In the quiet community of Monroe, Louisiana, a heart-wrenching story unfolded on October 29, 2021, forever altering the lives of a young family. On that autumn day, 24-year-old April Edmisson Bardwell, a White female, and her eight-month-old daughter, Riley, were found deceased in their home on Old Sterlington Road. The scene that greeted deputies was one of unimaginable horror; both mother and child were discovered in a large pool of blood, having sustained apparent gunshot wounds.
The
sole suspect in this devastating act was April's husband and Riley's father, Blake Bardwell. At the time of the incident, Bardwell was a deputy at the Ouachita Correctional Center, a position he had held since December 2019. He was present at the residence when law enforcement arrived and was immediately taken into custody. Following his arrest, he was terminated from his position. After being read his Miranda rights, Blake Bardwell admitted to shooting his wife and infant daughter.
The legal proceedings that followed moved swiftly. Blake Bardwell was charged with two counts of second-degree murder. In January 2022, a Ouachita Parish Grand Jury returned a true bill, formally indicting him on these charges. Ultimately, Bardwell pleaded guilty to the murders of his wife and child. For his crimes, he received two life sentences, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his days behind bars. The tragic loss of April, a dedicated critical care nurse and the salutatorian of her high school class, and her innocent daughter left a permanent scar on their family, friends, and the entire Monroe community.
