LCSO and Daisetta PD Assist Vernon Parrish SO in Murder Investigation

LEESVILLE, LA, November 12, 2004 – Chief of Detectives Marvin Hilton of the Vernon Parrish Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department and Daisetta Police Department in the investigation of the disappearance and murder of Edward Jones and James Smith of Leesville, LA.

According to Hilton, the Vernon Parrish SO took a missing persons report on November 4 identifying Jones and Smith as two missing person who had not been seen since the night of Tuesday, November 2, 2004, election night.

According to time lines developed by investigators, Jeremy Blanchard, age 22 and Leonard Lewis age 50, both of the Leesville, LA area came to Daisetta and spent several days staying with Blanchard’s relatives after the men came up missing.
It was during this time that Blanchard and Lewis talked about the crime and after leaving to return to Leesville, a report was made with local law enforcement here in Liberty County.

Law Enforcement in Leesville, LA was notified and Blanchard and Lewis were quickly identified as persons of interest in the disappearance of Jones and Smith.

Liberty County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Vernon Parrish Sheriff’s Department in gathering evidence here in Liberty County about what transpired including samples of the ground where the pickup Blanchard and Lewis were driving had been washed out.

On Thursday, November 4, 2004, the Vernon Parrish Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on the residence of the suspects gathering evidence of the crime before their return to Louisiana.

According to Chief Detective Hilton, it appears that Edward Jones and James Smith went to the residence of Jeremy Blanchard where an ongoing argument erupted and both were killed.

It appears the bodies were dismembered in an apparent attempt to prevent identification and buried in a wooded area outside of Leesville. LA.

After bulletins were broadcast, Blanchard and Lewis were spotted on their return trip to Louisiana and were arrested after exiting a convenience store.

It was Blanchard who confessed to authorities and led them to where the bodies had been buried.

Both Blanchard and Lewis were charged with 2 counts of First Degree Murder and remain in custody. No bond has been set at this time.

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