Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are asking for the public’s help as they continue to investigate and look for clues in an almost 6-year-old cold case double homicide in Payne Su-Division that tragically claimed the lives on two Natchitoches men according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
On Wednesday morning, Aug. 8, 2018, 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 men were reportedly leaving a music studio when they were attacked by gunfire.
Both bodies underwent autopsies to determine the cause of death.
At that time, retired 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.
During the early stages of the investigation, detectives canvassed the neighborhood speaking to residents and interviewed possible witnesses in hopes of gathering enough probable cause and evidence to make arrests in the case, however, detectives received only limited information.
Detectives say the suspect/or suspects fled the area shortly after the homicide by shooting.
Sheriff Wright, said we don’t close open criminal cases, we continue to investigate them and hopefully gather enough evidence to identify, locate, and arrest individuals for senseless crimes committed in Natchitoches Parish.
Detectives are asking the public for their help in solving this case. If you have any information please contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau at 318-357-7830. You may also eligible for a reward by providing information to Crime Stoppers of Natchitoches at 318-238-2388. Crime Stoppers is not a law enforcement agency. Your tip will remain confidential.
KSLA News 12 featured the case in August of 2018.
