21-year-old accused of slaying of parents, girlfriend, 2 others

(WAFB) – The man accused of killing five people in two Louisiana parishes was arrested Sunday morning in Richmond County, Virginia, according to local authorities.

Dakota Theriot, the shooting suspect, was taken to Northern Neck Regional Jail and is being held without bond, pending a court appearance.

Theriot will be transported back to Ascension Parish at a later date and booked on two counts of first-degree murder, home invasion, and illegal use of weapons. He also faces three counts of first-degree murder and theft of a motor vehicle in Livingston Parish.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said Louisiana authorities contacted the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday since Theriot had family ties in Virginia. His grandmother, who resides in Richmond County, contacted and asked deputies to conduct a safety check at her home on Historyland Highway because she suspected Theriot was heading her way. The grandmother and other family members had stayed in a hotel the night before in case Theriot showed up at the home.

While deputies were checking on the home, Theriot pulled up in a vehicle with a firearm pointed out the truck’s window. Deputies commanded Theriot to drop his weapon, which he did without any incident.

The arrest came a day after five people were killed in two different parishes in Louisiana, launching a search for the suspected gunman.

Three people were found dead inside of a mobile home in Livingston Parish Saturday morning. They were identified as Billy Ernest, 43, Tanner Ernest, 17, and Summer Ernest, 20.

Authorities had identified the suspect as Dakota Theriot, 21.

Police say Theriot was dating Summer and had been living with the Ernests for several weeks. Authorities believe the shootings stemmed from a “boyfriend [and] girlfriend type of dispute.”

Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard spoke to the mother of Theriot’s girlfriend. She said there were no red flags and no sign that something like this was going to happen.

“This is probably one of the worst domestic violence [incidents] I’ve seen in quite a while,” Ascension Sheriff Bobby Webre said during a press conference Saturday afternoon. “For a young man to walk into a bedroom and kill his mother and his father, and then kill friends in Livingston that he had a connection with.”

According to Webre, Keith Theriot was still alive when they arrived on scene, and before he died, he told investigators that his son was the shooter.

At around 9 a.m. Saturday, deputies with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office were sent to a trailer park on Courtney Road between Arnold and N. Corbin roads in reference to a homicide. It was there that the Ernests were found shot and killed.

Charlenne Bordelon, who lives near the Ernest home, told The Advocate newspaper that Summer Ernest was dating the suspect. She says the suspect had recently moved in to the Ernest home.

The same neighbor told WAFB reporter Carmen Farrish that two small children were inside the Ernest home when the murders unfolded and were not harmed. Bordelon says the two children ran to her home for help. The oldest of the children, a girl believed to be seven years old, told the neighbor about the killings. Bordelon said she called 911 and then tried to comfort the children.

Police believe Theriot had stolen Billy Ernest’s truck and drove it east down Highway 447 into Ascension Parish.

The Associated Press reported a Facebook page that appears to belong to Theriot shared a post in June saying “wish i could clear my mind jus for one day” (sic) with a sad face emoji.

In May, he shared a post saying “If you have a problem with me, tell me. Not everyone else.”

Another shared post says, “I don’t care what people say about me I know who I am and I don’t have to prove anything to anyone,” the Associated Press reported.