The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit has charged Shannon E. Morris, Jr., 26, Lake Charles, after a series of crimes that began in Calcasieu Parish and extended into neighboring parishes.
A Lake Charles man is facing more charges following a multi-parish crime spree last week.
Shannon Morris Jr., 26, already has been booked with charges related to crimes in Acadia and Lafayette parishes, where he was finally arrested.
The incidents began in Calcasieu Parish.
According to to CPSO deputies, they were called early on January 31 to investigate a sexual assault. The victim told deputies Morris arrived at her home around 3 a.m., forced his way inside, demanded money from her, raped her and threatened her life, claiming he had a gun. He stole her gun and forced her to drive him to a location in Iowa.
Deputies also were called to a location in Iowa, where another victim told them a man approached her with a gun and demanded a ride to Jennings. She tried to give him her car, but he forced her into the passenger seat and started driving on Interstate 10, and drove into Acadia Parish - where law enforcement there has several charges against him.
Investigators also allege that Morris went to another victim's home on January 30 and sexually assaulted her. She said he locked her in a room, claiming to have a gun. She was eventually able to get him to leave, deputies say.
Detectives obtained warrants for Morris, accusing him of second-degree rape, theft of a firearm, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, second-degree kidnapping, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, attempted second-degree rape, sexual battery and false imprisonment.
He's still in Lafayette's jail, but his bond on the Calcasieu charges is $3.23 million. He also has a hold from Probation and Parole.
Multiple parishes and agencies have ongoing investigations in this case, including CPSO, the Acadia Sheriff's Office, Crowley Police, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and the Duson Police Department.
CPSO Special Victims Unit Detective Elizabeth Ivey is the lead investigator on the Calcasieu Parish case.
Here's what we reported previously on the incidents last week and Morris' arrests:
Morris was arrested on Friday in Lafayette, where law enforcement allege his four-parish crime spree ended in Duson.
It started with a stolen vehicle in Calcasieu Parish, Lafayette deputies say. Morris then traveled to Acadia Parish, committing various additional crimes. Morris was able to elude capture in Acadia Parish and later entered Lafayette Parish, where further offenses occurred.
Morris was ultimately taken into custody by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Morris was arrested and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center for First-degree Rape, False Imprisonment, Aggravated Burglary, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling, and Illegal Possession of Stolen Things.
On Friday, Crowley Police Chief Troy Hebert told us that his officers were called to the Burger King Friday morning.
Witnesses said a man came to the restaurant and asked to use the phone. Once he finished, he left and approached an employee there, who was sitting in a vehicle. She rolled down her passenger side window to see what he wanted, and he pulled a gun.
The man got into the car, hit the worker in the head with his gun, and forced her out of the car. He drove away, and the police were called.
While they were there, police were notified of an armed robbery at Wal-Mart. When they arrived, they learned the man had used the stolen car to drive to Wal-Mart, again pulled his gun and took the phone of a shopper who was walking into the store. He fled, again in the car he stole from the Burger King.
Officers learned during their investigation that a string of similar incidents in Iowa, Acadia Parish, Crowley, Rayne and Lafayette Parish, where he was captured and arrested.
