A fatal shooting interrupted a widespread power outage in Church Point, Louisiana, on January 28, 2025. Just after midnight, during a blackout caused when a vehicle struck a utility pole, gunfire was reported near Kelly and Sunrise Streets. A Church Point police officer who responded found 39-year-old Eric St. Julien shot five times outside his family’s home in his mother’s yard. The Acadia Parish coroner pronounced him dead at the scene. The outage left streetlights and nearby security cameras inoperable, hindering the initial investigation.

On March 7, 2025, authorities executed warrants and arrested 23-year-old Joseph Wilridge Jr., also of Church Point. He was charged with second-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm; reports note an extensive criminal history, including prior attempted murder charges, and that he was on probation at the time. Law enforcement says the investigation remains active as they seek to determine whether others were involved.

Did anyone in Church Point see or hear anything that night that could help piece together what happened?