A look back at the Tri-parishes’ Top 10 headline stories

Marion Robichaux
December 30, 2009
Jan. 5
January 4, 2010
Marion Robichaux
December 30, 2009
Jan. 5
January 4, 2010

1. Hebert sentenced to life in prison

Mathews native Amy Hebert was sentenced to life in prison in May after being found guilty of stabbing her two children to death the morning of Aug. 20, 2007.


After the jury determined it was unable to sentence Hebert to the death penalty, District Judge Jerome Barbera rendered his sentence, which also held Hebert would be held without the possibility of parole, probation or suspended sentence.


The sentence put an end to a trail that brought out all of the details of the crime scene the morning of the murder.

District Attorney Cam Morvant told jurors Hebert stabbed her children repeatedly with 11 kitchen knives inside their Mathews home.


Hebert’s team pushed for a lighter sentence, citing depression and mental illness as reasons for Hebert committing the murders.


Morvant said he was pleased with the jury’s work in sentencing Hebert.

“They did their jobs and I am satisfied with the final verdict,” he said.


2. School shooting hits Larose community


Fifteen-year-old Cut Off eighth-grade student Justin Doucet opened fire in a Larose-Cut Off Middle School classroom on the morning of May 18, marking the first time a student had ever opened fire on a campus in Lafourche Parish.

Doucet’s initial shots narrowly missed a teacher, Jessica Plaisance after witnesses said Doucet ordered Plaisance to say, “Hail Marilyn Manson.”


The inaccurate shot forced Doucet to retreat to a restroom, where the camoflage-wearing teenager then shot himself in the head.


Doucet was taken to Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, where he later died.

Lafourche Parish Superintendent of Schools Jo Ann Matthews praised the work of Larose-Cut Off’s school officials for protecting its faculty and students in the midst of the tragedy.


“Faculty and staff members are trained and definitely took their jobs very seriously,” Matthews said. “Many other districts where this occurred were not as fortunate.”


3. Callais, Chabert fight for victory District 20 seat

Low voter turnout thrusted Norby Chabert and Brent Callais into an Aug. 29 runoff election over state Rep. Damon Baldone (D-Houma).


In a special election held to fill Sen. Reggie Dupre’s District 20 seat, who resigned to accept the director job with the Terrebonne Parish Levee District, Callais placed first with 5,055 votes, followed by Chabert with 4,359 and Baldone with 3,957 votes.


Baldone said his campaign had identified nearly 4,000 voters who he had planned to pull in his favor. However, come election night, those voters were a no-show.

While the issues among the candidates were similar – coastal restoration, hurricane protection and levee construction – Chabert and Callais seemed to have different approaches to winning votes.


“I think Terrebonne and Lafourche residents are ready for a conservative, no nonsense guy who is going to go to Baton Rouge and cut spending,” touted Callais.


From the other side, Chabert said, “I represent honest, trustworthy leadership.”

4. Daigle sentenced to life in prison for cop’s murder


Billy J. Daigle, 42, of Houma pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Lafourche Parish sheriff’s deputy Martha Woods-Shareef.


Daigle was sentenced to life in prison after running over Woods-Shareef on Aug. 20, 2008, following an attempted robbery at a Chackbay convenience store.

Daigle has an extensive criminal history, including attempted murder to negligent homicide and armed robbery.


Woods-Shareef, a 15-year veteran, was the first black female officer killed in the Tri-parish area and one of only three Lafourche Parish deputies killed in the line of duty.


Her daughter, Marsiah Woods-Conner said, “Her life was cut too short. I thought she would always be here for all the days of my life.”

Woods-Shareef left behind a husband, a daughter, two sisters and five brothers. While Woods-Shareef’s family said they would never forget the incident, they said they would try to forgive Daigle for his misdeeds.


5. NSU feels budget woes, in need of healing


Nicholls State University laid off nearly 80 non-tenured faculty and staff members and cut 12 academic programs in May.

Pending approval by the state Legislature’s Joint Legislative Committee, the University of Louisiana System also approved a 5 percent tuition increase as well as increases in campus housing and meal plan prices.


Efforts to reduce Nicholls’ budget came in light of a $5.3 million Budget Reduction Plan, a necessary component to easing the effects of a projected major budget shortfall in ’10.


