Judges: Accused police killer incompetent to stand trial

Two 16th Judicial District Court judges ruled Thursday that accused killer Wilbert Thibodeaux is incompetent to proceed to trial based on psychiatrist reports and testimony, according to Assistant District Attorney Anthony Saleme.
District Court Judge Keith Comeaux and Judge James McClelland both found Thibodeaux, 49, incompetent to go to trial during a joint competency hearing and ordered that Thibodeaux be committed to Feliciana Forensic Facility in Jackson to try to restore Thibodeaux’s competence, Saleme said.
Thibodeaux was previously being held at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel, Saleme said.
Thibodeaux was charged Jan. 26, 2013, with first degree murder of a police officer, first degree murder, two counts of attempted first degree murder of a police officer and simple arson in connection with the incident.
Comeaux is presiding over the first degree murder cases while McClelland is presiding over the attempted first degree murder and arson cases, Saleme said. First degree murder cases cannot be tried along with other charges so another judge must preside over the attempted murder and arson cases, Saleme said.
The Feliciana Forensic Facility is a secure place for people who have been found incompetent to go to trial, he said. “They’re sent there to try to get them to a point where they can be able to stand trial,” Saleme said.
On Jan. 26, 2013, Chitimacha Police Sgt. Rick Riggenbach was responding to a 911 call on Flattown Road in Charenton and came into contact with Thibodeaux, who was armed with a shotgun, according to the affidavit for Thibodeaux’s arrest.
Thibodeaux then shot and killed Riggenbach, the affidavit stated. St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies Matthew Strickland and Jason Javier also responded to the call, and were shot by Thibodeaux with the same shotgun, the affidavit said.
Thibodeaux also set fire to a residence in the 1100 block of Flattown Road using a gas accelerant, the affidavit stated. The body of Eddie Lyons, 78, was recovered inside the debris of the burnt residence, the affidavit said. Additionally, Thibodeaux set fire to a truck located outside the residence, the affidavit said.
Thibodeaux does not have any more court dates set yet, Saleme said. “Basically, the case is just in kind of a holding pattern,” Saleme said. The court will eventually determine if Thibodeaux is able to be restored to competency or if he cannot be restored to competency in the foreseeable future, Saleme said.