In the early morning hours of February 19, 2021, the life of 38-year-old Chance Benoit was tragically cut short in his Thibodaux, Louisiana home. A male native and resident of Thibodaux, Benoit was a beloved son, brother, and friend with a passion for computer science, in which he held a bachelor's degree. His friends and family remember him as a great guy with the biggest heart.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office responded to a report of gunshots on West Camelia Drive at
approximately 1:10 a.m. Upon arrival at Benoit's residence, deputies discovered him with apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of his final moments.
Detectives learned that Louis Foret, a 29-year-old from Morgan City, had been at Benoit's home when a physical altercation erupted between them. The fight escalated, and Foret allegedly brandished a gun, shooting Benoit multiple times. Investigators believe Foret shot Benoit from a distance before walking closer and firing again at close range.
Foret was taken into custody for questioning on the afternoon of the shooting. During his time at the Criminal Operations Center in Lockport, he attempted to escape but was quickly apprehended. Foret was subsequently charged with Second Degree Murder and Simple Escape and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex.
Moments before his trial was set to begin, Louis Foret pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Chance Benoit. He was immediately sentenced to a mandatory life sentence in prison without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. The Lafourche Parish District Attorney's office stated that the plea achieved justice for Benoit and his family.
