EUNICE, LA – Authorities in Eunice have successfully recaptured Richard Louis Deville, 34, who escaped from custody in December while serving time for a drug charge. Deville was found hiding in an apartment on South Beulah Street after an investigation led Eunice Police to the location, armed with a warrant for his arrest.
Deville’s escape from a work detail in December sparked an extensive manhunt, and police received a tip earlier this week that led them to the apartment where he was eventually apprehended. Police say Deville had been hiding within the building’s attic system, crawling through the walls of multiple apartments and breaking through firewalls in an attempt to evade capture.
When officers entered the apartment, they discovered Deville with narcotics and drug paraphernalia in his possession. As a result, he was booked on several new charges, including criminal damage to property, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, and simple assault.
In addition to Deville’s arrest, his girlfriend, 33-year-old Kaitlyn Nicole Guidry of Eunice, was also taken into custody. Guidry faces charges of obstruction of justice, resisting an officer, and accessory after the fact for allegedly aiding Deville’s escape and subsequent evasion of law enforcement.
The recapture of Deville marks the end of a tense few months for law enforcement in the area, as they worked to locate and apprehend him after his escape in December. The investigation continues as both Deville and Guidry face serious charges.