Duhon sentenced for 2011 shootings

St. Martinville – At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 16th Judicial District Court Judge Curtis Sigur sentenced Darrin Duhon to 48 years in prison for the shooting of a former Breaux Bridge police chief, his wife and her mother in 2012.
Mildred Hebert, 90, died from her wounds months later. Former Police Chief Charlie Thibodeaux and his wife Emmaline both survived the shooting, which occurred in their home in the 700 block of Main Street in Breaux Bridge on Sept. 1, 2012. Duhon was arrested later the same day after fleeing to Abbeville.
Duhon was married to Mildred Hebert’s granddaughter in 2011. She was eight months pregnant when the shooting occurred. Duhon was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder, then one charge was upgraded to murder when Hebert died on Jan. 11, 2013.
Charges were eventually pled down to one count of manslaughter and two of attempted manslaughter.
Duhon’s defense team, led by public defender Gary Legros, said that his actions were the result of post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). They contended that he was never the same after his service in the Marine Corps during the Iraq war. His wife and mother-in-law testified that he “went to war and came back damaged.” They said he had been subject to panic attacks caused by any loud noises, such as slamming doors.
Duhon was dishonorably discharged from the military for drug use, which made him ineligible for psychological treatment from the V.A.
Baton Rouge psychologist Marc L. Zimmerman testified as an expert witness for the defense. He said that Duhon displayed the classic symptoms of PTSD and was probably not in control of his actions at the time of the shootings.
Duhon took the stand and said that on the morning of Sept. 1, a rock thrown by a lawnmower hit a window of his mother-in-law’s trailer, waking him and bringing on an episode of PTSD which culminated in the shootings. He claimed to have no memory of actual incident.
The prosecutor, Asst. Attorney General Marty White, pointed out that in two previous psychological evaluations, examiners had concluded that no evidence of PTSD was present. Duhon admitted to the use of the prescription drugs Aderall and Lortab. He was reportedly also drinking to excess and using marijuana in the days preceding the attack.
The prosecution contended that previous testimony conflicted with the defendant’s narrative of that morning. In another version in the record, Duhon was awakened that morning by his brother and went with him to work on a construction site. They got in an argument and Duhon left the job in anger.
He alledgedly attempted to choke his wife before driving to the scene of the shootings. He retrieved a 9 mm semi-automic hand gun he had left there after an order of protection had been issued against him. Duhon then shot the three victims multiple times each.
In rendering his sentencing decision Judge Sigur said that he placed little value on the PTSD theory, citing the fact that Duhon’s actions following the crime consisted of a series of seemingly-rational actions and a concerted attempt to avoid arrest. He picked up his four-year-old son and took him to his brother at the latter’s job site. Then he fled the Breaux Bridge area and attempted to hijack a car. He was arrested following a high-speed chase.
Duhon was sentenced to 40 years for the killing of Mildred Hebert and eight years each for the shootings of Charlie and Emily Thibodeaux. The two eight year sentences will run concurrently, but consecutively with the 40 year sentence. The defense said they will appeal the decision.