Police: Two Louisiana fraud investigators killed; suspect dead

Two insurance fraud investigators slain at Louisiana businessThey were killed in Ville Platte, north of LafayetteThe suspect in their deaths died of self-inflicted wound, police said

(CNN) -- Two Louisiana insurance fraud investigators were killed Tuesday while attempting to collect information from an insurance agent who was later found dead, officials said.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon identified the investigators as Rhett Jeansonne and Kim Sledge.

The insurance agent had previously faced criminal charges and civil sanctions, according to police and the insurance office.

"My deepest sympathies go out to the loved ones of our two departed colleagues, in particular, the surviving spouses and children of these brave individuals," Donelon said in a statement.

Police in Ville Platte, about 50 miles north of Lafayette, got a call of shots fired at Lavergne Insurance about 1 p.m., said Trooper Stephen Hammons, spokesman for Louisiana State Police.

The two investigators were transported to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead, he said. It was not immediately clear why specifically they had gone to the business.

State and local SWAT officers tried to make contact with the person barricaded inside the business. They later made entry and found suspect Melvin Lavergne, 67, dead of a self-inflicted wound, Hammons said.

They found a long rifle, but Hammons did not know if it was believed to be the weapon used to shoot the investigators.

Troopers in January arrested the suspect, also referred to as John Melvin Lavergne, on a complaint alleging he conducted unfair trade practices.

The insurance department said Lavergne was served by Department of Insurance Fraud Section investigators with a summary suspension of his license, a cease-and-desist order, a $4,500 fine notice and notice of proposed license revocation for alleged misappropriation of insurance premiums. An update on that case was not immediately available Tuesday night.

The insurance department said that Lavergne failed to remit more than $1,160 in premiums to insurance companies, which resulted in four of his clients having their insurance policies canceled due to non-payment of premiums, it said in a January 2011 press release.

In November 2009, the department announced Lavergne's licenses would be suspended six months because he allegedly provided fraudulent proof of insurance to a motor vehicles department on four occasions. It also fined him $16,500.

CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report.

CNN

For Louisiana town, a collective gasp as it braces for floodwaters

Butte La Rose, Louisiana (CNN) -- On a two-lane road that cuts through a dense forest of Louisiana cypress trees, intermingled with narrow, dark creeks, sits a small community trapped in the path of a looming disaster.

Hundreds of people packed into the Butte La Rose firehouse to learn about the flood projections from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Col. Ed Fleming delivered the dire news.

"Listen to me, listen to me, OK," he said. "I'm telling you the depth of water from right here will be 15 feet."

The number stunned the crowd.

Pierre Watermeyer turned to friends and said, "It's over with, it's over with."

Open story: iReporters/CNN journalists cover the flood

The 15-foot flood prediction in Butte La Rose is based on the Corps inundation map if and when the Morganza Spillway is opened.

In the coming days, it's expected that the Mississippi River Commission will give the Corps permission to open the floodgates of the Morganza Spillway.

Residents flee as officials await word on spillway

That will redirect floodwaters from the Mississippi River through the Atchafalaya River Basin, which runs between Baton Rouge and Lafayette south toward Morgan City.

There are more than 800 homes in the Butte La Rose area of St. Martins Parish, which sits right in the flood path. It's home to an eclectic collection of Cajuns who've come to this hideaway for generations to drift through the hidden waters catching crawfish. They call their homes "camps."

Each has funny names like Timbuktu, Abracadabra and Bahama Mama's.

Watermeyer finished designing and painting his red and yellow camp sign a few weeks ago, calling his home "Last Dance."

"I always wanted to name the camp Last Dance," he said as he packed his belongings.

But now, he is racing against the clock to salvage what he can before the floodwaters start to swell and creep out of the tree lines.

He's removed cabinets, sinks, the refrigerator and furniture, and he even plans to disconnect his air-conditioning unit and take that, too.

Butte La Rose will soon be a ghost town. Residents are packing up and heading out.

