Eight years after a Louisiana mother of three was found shot to death inside her home, investigators say they’ve made an arrest.
In a statement shared Tuesday, Dec. 23, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Troy Scott Jordan, who has been booked into jail on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the 2017 death of Donna Arceneaux.
It’s not clear whether Jordan has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
Authorities did not provide additional details about what led to the arrest, but noted the investigation is still ongoing.
“The arrest of Mr. Jordan marks a significant development in our ongoing effort to ensure accountability for this murder,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that it appreciated the assistance of local agencies involved in the case.
Arceneaux, 40, was found dead with a gunshot wound to her chest inside her Franklinton home on Oct. 24, 2017, according to a previous statement from the sheriff’s office. Deputies responded to the residence around midnight after two friends, unable to reach her, went to check on her.
At the time, the sheriff’s office described the incident as an “unclassified shooting death.”
A loved one told WWL-TV in 2023 that the single mother appeared happy while attending a local fair just two days before she was found dead. An autopsy later determined her death was a homicide, but that conclusion was not immediately made public, WWL-TV reported—fueling speculation that she may have died by suicide.
“I was like, ‘There’s no way she did that.’ She wouldn’t have left her daughter,” Arceneaux’s sister, Sherry Pigott, said, per the outlet. “She loved her daughter. She loved her children. We never believed that. We never thought that from the beginning.”
At the family’s request, the case was later turned over to state police. Then-Sheriff Randy “Country” Seal said the agency could potentially spot something local investigators “might have missed,” the outlet reported.
Pigott also said her sister operated a spa out of her home and described her as outgoing and adventurous.
