Prosecutors to seek death penalty against Neil Broussard

© Provided by Lake Charles KPLC Lake Charles man Neil Broussard, 51, is accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Kyla Hidalgo and 18-year-old Kaleb Charlton.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Calcasieu prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty against Neil Broussard.

Broussard, 51, is accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Kyla Hidalgo and 18-year-old Kaleb Charlton on July 15.

Calcasieu First Assistant District Attorney Jacob Johnson gave official notice that the state will seek the death penalty if Broussard is convicted of two counts of first-degree murder.

“It’s on rare occasions that we do indeed seek the death penalty,” Johnson said. “It’s a very lengthy process, but certain criminals and certain crimes are deserving of it. We feel like that would be justice in this case, so we did make the decision to seek the death penalty.”

Johnson says no decision has been made whether to seek the death penalty for Neil Broussard’s wife, Tori Broussard, 41.

© Provided by Lake Charles KPLC The wife of Neil Broussard, the suspect in Wednesday’s double homicide, was arrested as an accessory, Calcasieu officials confirm. Tori L. Broussard, 41, of Lake Charles was arrested on Wednesday on counts of accessory after the fact to first-degree rape and accessory after the fact to molestation of a juvenile, according to Kayla Vincent, spokeswoman for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Broussard is the chief investigator at the Calcasieu Public Defenders Office. Harry Fontenot, head of the office, says she is on administrative leave pending further review.

She is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Hidalgo and Charlton.

At the time of killings, Tori Broussard was the chief investigator at the Calcasieu Public Defenders Office but has since been terminated.

During a bond reduction hearing Wednesday for Tori Broussard, a sheriff’s deputy testified that investigators used cell phone records and video surveillance to track the movements of Neil and Tori Broussard before and during the killings.

Prior to the killings, Neil Broussard was wanted on a rape charge – one of those killed was the alleged rape victim.

Prosecutor Ross Murray argued that Tori Broussard’s part was lying, hiding and covering up. Had she told police where Neil was, Murray argued, it could have saved Hidalgo and Charlton.

However, Tori Broussard’s attorney, Todd Clemons, argued there is no evidence or proof she was involved in the killings or near the scene Judge Sharon Wilson reduced Tori Broussard’s bond from $1 million to $300,000.

There’s also a move to recuse Wilson from presiding over the case since she once was involved in prosecuting Neil Broussard. That will be taken up next month.

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