The Lake Charles Police Department has made an arrest in a 23-year-old cold case.
Earlier this month, officers arrested 46-year-old Marvin Dandre Kyer of Douglasville, Ga., and 49-year-old Terrance Lee Malvo of Sulphur, and booked each man on a warrant accusing him of second-degree murder.
The two are accused in connection with a shooting at The Doll House that happened on New Year's Day 2000.
On that day, officers were called to the 2500 block of Mill Street, where they found three people who had been shot. LaShonda Harmon, 24 at the time; Shonda Woods, 24 at the time; and Allen Babineaux, 27, were all transported to local hospitals with gunshot wounds.
Babineaux died, police say.
The investigation initially was handled by the parish Violent Crimes Task Force, and then was transferred back to Lake Charles Police. Last year, the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office asked LCPD to look into the case again, and an investigative team was formed under the direction of LCPD’s Deputy Chief Franklin Fondel, who oversees the Department’s Investigations Bureau. In addition to Deputy Chief Fondel, other team members included Major Kevin Kirkum, Detective Sergeant Willie Fontenot and Crime Scene Technician Kristen Howell.
The Investigators initiated a brand new inquiry into the January 2000 shooting, reviewing all existing case files and evidence. They also revisited the crime scene, completing a complete reconstruction of the incident.
With the crime scene reconstruction completed, Investigators reviewed all evidence with the Southwest Louisiana Crime Laboratory and the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office. This collaborative effort resulted in evidence being submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory for additional forensic testing.
Through the course of a lengthy investigation, and as result of forensic technology and witness statements, Investigators were able to identify two suspects, Kyer and Malvo, and they obtained warrants for the men in mid-January.
After obtaining arrest warrants, LCPD Investigators, joined by Sergeant George Miller, LCPD’s liaison with the US Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force, made contact with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to alert them of the active arrest warrant for Kyer.
Investigators traveled to Georgia and were able to arrest Kyer without incident at his home on February 1. The US Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office assisted LCPD in apprehending Kyer.
LCPD’s Crime Scene Technician collected additional evidence at Kyer’s residence through the service of a search warrant.
When they returned to Louisiana, investigators served the warrant on Malvo on February 3, and he was arrested without incident at his home.
Both remain in the Calcasieu Parish jail in lieu of $1 million bond each.
This remains an ongoing investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact Sgt. Willie Fontenot by calling (337) 491-1311.
