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Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz and Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois announced last Wednesday a Galliano man has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery in connection to a Christmas Day murder at the Drama Club in Houma.
Jorell Young, 23, of 216 Orange St., Galliano, was arrested on April 1 after investigators received information from various witnesses about what took place the night the bar’s manager, Robert LeCompte, was killed.
LeCompte’s body was found inside the club early Christmas morning. Authorities reported more than $4,000 in club money was missing.
Young was initially questioned a few days following the murder, but he was released because of a lack of evidence.
Bourgeois said new information surfaced during the Easter holiday that tied Young to the crime.
“Detectives in the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office talked to several people since Christmas Day,” Bourgeois said. “Pretty much day in and day out, they were interviewing different people … But we had a culmination on Good Friday where we were able to get real good information on one suspect, Mr. Jorell Young.”
After a grand jury hearing last Tuesday, Waitz said the decision was made to indict Young.
The district attorney said he would meet with the victim’s family and decide whether to seek the death penalty for Young if he is found guilty of the stabbing.
Waitz said that decision would come “in the next two or three weeks.
“There are some meetings set up next week to meet with them,” he said. “We’re going to try to get their feelings, because as you know, some people are in favor of the death penalty, but some are adamantly opposed, so it really depends … But in all probability, we’re going to seek the death penalty.”
The arrest and indictment starts a new chapter in the now nearly four-month investigation of the Christmas night murder.
LeCompte was reportedly stabbed several times and although Bourgeois did not give many specifics about what details the investigation yielded, he did confirm a note was found at the scene of the crime and he confirmed Young and LeCompte knew one another. Young was a previous employee of the club.
Since Young’s arrest, Bourgeois said friends and family of the suspect have allegedly threatened potential witnesses.
“The crazy thing is they’re threatening people that we haven’t even spoken to ourselves,” Bourgeois said. “They’re grabbing at straws to help Mr. Young. And that’s not right.”
The sheriff said he has been actively instructing those who have been harassed to call 911.
“Give them the best information you can about the people giving you a problem,” Bourgeois said. “Whether it’s a person’s description, clothing description, vehicle description. That’s all important information and we need to know that.”
Waitz said no one has yet been charged for the harassment, but he said if it continues, those responsible will be penalized.
“If anyone has any intent to continue to do that, we will charge them appropriately and move them through the system very swiftly,” Waitz said.
Young is currently being held in the Terrebonne Parish Jail with bond set at $2 million.
His arraignment date is scheduled for May 7, and Waitz said his trial would likely be held “somewhere in the next 12 to 14 months.”
Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz (far left), detective Jody Foret (left center), Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois (right center) and detective Terry Daigre (right) speak before reporters regarding the indictment of murder suspect Jorell Young. * Photo by MICHAEL DAVIS
