The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office will be holding a press conference today at 1:30 to give an update and new information regarding the case. I would imagine that they will be able to shed some more light on the situation then. Regardless of what comes out, the citizens of Westlake, and I myself have lost a friend and a wonderful Christian man.
Also, for those few who made reference to all of Louisiana being like New Orleans, you're very mistaken. Louisiana is really a wonderful place to live and it has some very fine people. New Orleans is almost like another country and it shouldn't reflect upon Louisiana as a whole. I lived in Westlake, Louisiana for 36 years and as I said earlier, I've only been gone now for the past 2 years. I now live in southern Mississippi and we were devastated here by Katrina. As former citizen of Louisiana, I was upset by the fumbling of Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco. I was also embarrassed by much of what was being broadcast from New Orleans and Mississippi suffered tremendously also. We whethered that storm out in our church and walked out after 1.5 million dollars worth of damage. But New Orleans pulled the media attention. I wouldn't live in New Orleans, because it is a haven for criminals and evil. But that's not the case with Louisiana as a whole. So for those of you who are saying that, you're speaking out of ignorance. I know firsthand.
May God bless the memory of my friend, Gerald "Wash" Washington and his family.
Coroner: Westlake Mayor-Elect's death was a suicideJanuary 2nd, 2007
Tuesday afternoon a press conference was held to discuss the death of Westlake Mayor-Elect Gerald Washington.
Washington was found dead Saturday Night in Mossville.
At the press conference the Calcasieu Parish Coroner's office said Washington had died from an self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Family members expressed outrage over how the investigation has been handled by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office. They say the investigation was sloppy and they're adamant that Washington would not have taken his own life.
7 News will have more on this story beginning at 5:00 PM