By Joshua Auzenne


GONZALES, LA (WAFB) - Two more people have been arrested in the brutal triple murder and gold coin theft in Gonzales. This makes a total of five people arrested.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office took Devon James, 24, and Bernard James, 25, into custody Wednesday morning in connection with the murders of Robert and Shirley Marchand and Shirley's son, Douglas Dooley.

Bernard James is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed robbery and three counts of aggravated burglary.

Devon James is charged with three counts of accessory after-the-fact to first-degree murder, accessory after-the-fact to armed robbery and accessory after-the-fact to aggravated burglary.

Investigators said they believe he torched the safe with the coins to get it open.

Five people have now been charged in the gruesome crime from Feb. 18.

Michael Aikens, 35, Rolondo Stewart, 22, and Travis Moore, 19, were arrested Tuesday afternoon.

They were also charged with three counts of first degree murder, three counts of armed robbery and three counts of aggravated burglary.

Deputies said all three victims were found at the Marchand's home on Babin Road with their throats slashed and signs of blunt trauma. There were no signs of forced entry.

Robert Marchand, 74, and Douglas Dooley, 50, were pronounced dead at the scene. Shirley Marchand, 72, clung to life for two weeks after the attack, but later succumbed to her injuries.

A safe containing gold coins worth an estimated $500,000 was stolen from the residence. It was found two days later at a park in Livingston Parish.

The bottom of the safe had been torched open and most of the coins had been stolen.

LINK: http://www.wafb.com/story/17101746/detectives-arrest-two-more-suspects-in-gold-coins-triple-murder