Racist Mass Murder in Gonzales, La.: 5 Colored Men Charged with Robbing, Killing Family; 1 Confession So Far

 

Murder victims Irwin (74) and Shirley (72) Marchand, and (below) Mrs. Marchand’s son, Doug Dooley (50)
 



Posted by Nicholas Stix

5 Men Arrested in Gonzales Triple Murder
Posted on 07 March 2012.
Posted by Dave
Baton Rouge Today

From the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office:

Five men have been arrested in connection with the triple murder that occurred on February 17, 2012 on Babin Rd. in Gonzales in which Irwin Marchand, Shirley Marchand, and Doug Dooley were killed.

According to Sheriff Wiley, a break came in the case this past weekend when detectives received “credible and significant” information that Michael Aikens was one of the individuals involved after which the full attention of the homicide investigation team was focused on pursuing this lead. Early yesterday, Aikens was located at a residence on Sammy Street in Gonzales and was brought in for questioning. As a result, significant information was obtained including the names of three other individuals who were directly involved in the murder and the name of another person who was involved in helping break open the safe after the crime had been committed.

 












L, Michael Aikens, 35: Had worked for the victims, and knew about their safe, and the antique coins and cash they kept; r, Bernard James, 25

 












L, Travis Moore, 19, but looks older; r, murder suspect Rolondo Stewart, 19, but who looks more like 30, and whose penitentiary face shows much experience at posing for mug shots. Stewart was helpfully already in jail, charged with attempted murder for shooting a man days after the mass murder.

 












Devon Tremain James, 24: The baby face suggests he hasn’t spent much time inside; that’s about to change


Aikens, who had worked for Irwin Marchand at some time in the past was aware that he kept a significant amount of cash and antique coins in a safe at his home. It appears that Aikens and his accomplices went to the Marchand Residence to rob them but the encounter turned violent and the victims were brutally attacked and killed.

One of the implicated individuals, Rolando Stewart, was already being held in the Ascension Parish Jail on an unrelated case. On March 1st, Stewart was arrested for shooting 19 year old Patrick Anderson on Tiger Heights Rd. in Prairieville.

Anderson’s injuries were not life threatening. In that case, Stewart was charged with Attempted Second Degree Murder and Illegal Use of a Weapon. After marijuana was found on his person during booking into the jail, he was additionally charged with Introduction of Contraband into a Penal Facility.

Michael Aikens, 35, of 16456 Hwy 930, Prairieville; Rolando Stewart, 19, of 15379 Roy Roger Rd., Gonzales; Travis Moore, 19, of 4950 Wilmot St, Baton Rouge; and Bernard James, 25, of 36344 Lorena Drive, Prairieville have been arrested and charged with Aggravated Burglary, Armed Robbery, and 3cts. First Degree Murder and are being held in the Ascension Parish Jail.

Devon James, 24, of 40140 S. Autumnwood Ct, Prairieville was charged with 3cts. Accessory After the Fact to 1st Degree Murder, Accessory After the Fact to Aggravated Burglary and Accessory After the fact to Armed Robbery.

Investigators believe his involvement in the case was that he helped break open the safe at his residence after the robbery then helped dispose of the safe in Livingston Parish.

Sheriff Wiley expressed his appreciation for the assistance given by the United Stated Marshalls’s Service, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the LSP Crime Lab, the LSP Fusion Center, the United States Secret Service, Baton Rouge Police Department, and the Gonzales Police Department for assisting the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in the investigation of this crime.

* * *
Gonzales residents calling for justice
Kelsey Scram, reporter
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 7:15pm
Updated on Thursday, March 8, 2012, 11:27 a.m.
NBC 33 News

GONZALES, La (NBC33) — People in the normally quiet city of Gonzales say they are elated to hear of so many arrests made in a deadly home invasion that rocked their community.

On February 17, 2012 Ascension Parish Sheriff's deputies say a group of people supposedly went into Robert Marchand's home on Babin Road. According to deputies, they attacked the three people inside, slitting the throats of Robert, his wife Shirley, and their son, Douglas Dooley. Then, the group made off with a safe filled with a coin collection valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Five people have been arrested in connection with that case. Residents say they're happy that the suspects are behind bars, but many still feel like they don't have closure. Neighbors say they're angry and they want to make sure the people who senselessly murdered the Marchand's pay for what they did.

"The whole thing is just a nightmare," says neighbor Wayne Brignac. "It was so unnecessary and such a shame that so many people had to die."

When he heard that a group of men had been arrested in connection with the investigation, he was pleased. Now, he wants to make sure that the five men arrested stay locked up.

"They never need to walk free again, period," he says. "None of them."

[What about calling for the death penalty? Has even Gonzales, Louisiana gone PC?]

He promises to fight to keep his streets safe. "I don't think this parish is going to rest until we get justice, and I'll be the first one. I'll walk the streets if I have to if they don't get what's coming."

[I thank the anonymous reader who gave me the heads-up on this story.]