LAFAYETTE, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office secured an
historic conviction in Allen Parish with Deon Bartie guilty of murder.
“This case should be a loud and clear message to the
drug dealers destroying our State,” said Attorney General Landry. “As long as
they wreak havoc on our communities by poisoning our people, we will fight back
with every tool in the arsenal.”
In a landmark indictment by Attorney General Landry’s
office, Bartie was charged with Second Degree Murder for distributing narcotics
to Brittany Lapeyrouse, who died from an overdose on the drugs that Bartie sold
and profited from. Bartie was also charged with Possession with Intent to
Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Alprazolam,
and Illegal Carrying of Firearms with Controlled Dangerous Substances.
After an eight-day trial and 5 hours of deliberations,
twelve jurors of Bartie’s peers unanimously determined that he was guilty as
charged on all counts. Bartie’s sentencing is set for August 31, 2023. He faces
a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on the Second Degree Murder charge,
along with a sentencing range of 1-10 years for the Possession with Intent to
Distribute charges and 5-10 years for Illegal Carrying of Firearms.
“While Brittany’s family knows her place on Earth has
passed, we hope this verdict grants them some closure and appreciation that
justice has been served,” added Attorney General Landry. “I salute my Assistant
Attorneys General Joseph LeBeau and Winston White for their exceptional
prosecution, and I commend Special Agent George Higgins and Victim Coordinator
Kristen Martin for their efforts in this case.”
“I also want to recognize the dedicated and thorough
investigation performed by the Coushatta Tribal Police Department’s Detective
Scott Leblanc. Without his front-end efforts, this result would not have been
possible. Additionally, I want to thank Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Office’s
Detective Jared Abshire, whose work uncovering crucial digital forensic
evidence helped ensure one more drug dealer is off of our streets.”
