In a tragic turn of events that cut a life short, William Mitchell, a 36-year-old male, was killed on January 17, 2022, in Metairie, Louisiana. He was the victim of a fatal shooting that also claimed the life of his roommate, 38-year-old Jonathan Pizzuto. The two men were ambushed in their home while they were relaxing and playing video games.
The perpetrator, Cody Labranche, 30, of Ponchatoula, carried out the attack with a chilling motive.
Labranche held Pizzuto responsible for the death of his sister, Brittany, who had been in a long-term relationship with Pizzuto and had died of a drug overdose in their shared home in July 2020. This deeply seated grudge culminated in the violent events of that January evening.
On the night of the murders, Labranche drove from his home in Ponchatoula to the residence on Rosa Avenue in Metairie. In an attempt to cover his tracks, he removed the license plate from his vehicle and left his cell phone behind. He entered the home through an unlocked side door and opened fire on Pizzuto and Mitchell in the living room. After the shooting, Labranche searched the apartment for the urn containing his sister's ashes but was unable to find it. He then fled the scene, taking a dog that had belonged to his sister and Pizzuto.
The bodies of the two victims were discovered by a friend who had arrived at the house to play video games with them. An investigation by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office quickly identified Labranche as a suspect due to his known animosity towards Pizzuto. Surveillance footage from neighboring residences captured his car at the scene of the crime.
In November 2024, a Jefferson Parish jury found Cody Labranche guilty of the first-degree murders of both William Mitchell and Jonathan Pizzuto. The jury deliberated for only 35 minutes before reaching their verdict. Labranche was also convicted of obstruction of justice.
