By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

The capture of Brian Keith Thomas, 31, who walked out of an Avoyelles Parish Jail Saturday, August 1, came as a relief to local authorities.

Thomas’ alleged past actions had authorities working overtime to return him to incarceration status. “It’s a big relief to everyone’s mind,” Captain Keith Dupre, Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s chief of detectives, said Friday morning, August 7, as news arrived Thomas had been caught earlier that day in Terrebonne Parish. “I know everyone was terrified.”

According to published reports and information both Dupre and Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue received, Thomas was captured at approximately 6:30 a.m. in the Houma-Thibodeaux area by the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force and members of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Department. Thomas was captured at a Richmond Ave. apartment in Houma without incident on a warrant for simple escape from Avoyelles Parish.

Also reportedly taken into custody by the Fugitive Task Force was Edmond “Teedy” R. Dyer, 35, of Thibodaux, for allegedly assisting Thomas in his escape. His arrest warrant was issued for assisting escape and accessory after the fact to simple escape. He also was wanted by the state probation and parole office for a probation violation. Both were taken to the Terrebonne Parish Jail until they could be transferred to Avoyelles Parish.

Dupre said he learned Dyer was possibly a relative of Thomas. He said the early reports he was getting was Dyer allegedly picked Thomas up in Marksville.

Avoyelles Sheriff Doug Anderson announced an investigation was continuing into the escape of Thomas and further arrests were imminent for those involved in the escape.

Evangeline Parish Sheriff Eddie Soileau complimented his department on their part in assisting the return of Thomas to custody. Soileau also thanked the U.S. Marshal’s from Lafayette for their assistance in this case, stating they put some long hours into this investigation.

“There were a lot of man hours put into this case,” Soileau said. “We worked 24-7 since this started. They did a great job. A lot of work was done by Keith. He did a great job.”

Both Soileau and Dupre thanked the people for their assistance in this investigation. Dupre said authorities checked out several leads in this case in this area. He said they had received information early in the investigation Thomas might have been in the Houma-Thibodaux area but they were only able to give limited information to the public.

“At that point, we couldn’t reveal it to the public,” he said. “We still checked out every lead possible inside Evangeline Parish.”

Dupre said on the first day of Thomas’ reported escape, the U.S. Marshals were contacted and immediately went to work. He said they returned Sunday and remained all day with the sheriff’s deputies, working well into the late evening, following leads as to where Thomas might be hiding.

Local authorities searched several homes in the area after receiving information from concerned citizens, but they found nothing at these houses. Dupre said if they hadn’t followed the leads people were giving, people would have thought they were not doing their jobs. “If something would have happened; in a sense, it would have been said we were not doing our jobs. So, we checked out every lead we had.” He said they even received information Thomas was dressed as a woman.

They also provided escort services to individuals, who had prior problems with Thomas. The sheriff’s office along with the Ville Platte Police, Pine Prairie Police and Turkey Creek Police assisted these individuals in leaving the parish to make sure they were out of harm’s way.

“We are sorry if we inconvenienced anyone,” Soileau said as he explained his deputies were doing a thorough job following leads. “It was just an investigation we had to go through.”

If anyone has information in this investigation, they are asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 363-2161. All callers will remain anonymous.