Opelousas, Louisiana Police Officer Resigns After Shooting Chief of Police, Wife

A developing situation in Opelousas, Louisiana just got a significant update. Former Opelousas police officer Savannah Butler, Opelousas Chief of Police Graig LeBlanc, and his wife, Crystal LeBlanc have made local and national headlines due to a controversial shooting surrounded by an extramarital affair. Butler's resignation, confirmed to take effect on Friday (Feb 16.) as per the city council's agenda, marks the latest development in a complex situation that mixes personal affairs with serious professional misconduct.

According to The Acadiana Advocate, the incident began with a shooting on December 22, where Opelousas Chief of Police Graig LeBlanc and his wife, Crystal LeBlanc, a sheriff's captain, were injured at Butler's home. The confrontation stemmed from an alleged extramarital affair between Butler and Chief LeBlanc, leading to Butler facing multiple felony charges, including two counts of negligent injury, illegal discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.

The case took another shocking twist with the revelation of video footage showing Butler attempting to clean up the crime scene, a move that complicated the legal proceedings and raised questions about the integrity of law enforcement involved. To make matters even worse, Officer Tyrone Abrams's alleged complicity in helping Butler destroy evidence has shed light on issues of malfeasance within the Opelousas Police Department.

Butler's prior dismissal from the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office for insubordination and refusal to investigate assigned cases only draws more questions surrounding her hiring by Chief LeBlanc in 2023.

Get the latest on this story and the controversial case involving multiple members of St. Landry Parish law enforcement here via The Acadiana Advocate.