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The Investigative Unit
8/26/2025
Smitty's: 'Almost all employees are being laid off', no severance package offered
Posted 5:45 PM 8/26/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ROSELAND - A text message is how the majority of employees at Smitty's found out they no longer had jobs.
"Just a FYI as of friday the 22nd everyone has been laid off," the message sent Monday evening read.
The former employee who shared it with us says it came from her (More)
8/25/2025
Former Smitty's employee 'not surprised' by explosion
Posted 5:58 PM 8/25/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
ROSELAND — While the public waits for an explanation into what caused a massive explosion at Smitty's in Roseland, a former employee tells the WBRZ Investigative Unit it was only a matter of time.
The employee, whom we will refer to by her last name, 'Padilla,' worked as an (More)
8/18/2025
Few answers from DOC on botched inmate release
Posted 6:04 PM 8/18/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
VILLE PLATTE - The WBRZ Investigative Unit has been looking into how a recently released Elayn Hunt inmate ended up dead, four parishes away from where (More)
8/14/2025
Internal DOC emails give little insight on how inmate destined for group home ended up dead miles away
Posted 6:26 PM 8/14/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE — The family of Treylin Deville was told their loved one was being brought to a group home in Baton Rouge that could accommodate his mental (More)
8/13/2025
Inmate with mental health issues supposed to be released to BR group home found dead 80 miles away
Posted 6:08 PM 8/13/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
A man who was released from Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was found dead a day later, 80 miles from where he was supposed to be in Baton Rouge.
Treylin Deville's family had arranged with the prison to have him placed at a group home that was equipped to deal with his mental health issues (More)
8/12/2025
State suing Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association over organization's accounting
Posted 3:04 PM 8/12/2025 by WBRZ Staff
BATON ROUGE - The state of Louisiana is suing the Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association over their accounting following a malfeasance investigation into how employees managed contractor money.
(More)...
8/11/2025
Family demanding answers in daughter's EBR jail death
Posted 7:13 PM 8/11/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE — The family of Maressa Mays wants answers as to what happened during a brief jail stint that ended in her death last month.
"We want justice, and no, she wasn't perfect, but we still want justice. That was our baby," her father said.
Throughout her adult (More)
8/9/2025
THE INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: LSU running back JT Lindsey suspended from team after police arrest
Posted 10:07 PM 8/9/2025 by Nathan Messina
BATON ROUGE — LSU running back JT Lindsey was suspended from the school's football team after surrendering to police on Friday, his attorney told WBRZ.
The freshman and former four-star recruit was (More)
8/8/2025
THE INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: LSU running back JT Lindsey surrenders to police
Posted 1:01 PM 8/9/2025 by Adam Burruss
BATON ROUGE — LSU running back JT Lindsey surrendered himself to police custody Friday afternoon, officials confirmed to WBRZ.
Jail records indicate Lindsey was arrested for accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. He is a freshman and a former four-star recruit.
(More)...8/7/2025
Fired police officer accused of pawning service weapons has arraignment continued into September
Posted 12:31 PM 8/7/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
NEW ROADS — Fired New Roads Police Sgt. Stacy Paul was in court Wednesday, where he began the process of being arraigned on malfeasance charges (More)
8/4/2025
A year after 17-year-old offenders considered adults again, juvenile crime is still on the rise
Posted 6:32 PM 8/4/2025 by Bess Casserleigh
BATON ROUGE - Despite an effort by lawmakers last year to curb crime by treating 17-year-old offenders as adults, juvenile crime is up in Baton Rouge.
"Thirteen to fifteen percent of our felony arrests are juveniles," Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse said.
While 17-year-olds have (More)
8/1/2025
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Weeks after suspended judge returns, 1st Circuit overturns one of her convictions
Posted 7:19 PM 8/1/2025 by WBRZ Staff
BATON ROUGE — A state appeals court set aside a second-degree murder conviction Thursday, finding that a judge used "speculation" rather than reason to determine who shot and killed a young father along Prescott Road in 2021.
The judge was Eboni Johnson Rose, who returned to the (More)
