Second Arrest in Melville Shooting Case for Not Reporting Murder
According to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, a second person has been arrested in connection with a case in which investigators say jealousy was the motive.
According to law enforcement, they have evidence that 20-year-old Jaiman Maurice Mason was in the truck with both before and after they alleged that 18-year-old Jaden Michael Ardoin is alleged to have chased a vehicle containing Wade Edward Smith and James Preston Allen Vaughn.
Deputies shots were fired from Ardoin's vehicle, and Wade Edward Smith was shot to death while his passenger, James Preston Allen Vaugn was shot, but lived. Officials say they have surveillance footage and witness statements that Mason was the passenger in Ardoin's vehicle. According to St. Landry Parish investigators, Ardoin was mad at the two victims they were flirting with his girlfriend who worked at a gas station they went to often. Detectives believe jealousy was the motive for Ardoin to shoot at the people in the victim's car.
All of this happened in the 9000 block of Highway 105 in the Melville area.
You can read more about the arrest of Jaden Ardoin by clicking here to read our ongoing coverage of this story.
Mason has been incarcerated only the following charges for not notifying police of the crimes:
- Principal to First Degree Murder
- Principal to Attempted First Degree Murder
He was arrested right before 8 o'clock Thursday night. Both Ardoin and Mason are in jail with no bond being set. Mason is from Port Barre.
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says in a press release,
Many concerns and assumptions were called into media outlets, posted on social media, and called into my office about this case and other cases. My office does not only want to make an arrest but a conviction in the cases. What seems to be and shut cases must be investigated to the fullest and take time. I understand the 24-hour news cycle and social media, everyone wants information on the case before the case is finished and the arrests are even made. I assure you that my office is totally transparent but will not ever jeopardize a conviction of a case until the information can be released.