Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating an early morning shooting that claimed the lives of two Natchitoches men, according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Victor Jones Jr.

On Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 1:42 am, the NPSO 911 Center received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 200 block of Michelle Drive in Payne Sub-Division off of La. Hwy 6 East in the Grand Ecore area of Natchitoches.

Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Division responded to the area.

Shortly after arriving in the area, deputies found a 2000 Nissan passenger car in the ditch that struck a tree.

Inside the vehicle, deputies discovered two males suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS, NPSO Criminal Investigators, Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington and the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office responded to the scene.

Both victims identified as 24-year-old Cordarious Cortez Smith, (the driver) of the 300 block of Prather Street, Natchitoches, La. and his passenger 24-year-old Rodney D. Richards, of the 800 block of Brewton Street, Natchitoches, La. were pronounced dead at the scene by the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office.

Both bodies are undergoing autopsies to determine the cause of death.

Sheriff Victor Jones along with eight investigators and six patrol deputies processed the crime scene throughout the night with special lighting equipment brought to the scene in an effort to gather evidence.

Sheriff Jones said detectives at this time are diligently continuing the investigation, interviewing residents in the area and speaking to possible witnesses in the early stages of this senseless double homicide.

Detectives say the suspect/or suspects fled the area shortly after the shooting.

Detectives are asking the public for their help in solving this case. If you have any information or observed any suspicious activity in the area around 1:40am this morning, please contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-352-6432 or the Criminal Investigations Division at 318-357-7830.