GONZALES, LA (WAFB) -
Authorities say they have found a safe that seems to fit the description of the one taken during a deadly home invasion that killed two men and left a woman clinging to life.
Sheriff deputies say two people were killed and one critically injured during an apparent home invasion in the 39000 block of Babin Road in Gonzales.
Family members were unable to get in touch with Robert Irwin Marchand, 74, and his wife Shirley Marchand, 72, Saturday night. Deputies went to the home and found Robert and his step-son Douglas Dooley, 50, dead and Shirley clinging to life.
Deputies say all three were found with their throats slashed and their bodies showed signs of blunt trauma. There were no signs of forced entry. A safe containing gold coins, estimated at $500,000, was stolen from the home.
At last check, Shirley is still on life support. She has not regained consciousness since the attack.
The bodies of Marchand and Dooley have been taken to a forensics lab in Lafayette.
The safe was found at a park in Livingston Parish. Police say it had been cut open and emptied out. Deputies have taken it to the evidence warehouse in Ascension Parish to be analyzed for clues.
Sheriff Wiley says the department is working non stop to identify and capture the killers. He said "we are currently following up on several leads and continue to interview any and all individuals who had remote contact with the victims. As a gesture of reassurance to our citizens and to increase officer presence and response time, extra and targeted patrols have been initiated and will continue for the foreseeable future."
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person(s) responsible for the deadly home invasion in Ascension Parish this weekend.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office at 225-621-INFO(4636) or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP(7867).
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Stolen safe found in Livingston Parish
(left) Robert Irwin Marchand and his wife Shirley, (right) Douglas Dooley
Images of the type of coins that were in the safe that was stolen has been released. These are not pictures of the actual stolen coins.
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