Among the associate and baccalaureate programs being eliminated are criminal, justice, legal assistance studies and manufacturing technology.

University President Stephen Hubert said state budget hardships made the cuts unavoidable. “Together, we will work to minimize to the greatest extent possible the impact of this loss in state support upon the university, its programs, staff and students.”

6. LA 1 toll bridge aims for area growth

A new $166 million toll bridge opened over La. Highway 1, replacing a drawbridge that is currently being demolished. The bridge extends over Bayou Lafourche at Leeville.

Passenger vehicles are expected to pay $2.50 while trucks will be billed $5.

Officials said the new bridge would aid in the growth of Port Fourchon and provide better, safer access.

Both the LA 1 Coalition and the state DOTD are working together to make the project as seamless as possible.

No tolls will be collected from drivers coming from Grand Isle, only from southbound vehicles.

7. Alidore community floods after December’s rainy winter

December was the rainiest month in the history of Louisiana since rain totals have been kept.

Those heavy rain totals turned into a pre-Christmas nightmare for residents of Alidore when 150 homes were flooded and 60 residents had to be evacuated to higher ground.

Most residents were able to return to their community within a few days of the flooding, but being without a home during the holiday season was difficult for those who were sent to the temporary shelter set up in the Raceland Recreation Center.

Alidore resident Gail Gray was forced to miss the funeral of her sister because of the flooding.

“It’s a lot to bear when you can’t be with your family during such a sad time,” Gray said. “It’s a major setback for us, because there is no place like home. I don’t think we will view Christmas the same.”

8. Bourg man shoots deputy, charged with attempted murder

Following a parish-wide manhunt, Terrebonne Parish deputies apprehended Adrian Broussard, 18, for the attempted murder of Donald Bourg.

Bourg had worked with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office for five years and was responding to a call about a suspect wanted on felony theft charges. Minutes after he arrived on the scene, Bourg was shot multiple times: once in the left calf, buttocks and back.

Broussard had previously been wanted on a $20,000 bond for felony theft and criminal damage to property. An anonymous tip led Bourg to the Montegut Post Office where Broussard was said to be seen hiding from passing cars.

After being shot, Bourg was taken to the Terrebonne General Medical Center where he underwent surgery. Broussard was later jailed at the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex on a $1 million bond.

9. St. Mary Parish 911 director indicted for alleged fraud

St. Mary Parish’s 911 Director Marie Anderson was indicted in November for an alleged disaster food stamp fraud.

The indictment eventually led to Anderson’s resignation as 911 director and applications are currently being taken to find her replacement.

Anderson and 13 others were indicted for fraud, according to the state Department of Social Services Fraud and Recovery Section.

The agency said the group had committed fraud totaling more than $50,000.

Documents obtained by the Tri-Parish Times in December found Anderson was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud; theft of $64.19 at an Alexandria Wal Mart; theft of $78.59 at a Long Beach, Calif. Safeway; and theft of nearly $3,000 in food stamps.

According to the documents, the fraud began in September 2005, a month after Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana.

St. Mary 911 Assistant Director Jeannie Bergeron is filling in for Anderson while a permanent replacement is found.

10. Lafourche, Terrebonne parishes appeal flooding maps

2009 was a busy year for the flood map controversy in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes.

Both parishes appealed the digital flood maps given to them by FEMA, saying they would be detrimental to economic growth in the area.

The proposal split each parish into flooding zones and designated mandatory elevation heights for businesses building in those areas.

But the parishes appealed the maps and argued the elevations were too steep and if passed, they would discourage businesses from placing money in the economy.

“To have minimal growth, you have to be able to let people build in a normal fashion to keep the community functioning,” said levee director Wendell Curole. “Retaining the present businesses and homeowners that occupy the southern part of the parish is the most important thing.”

These events have coincided with the beginning of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane protection system – a project that is designed to provide a hurricane protection system to Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.

Lafourche Parish sheriff’s deputies lead Amy Hebert to a patrol unit shortly after she was sentenced to two life sentences for fatally stabbing her two children the morning of Aug. 20, 2007. * File photo / Tri-Parish Times