A pre-dawn domestic dispute at a LaPlace apartment complex turned terrifying Tuesday when, according to deputies, a man stepped onto a top-floor balcony and opened fire on his wife, with bullets instead slamming into a neighboring apartment wall and a parked car.
Authorities identified the suspect as 49-year-old Larry Eugene Jr., who was arrested at the Hemlock Apartment complex after briefly struggling with a deputy outside the building.
What deputies reported
At about 6:17 a.m., deputies responded to a 911 call about a man firing from a balcony at 1525 West Airline Highway, the Hemlock Apartment complex, according to a press release from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office. Using a vehicle intercom, deputies say they ordered Eugene to come outside. He laid on the ground as instructed and was detained after a brief struggle with a deputy.
The sheriff's office reports that the shots missed Eugene's wife but struck the wall of a neighboring apartment and a vehicle parked nearby.
Arrest and charges
As reported by WGNO, Eugene was booked into the St. John Parish jail on multiple felony counts. Those charges include attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, along with aggravated criminal damage to property, illegal use of weapons, domestic abuse battery involving strangulation, alleged possession of a stolen firearm, obstruction of justice, and a probation/parole violation.
According to WGNO, the combined bond on Eugene's charges was set at $147,500. Deputies recovered a firearm at the scene, the outlet adds.
Confession and next steps
In its press release, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said Eugene "confessed his intent was to kill his wife" during an interview with investigators.
The 40th Judicial District Court handled the bond setting and will oversee any formal court filings and hearings in the case. Prosecutors will determine when Eugene next appears in court.
Local context
The arrest adds to a string of gun-related and domestic incidents in the River Parishes, with local reporting tracking similar arrests and investigations. In 2024, a 2024 attempted-second-degree-murder arrest in LaPlace's Williamsburg Drive neighborhood highlighted how frequently the sheriff's office is called to respond to violent domestic disputes.
