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Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell announced that Duane Ryan Jr. was found guilty as charged of Manslaughter by a Lafourche parish jury after a two-day trial presided over by the Honorable Rebecca Robichaux.
The case stemmed from a violent incident outside a casino in Matthews, captured on surveillance footage. Ryan was seen striking the victim, 59-year-old Chris Chaisson Sr. of Matthews, in the head while the victim’s hands were in his pockets.
Moments earlier, Ryan and a female were captured on camera arguing inside a vehicle in what appeared to be a heated exchange, involving tugging back and forth on a bag. Ryan eventually exited the vehicle and stood in the driver’s side doorway, continuing the argument. Meanwhile, the victim exited the casino and paused in front of the vehicle, which was situated along the path to his own parked car.
“Based on our observation of the footage, we believe the victim paused to ensure the female’s safety as he was observing a man standing in the doorway of a female in a heated argument and tug-of-war with a bag,” said Chief of Violent Crimes Shaun George, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant District Attorney Alissa Leboeuf. “While not entirely definitive, the video does show the victim standing non-aggressively, with both hands in his pockets, positioned on the opposite side from the defendant, and appearing to retreat moments before being violently struck in the head by the defendant.”
Testimony during the trial revealed that Ryan did a countdown before assaulting the victim, who laid motionless in the parking lot for thirteen minutes before being discovered.
George continued, “It sends chills down your spine to watch a man who was being a decent human being, a man who was leaving to go home to his wife because they planned to go camping, a man who was starting to slow down with his business to spend more time with his grandkids, lose his life simply because he didn’t ‘obey’ the defendant and ignore the disturbance.”
After the jury deliberated for just over an hour, the 12-person jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty. Ryan now faces up to 40 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
The Honorable Rebbecca Robichaux ordered that Ryan be kept in law enforcement custody pending his formal sentencing date in January of 2025.
