Zoren O'Brien, an 81-year-old man, and his wife, Joan O'Brien, 73, were tragically found deceased inside their Iowa, Louisiana, home on the morning of August 29, 2020. A family member made the grim discovery and immediately contacted the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office. From the outset, investigators suspected a double homicide. The Calcasieu Coroner's Office would later confirm the cause of death for both Zoren and Joan O'Brien.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly progressed. Detectives determined that the incident was not a random act of violence. Their focus soon turned to Scot Martin Kidd, a 36-year-old from Kinder, who had a prior connection to the O'Brien family. It was revealed that Kidd had previously stayed with the couple and had gone on hunting trips with Zoren. The evidence against Kidd began to mount when his blood was discovered on a flashlight found near the bodies of the victims. Furthermore, some of Joan O'Brien's jewelry was found in the possession of Kidd's estranged girlfriend.
In October 2021, Scot M. Kidd faced a jury and was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Zoren and Joan O'Brien. During the trial, Kidd put forth a claim of self-defense, testifying that Zoren O'Brien had accidentally shot his wife, and that he, in turn, killed Zoren to protect himself. However, the prosecution presented a different narrative, arguing that Kidd had broken into the O'Brien's home with the intent to rob them, and ultimately murdered the couple. The court rejected Kidd's appeal, and his conviction for the murders was upheld.
