Officer-involved shooting leads to discovery of deceased couple in home

Ronald Banks was out and about in his neighborhood on Sunday, October 9, and ran into his friend Lee Ardoin who appeared to have just finished some house and yard maintenance. Sadly, neither Banks nor Ardoin realized that the pleasant interaction would be their last.

On Thursday, October 13, the Lake Charles Police Department responded to a call in Ardoin’s neighborhood about a naked man in the area wielding a gun. Officers made contact with the individual which resulted in one officer firing multiple shots at the unclothed man, who was struck and ran back into Ardoin’s home. With the help of robots provided by the department’s SWAT unit, law enforcement saw that the unclothed man was dead. 

When the police entered the home, they found 62-year-old Ardoin and his wife Sandra Reder Ardoin (60) who were both dead and appeared to have gunshot wounds. The Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office later released information that the couple was killed two days prior.

“I was with him Sunday night,” Banks said. “He was asking me to help him put his lawn mower in the back of his truck. So I went that Monday morning, but he wouldn’t answer the door.” Via KPLCTV.com

It was not like Lee Ardoin to be unresponsive to contact from his friends, which is what tipped off Vergie Savoy that something might have been wrong.

“He called him Wednesday evening and he said no one answered, he called him back again,” Savoy recounted. “He said normally when he would call Lee, Lee would call him back in 15 minutes.” Via KPLCTV.com

The deceased suspect has been identified as Christopher Lee Ardoin of Lake Charles. The investigation surrounding why the Ardoin’s may have been targeted is ongoing. 

This episode of disturbing violence is something that won’t soon be forgotten, and the Johnson Law Firm expresses its condolences to those who knew the Ardoins. If someone you know is the victim of a vicious attack in our area, please call us at (337) 433-1414.