Troy Louis Smith, a 44-year-old African American law enforcement officer from Waggaman, Louisiana, was shot in his home on June 17, 2018, and died at a hospital on June 24, 2018. His wife, Shantel Parria-Smith, placed a 911 call reporting that he had taken his own life; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office later treated the death as suspicious and began a homicide investigation.

Detectives concluded the scene may have been staged, and Shantel Parria-Smith was arrested and indicted on second-degree murder in November 2018. The coroner’s office ultimately listed the manner of death as undetermined. The defense has pointed to Troy Smith’s reported PTSD and suicidal ideation and to an amended coroner’s report that they say supports a suicide theory. Pre-trial motions were still being filed through August 2022.

A separate civil suit over Smith’s life insurance was filed in May 2023 by his children from a prior relationship, who dispute Shantel Parria-Smith’s claim to the benefits. Does anyone have direct information about Troy Smith’s final days or the household in Waggaman at that time?