"It's just a somber mood. Everybody's just doing what they got to do," Watermeyer said. "At least we have time to get out."

After the town meeting in the town firehouse, Kelli Trimm stood next to her husband, sobbing.

"It's worse than we thought," Trimm said. "It's going to take everything, everything we've got. It's scary. It's going to take out our whole community."

Trimm and her husband moved to Butte La Rose after her husband lost a leg while rescuing people after Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana.

It's worse than we thought. It's going to take everything, everything we've got. It's scary. It's going to take out our whole community.
--Kelli Trimm, resident

She said it's taken them five years to pay for their modest home. Inside the firehouse, Fleming could sense the tension and fear.

Stunned residents just stared at him, as if they were waiting for someone to tell them they'd just woken up from a horrifying nightmare.

In a thick Massachusetts accent, Fleming told the audience about moving 14 times in his 22-year military career.

The crowd got quiet as the colonel leaned over the podium and his voice started to quiver.

"It's an interesting thing," Fleming said. "When that moving truck drives away, and you're standing in your driveway with your family and a couple of suitcases and a box. That's when you find out what's important to you."

The poignant moment came with one last ominous warning.

It will take almost two days for the waters to start rushing into Butte La Rose after the floodgates of the Morganza Spillway are opened. After that, officials say the floodwaters could sit here until mid-June.

"When they tell you it's time to evacuate, you need to heed their warning because it's serious," Fleming told the crowd.

With that, the residents of Butte La Rose returned to their camps and kept loading trailers with boxes full of personal treasures.

Watermeyer says he plans to stick around Butte La Rose until the water starts to touch his newly painted "Last Dance" camp sign.

He wants to take that picture, then pack up the sign and head for higher ground.

But Watermeyer makes it clear that he will be back, even if it takes weeks.

"It's not going to be the last dance, it's not going to be. We'll dance again around here," he says.

CNN

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Louisiana legislature considers 'birther' bill

New 'birther' bill emerges in LouisianaSTORY HIGHLIGHTSPresident Barack Obama has fought allegations that he wasn't born in the United SatesThe "birther" debate has questioned his qualifications under the ConstitutionThe Constitution stipulates only a "natural born citizen" can be presidentNow, legislation is being considered in Louisiana (CNN) -- It's not specifically called a "birther" bill and it doesn't mention President Barack Obama by name, but proposed state legislation in Louisiana appears to be the latest attempt to keep alive arguments over whether Obama can prove he was born in the United States.

The proposed Louisiana legislation would require an affidavit to accompany documents, including a birth certificate and a sworn statement that identifies the candidate's place of residence for the preceding 14 years, for someone to qualify for the presidential ballot. Similar requirements are set for other offices including Congress.

Bill co-sponsor state Sen. A.G. Crowe told CNN's "AC360" Thursday night that his constituents wanted the legislation, although he said he had no comment on whether Obama was born in the United States.

"The issue won't go away," said Crowe, a Republican.

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Decapitated bald eagle found in Louisiana ditch

By Mark Morgenstein, CNN STORY HIGHLIGHTSA bald eagle with its head cut off is found in a drainage ditch in northeastern Louisiana Bald eagles are federally protected; killing one could bring fines and jail timeA hotline number is available for people who have information about the incident (CNN) -- A brutal, fatal case of suspected cruelty to animals is under investigation in Louisiana, the state's wildlife department said in a press release Tuesday.

The animal cruelty doesn't involve the typical household pet. This time, the United States' national bird was victimized.

Agents from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries found a beheaded bald eagle Sunday in a drainage ditch in Franklin Parish, in the northeastern part of the state, according to the release.

"To see any protected animal decapitated in a ditch is disheartening enough, let alone the animal that represents our symbol of freedom," said Capt. Alan Bankston of the wildlife department.

The agents believe the bird had been dead for a couple of days before it was found. Wildlife and Fisheries spokesman Adam Einck said the eagle was found in a very remote location, and agents are unsure if the bird was killed there, or slain somewhere else and dumped there.

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