4 indicted in murder case

A Lafourche Parish grand jury indicted four Hispanic men Friday of first-degree murder for allegedly killing a 34-year-old Cut Off woman on May 8, according to the District Attorney’s office.

Authorities found Angela Laudun’s body in a Golden Meadow field the morning after her family reported her missing.

Indicted Friday were Esdras, Garcia, 21, Luis Nava, 28, Jose Moreno, 24, and Gonzalo Cortes, 20, all of whom authorities said resided at 3201 Earhart Drive in Houma.

The grand jury returned a true bill against each of the men for first-degree murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. However, Lafourche District Attorney Cam Morvant said in a press release that his office has not decided whether it will seek the death penalty in any of the four cases.

“The death penalty is an extreme punishment, and one which our office does not seek lightly,” Morvant said. “We intend to be very deliberate with this decision, and will only seek the death penalty if we are convinced that it is the right thing to do with regard to each individual defendant and each particular case.”

All four men are accused of murdering Laudun during the course of an aggravated rape, which constitutes a specific element of the crime of first-degree murder.

Also Friday, the grand jury returned a no true bill against DeCraig Young in connection with the May 7 death of Courtney Allen.

Authorities found Allen lying unresponsive in the 1600 block of Badt Avenue in Thibodaux following an altercation with Young.

According to the release, the grand jury did not find enough evidence to charge Young. Both men reportedly voluntarily agreed to fight each other that night, Morvant said.

The district attorney said he was satisfied with the grand jury’s finding, and that his office would not take further action in the case.