Six arrested in Aaron Soignier murder headed to grand jury
The six people arrested last month in the shooting death of Aaron Soiginer will go before the grand jury next week in 4th Judicial District Court.
If indicted, an arraignment date will be set.
Ouachita Parish sheriff's deputies arrested six in the shooting death of Soignier.
Justin Rhodes, 38, of West Monroe, was the sixth suspect arrested last month.
In early March, sheriff's deputies arrested Robert Malanders, 32; Sierra Collins, 19; Stacie Shaw, 33; and Jeffery Osborne, 35, in connection with the homicide.
According to the arrest affidavit, Rhodes was contacted on Feb. 9 by Osborne, who wanted to know where to find Soignier.
Rhodes reportedly said he was with Soignier at the time and agreed to meet Osborne and Malanders at Wal-Mart.
Once at Wal-Mart, they discussed a car title that Soignier reportedly had taken from Osborne's residence the night before, according to the affidavit.
Rhodes said Soignier tried to walk away, but he grabbed Soignier "to keep him from being hit by a car," according to the affidavit.
Malanders then reportedly removed an AK-47 from the vehicle, though Rhodes was not sure if that was done as a threat to Soignier or to make room for him to sit in the vehicle.
Osborne, Malanders and Soignier then left the scene, and Rhodes took Soignier's vehicle.
He reportedly said he was going to Bastrop but he got high. The affidavit states Rhodes continued to drive Soignier's car for the next three weeks.
However, Malanders told police Rhodes followed them to Osborne's residence, where the murder took place.
A witness was interviewed on Wednesday who told police Rhodes claimed he met Osborne and Malanders at Wal-Mart and they tried to force Soignier into their vehicle. Also, the witness said Rhodes struggled with Soignier and he got free. Osborne grabbed Soignier and forced him into the vehicle and Rhodes followed them to Osborne's residence, according to the witness
A fifth suspect, Christina Nicole Brown, 30, of Rayville, was arrested with the assistance of Richland Parish sheriff's deputies.
According to her arrest affidavit on file at the Ouachita Parish Courthouse, Brown was present at the time of Soignier's murder and cleaned blood stains from the carpet and a love seat while others dumped the body.
According to arrest affidavits, Malanders claimed Soignier was at Osborne and Shaw's residence on Red Cut Loop Road at the time of his murder. After the slaying, Malanders said Soignier's body was dumped in a wooded area in Caldwell Parish.
Shaw and Malanders told police Brown was present at the residence when the shooting occurred.
The arrest affidavit states Malanders and Osborne dumped the body while Shaw and Collins left for their new residence on Velma Drive.
Brown stayed behind and cleaned the blood stains and then called a friend to come and pick up the love seat. She told the unidentified friend the love seat needed to be picked up because the owners of the residence were moving.
According to Malanders, Collins was inside the residence pointing a gun at Soignier when Malanders left the residence to smoke methamphetamine. He heard a gunshot and fled the scene, according to the affidavit.
He later changed his story and said he returned to the residence and saw Soignier bleeding from his leg. He changed his story again to say he moved Soignier's body to a remote area in Caldwell Parish.
Collins confirmed with deputies the shooting happened at the residence on Red Cut Loop Road. However, she told authorities Malanders gave her a BB gun and told her to shoot Soignier if he moved. She admitted to shooting Soignier in the leg when he attempted to stand up, only then realizing she possessed an actual handgun.
Collins told investigators Malanders refused to allow her to get Soignier help.
Soignier was last seen Feb. 9. One of Soignier's family members reported him missing on March 2.
Sheriff Jay Russell said Soignier was known to leave for a period of time without telling anyone, but he'd always call his family. After they didn't hear from him for three weeks they notified authorities.