Jealousy Believed to be Motive in Fatal St. Landry Parish Shooting
Deputies with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office say they have arrested 18-year-old Jaden Michael Ardoin has been arrested on a charge of First Degree Murder in the death of Wade Edward Smith and the Attempted-First Degree Murder in the shooting of James Press Allen Vaughn.
Deputy Chief Eddie Thibodeaux shots were heard at around 7:30 Tuesday night near the area of the 9400 block of Highway 105 which is in the Melville area. We first reported on this story earlier this week.
A second person who was at the scene, James Preston Allen Vaughn was found to be injured, and he was taken to a Lafayette hospital. Thibodeaux says that when deputies showed up at the scene Vaughn was apparently standing next to a burnt vehicle.
What Do Detectives Think Happened?
Thibodeaux wrote this about the situation in a press release on social media:
According to the investigation report, both Smith and Vaughn were at a gas station were Ardoin's girlfriend worked and were regular customers Reports say the the two would routinely flirt with Ardoin's girlfriend when they would enter the gas statuoin but were asked by her not to do that anymore due to Ardoin being jealous. Both agreed not to interact with her and proceeded to the dining area to eat. Ardoin and another subject entered the gas station, Ardoin was upset that they were there and left upset. A very shot time later both Smith and Vaughn left the store.
Thibodeaux says that Ardoin followed and that shots were fired at the truck Smith and Vaughn were in. Wade Edward Smith was shot to death and James Preston Vaughn ended up being injured after being shot.
According to investigators Smith and Vaugh were being chased by Ardoin down the roadway, and they were being shot at. Wade told Vaughn he had been shot, so Vaughn grabbed the wheel, but unfortunately, he veered off the roadway and the truck hit a tree. The vehicle then burst into flames.