Officials say a Rayne couple fatally shot their 9-year-old son and their family dog before both committed suicide.
Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly tells The Advocate that officer found the bodies of 35-year-old Emery Meaux Jr., 25-year-old Dana Lynn Vincent and their son in the family's mobile home Sunday.
Stelly said two suicide notes were found at the scene.
He said the state Office of Community Services had recently visited the family, although he could not elaborate on the reasons behind that visit.
OCS investigates child abuse and neglect cases.
Stelly said the investigation is ongoing and declined to comment on some specific questions about the case, although he did say that part of the investigation would examine the couple's alleged drug addiction.
In what officials initially determined to be a double-murder and suicide, Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly said Monday that investigations have led police to think it was a murder and double-suicide.
Emery Meaux Jr., 35, and Dana Lynn Vincent, 25, were identified as the two adults in a Sunday shooting in Rayne, and police said they will not release the identity of the child.
Stelly said investigators found evidence at the home in the form of suicide notes that made it clear to police that the 9-year-old child was murdered, followed by Meaux's and Vincent's suicides.
Rayne police responded to the 300 block of West Jeff Davis Avenue — the home of Meaux and Vincent — about 2 p.m. Sunday where they found the bodies of the three victims.
Christie Dupuis, Meaux's cousin, said Sunday afternoon that she didn't know why it happened but said substance abuse may have been a factor.
Stelly said toxicology and other chemical tests are under way and the investigation is ongoing.
After the deaths of a Rayne family Aug. 1, some of their friends said the violence involved in the tragic incident came out of nowhere.
Rayne police found Emery Meaux Jr., 35, Dana Vincent, 25, and Devon Meaux, 9, dead in a home on the 300 block of West Jeff Davis Avenue. Suicide notes found at the home led police to believe that Devon Meaux was killed and his parents committed suicide.
Family friends have speculated that day's tragedy stemmed from a case by the state Department of Children and Family Services, which investigates cases of child abuse and neglect.
Trey Williams, department spokesman, said there was an open case for the family but could not elaborate because of privacy laws.
Robert Foreman, who knew the family for about 20 years, said OCS was threatening to take Devon Meaux away from his parents.
"Child protection was supposed to come Monday," he said. "Before he could see his son taken away for some (expletive), I think they both came to a conclusion that this is what needed to happen."
Patrick Dugas said Emery Meaux couldn't bear to see his son live with anyone else and thinks it "put the nail in the coffin."
Devon Meaux attended Martin Petitjean Elementary School until January, Principal Kim Cummins said. The child was taken out of school to begin home-schooling, she said. Cummins said she could not elaborate on the situation because of child privacy laws.
Dugas, who owns Pat's Body Shop in Duson, said Emery Meaux worked for him since January 2006, adding that Meaux would give 110 percent in anything he put his mind to.
"All he tried to do was take care of his family," Dugas said. "He loved that kid so much."
Foreman said he had never seen Emery Meaux or Vincent show any signs of violence toward each other or their son.
"That little boy was their life. They did everything for that child," he said. "I've never even heard them argue. I've known (Emery Meaux) for so long that even if you slapped him, he wouldn't fight you. He would just walk away."
Dugas also said the violence shocked him.
"They never hit that little boy," he said. "They disciplined him the right way. All Dana had to do was give him this little look, and Devon would listen.
"I could have never believed (Emery Meaux) would have done that."
Dugas said Emery Meaux would take his son everywhere.
"He loved to fish with his family," Dugas said. "He would always go out to the canals with his little boy and take him fishing. He was a good fisherman, too — always catching a bunch of catfish."
Emery Meaux would take his son to see movies, too, Dugas said. "They did almost everything with him," he said.
Brenda Wheeler, a neighbor of the Meauxs, said of the few times she interacted with them, she thought they were good people, adding that she never had any complaints about the family.
"I would always see her swinging her baby every morning outside," she said. "My son would play with (Devon) all the time ... riding bikes or jumping on the trampoline."