A Tuesday night in Independence, Louisiana, turned tragic, leaving a community in shock and mourning the loss of one of their own. Joseph Cormier, a 43-year-old White/Caucasian male, was fatally shot on December 15, 2015, in a violent outburst that also claimed the life of another individual before the gunman took his own. The incident, which unfolded at Angie's Bar on Highway 51 North, was deemed a murder-suicide by authorities, leaving no suspects to be arrested.
On that evening,
Cormier was at the bar with 38-year-old April Ransom. April was a bartender at Angie's, though she was not working at the time, and Cormier was an occasional DJ at the establishment. The two shared an address. Also present at the bar was April's estranged husband, 35-year-old Thomas Ransom. Witnesses reported that Thomas and April were seen speaking at the bar. The conversation, which was overheard to be about losing a home, was described as not friendly but not an outright fight.
After their conversation ended, April Ransom turned to walk away. At that point, Thomas Ransom followed her and shot her multiple times with a handgun. He then turned the weapon on Joseph Cormier, shooting him multiple times as well. In the final act of the tragedy, Thomas Ransom turned the gun on himself, ending his own life. The Independence Police Chief described the event as a tragic and unexpected incident for the small town.
The investigation that followed confirmed the events as a murder-suicide. Surveillance footage from the bar and accounts from several witnesses who were present during the shooting corroborated the sequence of events. With the perpetrator deceased, the case was considered closed by the Independence Police Department, which was assisted in processing the crime scene by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. The tragic event left the community to grapple with the sudden loss of three lives, including that of Joseph Cormier, who was remembered by friends as a character with a big heart who would give the shirt off his back to anyone. A relative mentioned his deep love for his grandbaby and his dedication as a hard worker. The three children of Thomas and April Ransom were taken into the care of the Department of Children and Family Services.
