Latest Weather Blog
The Investigative Unit
9/16/2024
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Woman struggles to get clarity in relative's in-custody death at Elayn Hunt
Posted 6:21 PM 9/16/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - They may not be blood-related, but Dana Hebert considers herself a sister to Douglas Barnes.
"I'd known him since young childhood and he didn't really have a lot of support growing up," Hebert said.
Barnes was convicted of second-degree murder for his part in a deadly (More)
9/13/2024
EBR school board member claims 11 guns found on campuses this school year
Posted 9:42 PM 9/13/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - The 40 caliber handgun with a switch that was (More)...
9/7/2024
New LSU police chief wants more security cameras, license plate readers on campus
Posted 10:30 PM 9/7/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - Newly appointed LSU police chief Marshall Walters has big plans to improve campus safety. Crime has been seeping into the LSU perimeter for years.
Sporadic armed robberies occur on the fringes often and LSU PD is currently investigating an incident that happened last week (More)
9/6/2024
New LSU Police Chief discusses game day safety, traffic
Posted 6:46 PM 9/6/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - While he's new to the job, Chief Marshall Walters is no game-day novice — having been with the LSU Police Department since 2002.
"Football planning is an ongoing process. It never really stops and we're always looking for ways to make it a little better and what can we (More)
9/5/2024
Investigative Unit: Coroner denies public records request for Elayn Hunt death documents
Posted 8:50 PM 9/5/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - The Department of Corrections sent documents to the WBRZ Investigative Unit detailing how many in-custody deaths have happened at Elayn Hunt Correctional over the last two years.
(More)...
9/3/2024
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: In son's fatal wreck, mother questions why it took 30 minutes for help to arrive
Posted 9:21 PM 9/3/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - On Jan. 26, 2024, around 1:30 a.m., 29-year-old Jordan Whitley was driving home on Nicholson Drive.
At 7 a.m., Louisiana State Police notified Jordan's mother Kendra and his step-father Corey Bazile that Jordan died in a car crash.
"Jordan was a gregarious (More)
8/29/2024
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Leaked documents, inmate's father show scope of drug issues at Elayn Hunt
Posted 7:32 PM 8/29/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
St. GABRIEL - New documents obtained by the WBRZ Investigative Unit show the scope of the drug overdose problem at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center.
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INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Parent arrested for assault after altercation at Istrouma High School
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INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Two Angola inmates fatally overdose; three deaths in as many days in state facilities
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Amid WBRZ Investigative Unit reports about issues in prison system, Landry names new Corrections director
8/28/2024
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Elayn Hunt Employee arrested for bringing drugs on property, charged with malfeasance
Posted 9:58 PM 8/28/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - An employee at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was arrested after a K9 found drugs in his car Tuesday. The arrest comes after multiple (More)
8/27/2024
Inmate dies at Hunt Correctional Center hours after governor announces drug investigation
Posted 6:43 AM 8/28/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
ST. GABRIEL - Hours after Governor Jeff Landry announced State Police would be investigating a drug problem at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, an inmate died.
The Iberville Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed the body of Lanford Payne was picked up around 11 (More)
8/26/2024
State Police will investigate Elayn Hunt misconduct allegations following WBRZ Investigative Unit report
Posted 5:59 PM 8/26/2024 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry announced Monday he has asked state police to investigate the Department of Corrections—specifically allegations of a rampant drug problem at Elayn Hunt Correctional—following a report by (More)
8/21/2024
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Elayn Hunt inmate discusses prison conditions, deadly drug access behind bars
Posted 5:49 PM 8/21/2024 by Bess Casserleigh and Joe McCoy
ST. GABRIEL - Since the Investigative Unit's story with an anonymous Department of Corrections employee blowing the whistle on a rampant drug problem at Elayn Hunt, several other (More)
