A Lafayette Parish grand jury handed up indictments against three men in parish slayings.
Zaylin Natrel Sion, 21, of Carencro, was charged with two counts first-degree murder in connection with a June 2023 incident. The grand jury alleges that Sion was the shooter in a double homicide on South Orleans Drive in Lafayette. The incident happened at night outside a home, and left Denzel Smith, 21, and Codie Laday, 22, both of Lafayette, dead.
If convicted, Sion faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
The grand jury indicted Deondre Demonte Breaux, 26, on a manslaughter charge in connection with the December 2022 of Pernell John Cormier. At the time, police said Cormier died after he hit his head on the ground during a fight.
If convicted, Breaux faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
The grand jury also issued a superseding, or replacement, indictment against Kendall Ray Leopaul, 22, of Lafayette, was in connection with a fatal shooting that happened in July 2021 in a drug store parking lot. The grand jury first indicted him in November 2021 on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault by drive-by and aggravated criminal damage to property.
The superseding indictment accuses him of one count second-degree murder and three counts aggravated criminal damage to property. If convicted on the murder charge, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
