In the quiet city of Opelousas, Louisiana, the life of 37-year-old Kelly J. 'Dougie' Guidry, an African American man, was violently cut short on the night of Saturday, January 23, 2021. Guidry was ambushed near the intersection of North Market Street and Cheney Street, where he was shot multiple times. The sounds of gunfire alerted neighbors and a nearby police officer.
Investigators arriving at the scene discovered a harrowing sight; Guidry was found near the railroad tracks, and the area was littered with over twenty. 223 and 5.56 casings, indicating the use of semi-automatic weapons.
The investigation into Guidry's death quickly identified two suspects: Marcus Chenier, 24, of Opelousas, and Jevon Figaro, 23, of Lafayette. In the hours following the shooting, the two men fled the state, purchasing one-way plane tickets to Las Vegas, Nevada. However, their escape was short-lived. Through a collaborative effort, the Opelousas Police Department and U.S. Marshals tracked the suspects down. Chenier was apprehended in Las Vegas, while Figaro eventually turned himself in to authorities. Both men were subsequently booked into the St. Landry Parish Jail.
Chenier and Figaro were charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and criminal damage to property. Chenier also faced an additional charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Their case went to trial, a seven-day proceeding that marked the first joint murder trial in St. Landry Parish in over a quarter of a century. The prosecution built a compelling case, presenting evidence that included flight records from Spirit Airlines, cell phone records, and testimony from a cooperating individual. After deliberating for less than two hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict for both Chenier and Figaro on the charge of second-degree murder. The conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
