Shawn Chiasson and Lindsey Williams (Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Ofice)
A 23-year-old man in Louisiana will spend the rest of his days behind bars after admitting to the cold-blooded execution of his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend, whom he fatally shot in the head while she slept inside her home with her son in the next room. Judicial District Judge Ray Steib on Wednesday ordered Shawn Chiasson to serve a sentence of life in prison for the 2021 slaying of Lindsey Williams, authorities announced.
According to a press release from the Office of Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul D. Connick, Chiasson reached a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder as well as one count each of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice. In addition to the mandatory life sentence, Judge Steib also sentenced Chiasson to the maximum sentence of 40 years on the obstruction charge and 20 years for the gun charge, to be served concurrently.
The obstruction charge stems from Chiasson fleeing the scene of the shooting and tossing the murder weapon into a canal.
Chiasson’s guilty plea brought an abrupt end to a trial that was already in progress in Louisiana’s 24th Judicial District. Jurors, who were selected and seated last week, had already heard the prosecutors’ opening statement, the complete witness testimony from the victim’s mother, and about half of the direct examination testimony from one of Chiasson’s ex-girlfriends when he entered the plea.
During the abbreviated proceedings, details emerged regarding the events leading up to Williams’ tragic death.
Prosecutors said that on the night she was killed, Williams had joined friends at a downtown restaurant, followed by a gathering at an establishment on the Mississippi River. Chiasson went to the same location that night and sent Williams a chilling text message: “I’m looking dead at you.”
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The next morning, just before 9 a.m., Williams’ 11-year-old son heard a disturbance in his mother’s bedroom from across the hall. Upon opening the door, he witnessed Chiasson with blood on his hands. Chiasson then used the child’s cellphone to call 911, identifying himself as “Jake” and reporting the shooting. After the call, Chiasson fled the scene while the child waited on the front porch for the arrival of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Chiasson was apprehended two days later. During questioning by detectives, he claimed that the pistol had accidentally discharged as he removed it from his waistband.
During the trial, Chiasson’s public defender waived giving an opening statement. The second witness called to the stand was Chiasson’s ex-girlfriend, who was asked to testify about a 2017 incident in which Chiasson had assaulted her while she was eight months pregnant. However, she refused to answer the prosecutor’s questions, leading to a contempt hearing. It was during her testimony that Chiasson informed his public defender of his decision to plead guilty as charged.
Unaware of Chiasson’s change in plea, the jurors briefly exited the courtroom. Judge Steib promptly called them back and informed them of the guilty plea. The jurors voluntarily chose to remain in court to listen to victim impact testimony and witness Chiasson’s sentencing.
In a statement to The Times-Picayune, Chiasson’s attorney, Jake Lemmon, reportedly said that his client’s decision to plead guilty was made against the advice of counsel.
“He didn’t want the victim’s family or any of his ex-girlfriends to have to go through what they were going through. He decided it was pointless,” Lemmon told the newspaper.
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