Gators name Henry volleyball coach
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Thibodaux Police needs public help identifying vehicle, driver
July 22, 2019
Four have been charged in connection to an attempted armed robbery in Golden Meadow in May.
At 3:40 a.m. on May 23, Golden Meadow Police Officers responded to the 1500 block of Alex Plaisance Boulevard in reference to an attempted armed robbery.
As officers arrived, a truck was pulling away from the scene. Officers conducted a stop and detained the driver, identifying him as Gary Kiger Jr., 48, of Cut Off.
Officers then made contact with the victim and learned that two men dressed in black had knocked on the victim’s door. Both men were pointing handguns at the victim, demanding money, according to authorities.
The victim was able to close the door and grab his own gun. He fired a single round into the air outside the door and the two men ran from the scene.
Kristian Dudley, 29, of Walker, was at the victim’s home and claimed to be asleep at the time of the robbery. She, at the time, claimed to have no knowledge of the incident, but authorities have since found suspicious text messages and calls on her phone.
Meanwhile, as officers were investigating the scene, they observed Jonathan Castagnetta, 36, of Cut Off, walk out of a nearby wooded area. Knowing him to have an active warrant for contempt of court, officers ordered him to stop and he was taken into custody.
Through investigation, officers were able to establish probable cause that Kiger and Castagnetta were both involved in the attempted armed robbery.
They were booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux and charged with one count each of attempted armed robbery with use of a firearm.
Castagnetta remains in jail in lieu of a $35,000 bond. Kiger’s bail is set at $100,000, but he is also being held without bond due to a parole violation.
As authorities continued to investigate this case, they learned that Castagnetta and Kiger had planned the robbery with Dudley and Benjamin Wood, 49, of Cut Off.
Officers learned that Kiger had driven to the victim’s home where Wood and Castagnetta attempted the armed robbery.
Authorities also learned that Dudley had alleged contact with Woods and Kiger the night of the robbery while at the victim’s home. That led to warrants for their arrest.
Dudley was arrested on July 7 and Wood on July 18.
Both are charged with one count each of attempted armed robbery with use of a firearm.
Dudley remains in jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond. Wood is out after posting a $50,000 bond.
