Family showdown

Lemoine’s body was found in the Charenton Canal Aug. 9, 2010, two days after his abandoned car was found in a ditch on U.S. 90 near the casino. He last was seen leaving the casino after 3:30 a.m. Aug. 7, 2010.

Three sisters accused their mother and brother of knowledge pertaining to Lemoine’s death when they appeared on the syndicated talk show Tuesday. A polygraph test administered by the show indicated none of the family members had any information concerning Glenn Lemoine’s death.

Lemoine’s manner and cause of death originally were ruled undetermined by St. Mary Parish Coroner Dr. F.H. Metz after an autopsy was performed in Jefferson Parish.

While the first autopsy found an undetermined cause of death, the second one — paid for by the family and conducted by board-certified pathologist Dr. Adel Shaker on Jan. 31 in Jefferson County, Ala. — found blunt force trauma to the back of the chest, sharp force trauma to the neck and subdural hematomas, according to Dr. Phil, who was asking the family about the report.

Metz has stood by his findings, and the matter has been investigated by both the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana State Police.

“The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to engage in an ongoing investigation regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of Glenn Lemoine in August 2010. The St. Mary Parish Coroner’s report indicated an undetermined cause of death. Because of this determination, the Sheriff’s Office investigation is open as to the cause of death. We have and will pursue any new information or leads we receive. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the Sheriff’s Office cannot publicly comment on particular evidence or the details surrounding the case,” according to a written statement from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The 60-year-old Lemoine of Patterson left behind 11 children. His family had his body exhumed in January to have another autopsy performed. 

The results of a second autopsy indicate that Glenn Lemoine’s manner of death was a homicide and cause of death was violence of undetermined means, according to the pathologist who performed the autopsy. 

On Dr. Phil McGraw’s show Tuesday, sisters Denise Bailey, Amy Lemoine Perkins and Bernadette Lemoine accused their mother, Ellen Lemoine, and brother, Shawn Lemoine, of having knowledge of or possibly a hand in their father’s death. The children repeatedly blamed their mother’s need for money as the reason they believed her to be responsible in some way.

A polygraph test on the family members found no deception about their knowledge of Glenn Lemoine’s death.

Ellen Lemoine said, “He is the father of my 11 children. Anyone would know that if you see your children hurting, you hurt twice as bad.”

Lemoine’s family previously hired private investigator John Abdella, who spoke with a woman who talked to Lemoine after his car got stuck in the ditch about a mile from the casino, Abdella said in February. 

Lemoine told the woman he was “OK” and was going to make some phone calls, Abdella said. 

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene about 10 minutes later, and Lemoine had left the scene, he said. The woman did not see Lemoine leave because it was extremely dark on the road, Abdella said.

The family said three calls were made from his phone after 4 a.m. Glenn Lemoine had gone missing after leaving the casino shortly before 4 a.m., initial news reports indicate. His car was found in a ditch near the U.S. 90 on-ramp from La. 83, and his body was found in the canal two days later about two miles from where his car was found.

Shawn Lemoine said his father’s hand was missing. Coroner’s reports have indicated there was no water in his lungs, indicating he was deceased before he went into the water.

Shawn Lemoine works at Cypress Bayou Casino, where Glenn Lemoine was gambling the night of his death. The sisters alleged Shawn Lemoine left earlier than normal that night and deemed that activity suspicious, they said on the show.

While Shawn Lemoine maintained he and his father had a close relationship, he also acknowledged to Dr. Phil that the men had had a physical altercation at some point, causing the father to receive scrapes after being pushed down.

Several of the children said on the show they believed their father, whom they agreed was addicted to gambling and was a frequent drinker, was attempting to avoid a DWI charge when he abandoned his car the night of his death. They believe Glenn Lemoine may have had a large amount of cash on him when he died.

Abdella asks anyone with information surrounding Lemoine’s death to contact him at 337-235-0270. The family continues to offer a $10,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Lemoine’s death.

The St. Mary Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at 337-384-1622 or 337-828-1960.