Jan. 27

CHARENTON--Detectives have charged 48-year-old Wilbert Thibodeaux of Charenton with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of arson, said Tpr. Evan Harrell with the Louisiana State Police.

Thibodeaux is being held in the Iberia Parish Jail.

The deputies remain in stable condition at hospitals in Lafayette and New Orleans.

The case remains under investigation.

Jan. 26

On Jan. 26, Detectives with Louisiana State Police were contacted by St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert and requested to investigate an officer involved shooting in Charenton, LSP reported.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., deputies with St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and an officer with the Chitimacha Police Department responded to reports of a man armed with a shotgun walking in the 10000 block of Flat Town Road in Charenton.

When the officer arrived on the scene, he encountered 48-year-old Wilbert Thibodeaux of Charenton. Thibodeaux fired at the Chitimacha Officer, fatally wounding him, LSP reported.

As two St. Mary deputies traveling in the same car arrived at the scene, Thibodeaux fired multiple shots hitting both deputies. During the encounter, Thibodeaux was also shot. Other responding deputies took Thibodeaux into custody without further incident.

A mobile home fire, believed to be set by Thibodeaux prior to the officer’s arrival, was extinguished by local firefighters. Once extinguished, detectives and State Fire Marshal Investigators discovered the body of 78-year-old Eddie Lyons of Charenton in the home.

Detectives suspect Lyons was shot by Thibodeaux before the fire began.

Thibodeaux was treated and released from the hospital. He is currently in State Police custody. His charges are pending.

The two deputies are in critical but stable condition.

One is at a hospital in New Orleans and the other is at a hospital in Lafayette.

The shooting remains under investigation by State Police. The fire remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshals Office.

“Today is a difficult day for our partners in St. Mary Parish,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson, State Police Superintendent. “My thoughts and prayers are with the deputies and the officer’s families tonight. I know the coming days and weeks will be difficult ones for the men and women of the Chitimacha Police Department and the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office. We will assist their agencies in anyway we can during these trying times.”

On Monday, Jan. 28, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Chitimacha Police Department and State Police will hold a press conference to release the names of the officers involved and speak about their service to their community.