Manager, Guard fatally shot at La. Casino

[EMTGuard]

Since I don't have a link to this article I thought the next best thing would be to post it as a attachment. So I cut it from the newspaper and scanned it and present it here.
This is from the Saturday, March 4, 2006 edition of The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.

[EMTGuard]

Here is the same incident as reported in the local paper in the town of Houma. I would post the link directly but the website requires a subscription to read the stories so I thought I'd copy and paste the news here.
First was this article-

March 03. 2006 9:48AM

Two women fatally shot at La. 182 casino

BAYOU BLUE -- Two women, a guard and a manager, were killed by gunshots to the head at a small casino just before dawn this morning with no immediately apparent motive, authorities said.

A panic alarm went off around 5:10 a.m. at Lucky's Casino on La. 182 and the women were found dead shortly afterward, said Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter.

Because there was money found inside that was not taken by the shooter, Larpenter said the slayings may not be a robbery, though investigators have not ruled that motive out. Larpenter also said the women do not seem to have been involved in any domestic quarrels that would have led to a shooting.

[EMTGuard]

Next we saw this-

March 04. 2006 8:42AM

Suspect identified in casino slayings
By ROBERT MORRIS
The Courier

BAYOU BLUE -- Investigators have named the man they believe fatally shot two women at a highway casino Friday, saying surveillance videos clearly reveal a robbery motive for the slaying.

Romalis Gordon Jr., 34, was a regular at Lucky?s Casino on La. 182, where several employees quickly identified him when shown a photograph, said Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter.

Just after 5 a.m., Gordon walked into the casino and shot two employees in the head -- 63-year-old security guard Brenda Roberson and 29-year-old Schaeffer Francis -- taking some money but also leaving cash in plain view. That led investigators to frown on a robbery motive until they saw the sequence of events recorded by the cameras, Larpenter said.

"It was definitely execution-style murders, a cold-blooded execution," Larpenter said.

Larpenter said the security cameras clearly show the shootings from 11 different angles and that an intention to kill is evident in Gordon?s actions. Two other people, a customer and an employee, were in the casino when Gordon arrived, Larpenter said, but left before he began shooting.

"If they had stayed longer, it would have been four homicides instead of two," Larpenter said. "Both are fortunate they were not there."

Gordon pulled out the gun and went over to the seat the customer had left, Larpenter said. He then pulled the women out of the office and shot them in the middle of the casino, Larpenter said.

"He definitely planned to murder these individuals while in the commission of the robbery," Larpenter said. "If you look at the film, it will tell you. ? I do believe whoever would have been there at the time would have been executed also."

Gordon left with a "substantial amount" of money, Larpenter said, declining to specify exactly how much. Gordon also left money in plain view, however.

Gordon is not a native of Houma but has lived in the area for the past several years, Larpenter said. His last known address was 321 St. Francis St., though he has given several other addresses in other parishes, including the St. James Parish community of Vacherie, and other states.

Authorities planned a Friday night search of Gordon?s home, which had no cars in the driveway but the lights on, Larpenter said. While it?s unknown if he is still in the parish or the state, he may be traveling with his live-in girlfriend, Vanessa Marcel, 24.

Gordon is no stranger to violence or ill-gotten gains, Larpenter said -- his previous arrests include two armed robberies, an aggravated battery of a police officer, several assault charges, domestic abuse and issuing worthless checks.

Larpenter listed five known aliases for the suspect: Ro Gordon, Roe Gordon, Norman Dillon Jr., Lionel Batiste and John Doe. He has two vehicles -- a brown 1986 Chevrolet Camaro with license plate LHT281 and a black 1998 Ford pickup truck with license plate W024035. His girlfriend drives a four-door 2005 Honda Civic with license plate OBX151.

Investigators have entered all of Gordon?s identifying information into a national crime database so that if he is stopped by any police officer for any reason, he will show up as wanted, Larpenter said.

His arrest warrant shows him as wanted on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated armed robbery and, if convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Until she is found, investigators won?t know if Marcel will face any charges, Larpenter said, because they have not yet determined if she is with him or is even aware of the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Terrebonne Sheriff's Office at 876-2500.

[EMTGuard]

Then we see they arrrested their suspect-

March 04. 2006 5:33PM

Suspect arrested in casino slayings


HOUMA ? The man accused of shooting two women execution-style at the highway-side casino where they worked Friday morning has been arrested, authorities said, less than 24 hours from the time of the slayings.

Romalis Gordon Jr., 34, was caught driving on La. 1 in Lafourche Parish around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, according to a sheriff?s office news release.

He was identified from casino surveillance video that clearly show the robbery at the casino and the slayings of assistant manager Schaeffer Francis, 29, and security guard Brenda Roberson, 63, officials have said.

Detectives learned that Gordon was traveling in his girlfriend?s Honda Civic, and State police and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff?s Office assisted in his capture, the release states

[EMTGuard]

Now the good news is that they caught the guy. The bad news is that someone actually thought to put an UNARMED Security Guard in a Fracking Casino. What The FRACK?!?

[Lawson]

A lot of Casino Security around these parts is unarmed

[SgtUSMC8541]

Rest in peace.