Press Releases

Deputies Investigate Burglary/Shooting

Sunday, July 14, 2002

On Friday, July 12, 2002 shortly after 5PM, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Deputies responded to a burglary in progress call in the 500th block of Guillot Road, just south of Youngsville. Upon arrival, Deputies spotted a white male standing in the doorway of the residence, armed with a shotgun. The subject discharged several rounds from the gun inside of the residence, and then fled on foot into a nearby sugarcane field. Through the investigation, Deputies learned that the suspect was a 23 year old white male named Chad Viator from Youngsville. A search of the area began, but it was not until the next morning, Saturday, July 13, 2002, at approximately 9:17 AM, that Viator was found in a nearby sugarcane field with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound that proved fatal.

Lt Craig Stansbury
Public Information Officer
Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office
337-236-5876