HOUMA — A grand jury indicted three Terrebonne Parish residents this week for their alleged roles in a March 4 robbing and stabbing off Park Avenue.
Jurors, who met behind closed doors and heard evidence from prosecutors, also indicted suspects in rape and cruelty-to-juvenile cases.
The decisions mean enough evidence exists to prosecute but does not indicate guilt or innocence. An indictment allows prosecutors to proceed with cases against the accused.
Shelby Norman, 24, 524 Roanoke St., Houma, and Ronald Poindexter, 33, 416 Morgan St., Houma, are accused of stabbing two men during a robbery at 121 Bennet Court in Houma.
Police found the victims at 7:30 a.m. on the narrow street off Park Avenue.
Rene Chaisson, 48, who lives in an apartment at the address, was moderately injured with wounds to his leg and upper body, said Lt. Jude McElroy, Houma Police chief detective.
Joseph Medice Jr., 46, who was visiting Chaisson, was critically injured with wounds to his chest, arms and torso.
Medice was robbed during the attack.
Norman turned himself over to police March 6, two days after the incident, and Poindexter was arrested at his home the same day, McElroy said. Each faces two counts of attempted-first-degree murder.
During the investigation, Tiffany Marie Diggs, 22, 128 Stovall St., was arrested for allegedly refusing to cooperate with detectives and is accused of planning the crime. She also faces two attempted-first-degree murder charges.
Norman, Poindexter and Diggs remained Friday Terrebonne Parish jail. The suspects could face 10 to 50 years in jail for each of count.
The grand jury also indicted Tiffany Gasery, 31, Mobile Estates Drive, Gray, for cruelty to a juvenile. She is accused of beating her 8-year-old son March 13 after he threw up on her floor.
Terrebonne Parish sheriff’s deputies responded to her son’s school after employees there reported finding severe bruises on his back. Deputies said Gasery beat him with a belt.
Gasery has been released from jail on $50,000 bond. If convicted, she could face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 10 years behind bars.
Richard Paul Naquin, 42, 20874 La. 1, Golden Meadow, was indicted for allegedly having oral and anal sex with a 9-year-old boy. He was arrested in March and charged with aggravated rape.
If convicted, Naquin could face life in prison.
Naquin is being held at the Terrebonne Parish jail in lieu of $1 million bond.
Staff writer Matthew Pleasant can be reached at 857-2202 or matthew.pleasant@houmatoday.com.
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