Grand jury indicts three

An Evangeline Parish grand jury issued a true bill in three separate matters on Wednesday, which has resulted in the indictment of John Isaac Foret for second degree murder, Darius Armondo Arvie for manslaughter, and Detective Caleb Stelly, with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, for malfeasance in office and obstruction of justice.
According to the bill of indictment against Stelly, the grand jury believed that enough evidence was presented by the District Attorney’s Office to support charging the detective “for intentionally refusing or failing to perform any duty lawfully required of him/her, as such officer or employee.”
For Stelly’s second charge, the grand jury found that there was enough evidence to support the belief that the officer “did obstruct justice by using or threatening force toward the person or property of another with the specific intent to cause or induce the withholding of testimony or withholding of records, documents, or other objects from any criminal proceeding.”
In a release from Evangeline Parish District Attorney Trent Brignac, it states the Stelly’s charges “resulted from his actions in a recent homicide investigation.”
Brignac then went on to state, “The grand jury indictment sends a message to all law enforcement officers that they are expected to carry out their duties and responsibilities with honesty and integrity. They must be held to a high standard in order to maintain public confidence in our legal system. Fortunately, the vast majority of law enforcement officers are fair and honest. However, when an officer violates the public trust that officer must be held accountable.”
The detective appeared before 13th Judicial District Judge Gary Ortego on Friday, June 1, 2018, for a 72 hour hearing. During that time he was appointed Bo West as his attorney and his arraignment date was then set for July 5, 2018 in Judge Ortego’s courtroom.
Stelly was released from jail that day on his own recognizance.
Foret’s indictment stems from an incident that occurred on May 18, 2018 in Turkey Creek where Edwin Wesley Snoddy was shot to death outside of his residence located on Snoddy Lane.
In a previous release from the EPSO, it stated that when officers arrived at the scene “deputies found that a male subject had been shot during a disturbance in which both subjects were armed.” Foret, who had left the scene, was later found waiting “in a nearby area for law enforcement to arrive,” and then “questioned briefly.” He advised officers that he wanted an attorney and then was released from jail.
The following week Foret was arrested by the EPSO for impeding a witness and held without bond.
Foret appeared before Judge Ortego on Thursday, May 31, 2018 for his 72 hour hearing, where he was appointed Jacob Fusilier as his attorney and his arraignment was set for July 5, 2018.
Following the hearing, Fusilier said, “At the time of the shooting, John Isaac Foret was sitting in his truck on the road and not on the Edwin Snoddy’s property.”
He went on to state that the victim, Snoddy, “came out of his house yelling at Isaac Foret with a gun.” Fusilier then said, “My client thought he would be seriously injured, so he shot him in self defense.”
Arvie’s indictment is the result of a shooting that occurred in Ville Platte at around 2:40 a.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2018. The body of the victim, who was identified as 30-year-old Holden Ardoin, wasn’t found until later that morning around 7:21 a.m.
According to a release from the Ville Platte Police Department, residents who live in the area told law enforcement officers that “one gun shot was heard at around 2:40 a.m.” The release also stated that at the time of the incident, “one of the residents in the area who heard the gun shot, looked out of his residence and saw multiple black males in the yard and roadway.” The witness also stated that “the subjects got into in a vehicle and left the area.”
Originally, Arvie was charged with one count of second degree murder and one count of carrying a firearm by a convicted felon. However, following the grand jury decision on Wednesday, the 24-year-old now faces a manslaughter charge.
Look for follow up stories on these matters in the Ville Platte Gazette as more information is released.