival and first aid skills, firearm handling skills and hunting techniques, wildlife identification, game care, and information related to wildlife conservation and management. The next Classroom Course will be offered Saturday, October 27 through Sunday, October 28, 2018. The first day will be the classroom portion from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lafourche Parish Fire District #3 Galliano Station, located at 17462 West Main Street in Galliano. The class will resume the following day from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the LPSO Shooting Range located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. Participants must attend BOTH days of the class and pass a written and practical exam to be certified. Class size is limited. Advance registration is required. CLICK HERE to register for this course.
FIELD DAY:
As an alternative to the two-day course, a Home Study Course is available online through the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website. Those who complete the home study course MUST take their completion voucher to a “Field Day” to complete their hunter education. The next Field Day will be offered on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the LPSO Shooting Range. Entry to the Field Day will be denied unless the completed forms are presented. There will be a written test required to complete the Field Day. Class size is limited. Advance registration is required. CLICK HERE to register for the Field Day.
Firearms and ammunition should NOT be brought to any of the courses, but snacks are permitted. For more information, or for assistance with online registration, call the LPSO Training Academy at (985) 387-4480 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email Lieutenant Nolan Smith at nolan-smith@lpso.net.
*Anyone born after September 1, 1969, who wishes to obtain a hunting license in Louisiana, must successfully complete a hunter education course. Exceptions may be granted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for active or veteran members of the United States armed services, for any P.O.S.T.-certified law enforcement officer, or for persons who are under the direct supervision of a person 18-years or older who is already licensed and has taken the approved course. Exceptions must be applied for and approved by Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced an inmate at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center died of an apparent suicide on Sunday, October 7. Inmate Samuel Williams, 36, of Westwego was pronounced dead at a local hospital on Sunday.
At 4:37 a.m. on Sunday, correctional officers discovered Williams hanging in his cell and unresponsive. He was transported to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. His death appears to be self-inflicted, but an investigation is continuing. He had no known conflicts with any inmates, nor was he believed to be a danger to harm himself.
Williams was in jail due to his arrest on September 15, 2018, following a pursuit which began in Assumption Parish. LPSO deputies assisted in the pursuit after Williams drove into Lafourche Parish on LA Highway 1 shortly after 1:45 a.m. that morning. Williams turned down LA Highway 3185, and he eventually fled on foot near Talbot Avenue. He was taken into custody shortly thereafter. Williams was charged with Aggravated Flight from an Officer, Resisting an Officer, and other traffic violations in both parishes in the incident. He also had active contempt warrants for Lafourche Parish related to a prior DWI charge and an active warrant for the Patterson Police Department for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will offer a Beginner Handgun Course on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Shooting Range located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. This class is designed for first-time firearms owners and persons looking to learn basic fundamentals about firearm ownership. Class will begin at 8 a.m. and last until around noon. The actual ending time will vary due to class size.
This course will include the following:
Firearms handling and shooting safety
Firearms parts and their operation
Ammunition and its function
Shooting fundamentals and an opportunity to develop them on the range
How to select, clean, and store a firearm
Review of various activities available to help participants develop their shooting skills
One hour of live range fire with certified Range Safety instructor
The cost for the course is $50, and advance registration is suggested due to class size. CLICK HERE to register online, or for more information, contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net. Participants will need to bring 50 rounds of ammunition, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs).
From left to right: Melissa Williams (The Haven), Daphne Young (The Haven), Pam Guedry (The P.A.C.T. Place), Jimmy Cantrelle (Lafourche Parish President), Captain Karla Beck (LPSO), and Debbie Triggs (The P.A.C.T. Place).
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is promoting awareness of domestic violence throughout the month of October, which is recognized nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Lafourche Parish Shines a Light on Domestic Violence.” Despite it being one of the most chronically underreported crimes, Lafourche Parish answered 1,488 calls related to domestic violence in 2017. In that same year, 665 protective orders were issued in Lafourche Parish to victims of domestic violence who were seeking protection from the perpetrator.
On Tuesday, September 25, Lafourche Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle issued a proclamation declaring the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lafourche Parish. Throughout the month of October, everyone is encouraged to wear purple, the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, to help bring awareness to domestic violence.
Kristin Pierce WWL TV
Kristin Pierce, an anchor and reporter with WWL-TV in New Orleans, will be the guest speaker at this year’s annual vigil for domestic violence. The event will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, at the Lafourche Central Market, located at 4484 Highway 1 in Raceland. The annual event is designed to remember the victims and honor and support the survivors of domestic violence. It is sponsored by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, The Haven, Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office, and The P.A.C.T. Place Supervised Visitation and Monitored Exchange Center.
“The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to lead the fight against domestic violence,” said Sheriff Webre. “This year, we aided in the creation of a new law to implement a process statewide for identifying, notifying, and tracking domestic abusers prohibited from possessing firearms. We are now teaching that process to other law enforcement agencies throughout the state.”
In 2014, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office also aided in the creation of the state law which prohibits those convicted of domestic abuse battery and those with qualifying protective orders from possessing firearms. Since the passage of that law, there have been ZERO homicides perpetrated by prohibited possessors in Lafourche Parish.
According to the Violence Policy Center, Louisiana ranked 2nd highest in the country in the homicide rate among female victims killed by male offenders in incidents which included one victim and one offender in 2016. Nearly 1 in 4 women aged 18 and older have been the victim of physical violence by an intimate partner, and domestic violence is still the leading cause of injury to women.
For more information about the vigil, please contact The P.A.C.T. Place at (985) 532-4390 or at pact-place@lpso.net.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available! Call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Police Social Services at (985) 449-4476.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced a Concealed Handgun Training Course will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018, at the LPSO Shooting Range Facility located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. The class will begin at 8:00 a.m. and last until approximately 5:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. The actual ending time will vary due to class size.
The course will include the following:
One hour of instruction on handgun nomenclature and safe handling procedures of a revolver and semi-automatic pistol.
One hour of instruction on ammunition knowledge and fundamentals of pistol shooting.
Three hours of instruction on the use of deadly force and conflict resolution. (Includes a review of R.S. 14:18 through 14:22 and which may include a review of any other laws relating to the use of deadly force)
One hour of instruction on handgun shooting positions.
One hour of instruction on child access prevention.
Two hours of actual live range fire and proper handgun cleaning procedures. Live range fire shall include 12 rounds each at 5 feet, 10 feet, and 15 feet for a total of 36 rounds.
Must perform at least one safe reload of the handgun at each distance.
Must score 100% hits within the silhouette portion of an NRA B-27 type silhouette target with 36 rounds.
The cost for the course is $110, and advance registration is suggested due to limited class size. This course is a pre-requisite for those applying for a Concealed Handgun Permit from the State of Louisiana. CLICK HERE to register online for the course, or for more information, please contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net.
Participants will need to bring 50 rounds of ammunition, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs).
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Timothy Falgout, 34, of Larose for two counts of first degree rape on Friday, September 28, 2018.
In late July 2018, juvenile detectives began investigating Falgout, a registered sex offender, after learning of possible sexual abused a female child. Through further investigation, detectives learned Falgout allegedly forcefully raped two girls on more than one occasion. Detectives then obtained warrants for his arrest.
On Friday, detectives made contact with Falgout. He was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center on the warrants for two counts of First Degree Rape. His bond is set at $500,000.
Due to the nature of the allegations, no further information will be released on these crimes.
Falgout is a registered sex offender due to a 2004 conviction for Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile.
