The Investigative Unit
Today
Inmate beaten while handcuffed files suit, alleges cover-up by several DOC employees
Posted 5:53 PM 7/25/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - An inmate at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, who was beaten while handcuffed, filed suit in federal court against the officers he says beat him.
As the WBRZ Investigative Unit (More)...
Yesterday
Family fighting nearly 20-year-old non-unanimous murder conviction of man who claimed self-defense
Posted 9:54 PM 7/24/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge family is fighting what they consider the wrongful conviction of their loved one nearly 20 years ago.
In 2007, Cori Williams was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting Raymond Jones. He was sentenced to life without parole.
Jones and (More)
7/22/2025
West Fel. Parish President Kenny Havard found guilty of simple battery, given citation
Posted 5:46 PM 7/22/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. FRANCISVILLE - The WBRZ Investigative Unit has learned that West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard was found guilty of simple battery for hitting another man in the face.
According to Chuck Spillman, Havard assaulted him before a parish council meeting in December.
(More)...7/21/2025
WBR constable who spearheaded 'illegal' ticketing operation resigns, special election called
Posted 5:42 PM 7/21/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH - The man in charge of an "illegal" school zone ticketing program in the Brusly and Addis area has resigned from the elected position.
Ward 2 Constable Ron Tetzel, under Justice of the Peace Thomas Southon, ran a radar gun in school zones along LA-1 and issued (More)
7/17/2025
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Zachary PD's attorney says blurred body cam video provided to WBRZ was 'a mistake'
Posted 5:42 PM 7/17/2025 by Bess Casserleigh & Logan Cullop
BATON ROUGE - After lots of back and forth with the Zachary Police Department, the WBRZ Investigative Unit has obtained the un-redacted body camera video of a suspected (More)
7/11/2025
Attorney weighs in on blurred-out Zachary PD body cam footage given to Investigative Unit
Posted 11:03 AM 7/14/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ZACHARY - An attorney weighed in on issues with the body-cam footage provided to WBRZ after a months-long investigation into how Zachary Police handled a drunken-driving (More)
7/10/2025
Newly-released body cam footage from night of fiery BRPD unit crash raises questions about Zachary PD's investigation
Posted 8:53 PM 7/10/2025 by Bess Casserleigh & Logan Cullop
ZACHARY - Newly-obtained body camera footage from the night Baton Rouge Police officer Loren Gaskin totaled his unmarked police unit in a head-on collision in (More)
7/9/2025
WBRZ INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: St. Gabriel police chief questions allegations surrounding slain captain
Posted 6:26 PM 7/9/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - St. Gabriel Police Chief Kevin Ambeau disputed claims made by the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office about the circumstances which led to Captain Devin Boutte's murder.
"I saw an officer who was butchered up beyond recognition. I didn't even recognize him. That's how bad this (More)
7/8/2025
AG's office back in investigation of slain St. Gabriel police captain at Iberville sheriff's request
Posted 7:01 PM 7/8/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - Following the revelation of potential corruption by the late St. Gabriel Police Captain Devin Boutte, Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi is once (More)
7/7/2025
Sheriff says St. Gabriel officer found dead had supplied drugs to killer to sell in community
Posted 4:41 PM 7/9/2025 by The Investigative Unit
ST. GABRIEL — A St. Gabriel police officer found dead at his home had been in a relationship with his accused killer and had supplied him with marijuana and methamphetamine to sell in the community, Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi said Monday.
Devin Boutte was found dead early (More)
7/2/2025
VIDEO: Former mayoral chief of staff hits man with chair outside of political event in 2024
Posted 5:43 PM 7/2/2025 by Logan Cullop and Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - A man who was attacked by a former mayoral aide and hit in the face with a metal chair in 2024 has filed a lawsuit for damages.
The lawsuit, which was filed June 18, says Walter "Geno" McLaughlin was at Sky Lounge on June 24, 2024, for a city-parish political event at (More)
7/1/2025
EBRSO responds to lawsuit alleging rape by a deputy inside parish prison
Posted 12:45 PM 7/1/2025 by Logan Cullop
BATON ROUGE - A lawsuit filed against the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff and two deputies says that a female inmate was raped by a parish prison guard.
The federal lawsuit, filed on behalf of an inmate known as T.N., says that a female deputy arranged a sexual encounter with the (More)
6/26/2025
'Whistleblower' inmate at Hunt fearful for his life after potentially retaliatory transfer to Angola
Posted 6:23 PM 6/26/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - An inmate who leaked internal records to the WBRZ Investigative Unit is coming forward, alleging he is now being retaliated against by the Department of Corrections.
Derrick Woodberry claims speaking out about the (More)
6/25/2025
No arrests in deadly after-hours club shooting, detainees released
Posted 5:53 PM 6/25/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - Four days after a deadly shooting on Choctaw Drive, no arrests have been made despite dozens of witnesses being at the crowded after-hours club when the shots were fired.
(More)...