The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect after the discovery of a dead body. On June 6, 2024, authorities responded to a report of a dead body near the levee off of LA Highway 1 South near Old River Road.
At the scene, deputies found the body of an unidentified black male near a truck parked at the edge of a tree line on private property. RPSO deputies began investigating. The Rapides Parish Coroner responded and took possession of the body.
The deceased was identified as 58-year-old Gregory Gibbs. At this time, detectives are still awaiting information about the cause of death. Detectives say they used evidence from the scene, videos, and photographs from multiple businesses to identify the suspect as 38-year-old Chester Lee Sonnier Jr.
On June 7, Sonnier was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Avoyelles Parish Detention Center. Sonnier has since been released to the custody of RPSO deputies and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center for 2nd Degree Murder and Probation Violation.
Sonnier is still behind bars being held on a $1,000,000 bond.
Jay Skelton is an independent crime journalist with a passion for covering the uncovered and the under covered.