In the quiet community of Charenton, Louisiana, a Saturday morning in January 2013 was shattered by a spree of violence that resulted in the death of 52-year-old Frederick Albert Riggenbach, a sergeant with the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department. On January 26th, reports of a mobile home fire and a man armed with a shotgun on Flatown Road prompted a response from law enforcement.
Sergeant Riggenbach was the first to arrive at the scene, which was located near the Cypress Bayou Casino.
Upon his arrival, Sergeant Riggenbach was fatally shot with a shotgun. The gunman then opened fire on two St. Mary Parish sheriff's deputies, Jason Javier and Matthew Strickland, as they arrived moments later, leaving both critically wounded. The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Wilbert Thibodeaux of Charenton, was also wounded at some point during the confrontation and was subsequently taken into custody. After the fire at the mobile home was extinguished, the body of its owner, 78-year-old Eddie 'Pink' Lyons, was discovered inside.
Wilbert Thibodeaux was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Sergeant Riggenbach and Mr. Lyons, two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the wounding of the two deputies, and one count of arson. It was reported that Thibodeaux had a history of mental illness. Following the incident, he was held in the Iberia Parish Jail before being transferred to a state penitentiary. In November 2014, Thibodeaux was declared insane and committed to a mental institution.
Sergeant Riggenbach, a U.S. Navy veteran, was a respected figure in local law enforcement, with a 15-year career that included over a decade with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office before he joined the Chitimacha Police Department. His death was a significant loss to the community, and he was remembered as a hero whose actions likely prevented further harm. He is survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
