Orange County man wanted following “senseless killing” of “innocent grandmother,” police say
Published 9:51 am Thursday, March 7, 2024
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Seven people have been arrested — and authorities continue to search for at least one more suspect — after a fatal drive-by shooting Saturday on West Tank Farm Road in Calcasieu Parish.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff-elect Stitch Guillory said two 17-year-old females, 18-year-old Jordan L. Jones and 25-year-old Tyler D. Lewis were traveling together along West Tank Farm Road and Sailfish Drive when at least two of them began firing multiple rounds from the vehicle at neighboring homes.
A bullet passed through one of those homes, striking Annette D. Touvell, 65, as she watched television with her husband.
Guillory said Touvell died from her injuries; her husband was not harmed.
“In talking to witnesses at the scene, we were able to identify a vehicle and, fortunately for us, that vehicle was located in St. Martinville, (Louisiana),” he said.
The vehicle had been reported stolen by one of the 17-year-old’s family members. Guillory said the girl’s mother, Chelsea R. Hyatt, 36, of Sulphur, La., had been notified by others that her daughter was involved in the shooting but failed to report it to law enforcement.
Hyatt is charged with obstruction of justice.
Judge Bobby Holmes set her bond at $100,000.
The two juveniles have been booked into a juvenile detention center.
Jones was arrested for second-degree murder and remains incarcerated in the Calcasieu Correctional Center. Holmes set his bond at $2 million.
Guillory said Lewis, a resident of Bridge City, remains at large.
He is accused of principal to second-degree murder.
“We have asked for help from the U.S. Marshals Service in locating him and I feel like it’s only a matter of time before we arrest Tyler,” Guillory said.
Guillory said Touvell had no ties to those arrested.
“This was a totally senseless killing that should have never happened,” Guillory said. “She was just an innocent grandmother, mother sitting on her couch watching TV in her own residence when the bullets came through and struck her. Thank you to the many people who picked up the phone and called us and gave us information. You were instrumental in giving this family some closure.”
During the investigation, three others were also arrested after suspected THC vape oil, numerous items of drug paraphernalia and a bag of unknown powdered substance was seized from a home on Babineaux Road in Sulphur.
Briley A. Lewis, 18, of DeQuincy is charged with three counts drug possession; Payton B. Mott, 19, of Sulphur is charged with two counts drug possession; and Andrew B. Norwood, 21, of Sulphur is charged with three counts drug possession and traffic violations.
“Our investigation will continue because we still have a lot to do before we wrap this up,” Guillory said. “More arrests are probably going to happen.”
— Reprinted with permission of the American Press in Lake Charles, La.